Wicked: Part Two – UK release date, cast and plot for musical's second act

That's because the film has been split into two parts, one for each act of the stage show, with composer Stephen Schwartz having explained to RadioTimes.com that "we weren't really able to get the whole story into one movie without it being far too long".

"It was hard to get past, Defying Gravity is such a sort of definitive end of an act that no matter what we tried to do, it just felt as if at this point, the audience was going to want to take a break," he said in an exclusive interview last year. "You could just hear the sound of footsteps going up the aisle!"

But how long will fans have to wait for the second instalment? And will any new stars be joining Erivo and Ariana Grande in the second part? Read on for everything we know so far.

Wicked: Part Two UK release date

Wicked: Part Two has been scheduled for released on Friday 21st November 2025 – so almost exactly a year after the first film's launch in cinemas.

Of course, that's a lot longer to wait between two acts than the 15-minute intermission theatregoers are accustomed to, but it's still a shorter gap than there often is between two instalments in a franchise.

Given how enthusiastically people seem to have taken to Part One already, we're willing to bet that many fans will fit in a fair few viewings of the first film between now and then as they wait...

Wicked: Part Two cast – Will Dorothy be in the film?

The cast is almost certain to be exactly the same as it was for the first film – given that the two films were shot at the same time and that there are no character deaths in the first part, with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande once again leading the way.

Here's a reminder of the biggest names you can expect to see in the sequel:

• Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp
• Ariana Grande as Glinda Upland
• Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar
• Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible
• Jeff Goldblum as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz
• Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman
• Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp
• Peter Dinklage as the voice of Doctor Dillamond
• Bowen Yang as Pfannee of Phan Hall
• Bronwyn James as ShenShen

In the musical, there are no new additions in the second act, save for a brief appearance by iconic Wizard of Oz character Dorothy, who can be heard crying off-stage but is not normally played by an actor on stage.

That said, there are rumours that both Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion could have expanded roles in the film – although this is unconfirmed at this stage, and there have been no reports as to who might be playing them.

Given Judy Garland's performance in the 1939 film is one of the most beloved screen performances of all time, if someone does end up playing her they'll have very big shoes – or ruby slippers – to fill.

We'll keep this page updated as and when we hear any more concrete news.

Wicked: Part Two plot – What happens in the second act?

If you've not seen the stage show or read Gregory Maguire's source novel and are thus unfamiliar with the events in the second half of the musical, you might not want to read too much on from here – but suffice to say that the second part follows the story after Elphaba has learned to fly and discovered the treachery going on in Oz.

On stage, the second act picks up with her already known as the Wicked Witch of the West due to her opposition to the Wizard's regime, while Glinda has gone the other way – now the lead spokesperson for the Wizard and known as Glinda the Good.

Meanwhile, the story also delves further into Fiyero, who is now looking for Elphaba but is led astray and ends up coming into conflict with Glinda.

Crucially, the second part depicts the events we know from The Wizard of Oz, albeit from a different perspective – focusing on what is happening behind the scenes during Dorothy's venture down the Yellow Brick Road, while also including some interesting reveals about other characters we know from the classic film.

Given how faithful the first film was to act one, we're not expecting any major deviations, but of course we'll update this page accordingly if we hear any snippets to the contrary.

Is there a Wicked: Part Two trailer?

There's no trailer for Part Two just yet – but we'll be keeping a lookout and will post it here as soon as it drops.

In the meantime, why don't you enjoy the trailer for Part One again?

Wicked: Part One comes to cinemas on Friday 22nd November 2024 and Part Two is scheduled for release on 21st November 2025.

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