For those of us who cannot wait until November for the release of Wicked: For Good movie trailer has created ample excitement for the second part of the adaptation of the iconic musical, its November 2025 release date coinciding with its previous installments' release almost perfectly. That quick turnaround will absolutely be needed, as not only was the first movie a box-office hit, but the story itself is entering its more complex and fascinating section.
However, with the release so far off, audiences who cannot wait to see the film have tried to find alternatives to prepare for what is set to be a heartbreaking and surprising second half, with Dorothy's appearance in Wicked: For Good adding even more tension. The Wicked franchise is already based on a book series, The Wicked Years by Gregory Maguire, but the musical and subsequent films shifted the story. As a result, the original books can sadly give little insight into what is to come, but another, more recent series can at least prepare us tonally.
Wicked: For Good Will Be Much Darker Than Wicked
Wicked's Characters Must Deal With The Consequences Of The Last Film
Wicked: For Good, like the musical, is set to be much darker as the characters from Wicked deal with their choices from the first half of the story. Wicked: For Good takes place years after the previous film, showcasing both Glinda's (Ariana Grande) rise in the Emerald City and Elphaba's (Cynthia Erivo) continued crusade against the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). As the two women reunite and Glinda's wedding to Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) draws nearer, the fight for Oz comes to a head, building towards that fateful tornado and all that comes with it.
Though the songs in Wicked: For Good have the same cheerful undercurrent and the colors match the same vibrant hues of the first one, it is very clear that Oz has changed. Those who know the musical know about the story's deeper meanings and darker turns, revealing the core of Wicked's story. That core, though, is hard to find elsewhere and is, as mentioned, sadly not reflected in the original books. Yet a fantasy series from 2014 captures that exact feel, making it a perfect read to hold over fans until the film's release: Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige.
Dorothy Must Die Is The Perfect Replacement While Waiting For Wicked: For Good
Dorothy Must Die Tells A Similar Story To Wicked
Paige's series captures a similarly darker take on Oz that Wicked: For Good is set to showcase, making it a great replacement as the wait for the film continues. According to Goodreads, Dorothy Must Die tells the story of Amy Gumm who, much like Dorothy, finds herself transported to Oz, only to discover that it is nothing like the films or stories described. Oz's failing society is, ironically, the fault of Dorothy who, upon finding her way back to Oz, became a tyrant that Amy is now charged with eliminating.
Wicked’s Prequel Changes Elphaba’s Magic Powers (Because Of The Movie & Musical)
Elphaba’s magic is portrayed differently in the Wicked movie and musical than it is in the original book, but Gregory Maguire’s prequel fixes that.
Dorothy Must Die plays with a lot of the same ideas regarding wickedness and identity that Wicked: For Good dives into, albeit with a more post-apocalyptic and epic adventure story twist. Much like the prequel series and subsequent Elphaba-centric story, the Wicked Witches are not the bad guys and the one the protagonist thought she could trust is actually the perpetrator of everyone's suffering. That being said, it also adds its own narrative turns, making it more than just a good way to see Oz in a new light and play with its worldbuilding.
Dorothy Must Die Does More Than Expand Oz’s Story
Paige's Series Used Many Of BookTok's Favorite Tropes
Paige's series does more than add to the story of the land of Oz, as much like Wicked: For Good, it uses ideas from other kinds of narratives in the genre to complicate the story. As mentioned, Dorothy Must Die lets us return to an Oz that has been transformed into something closer to a gritty fantasy setting. That allows Paige's book to have the great kind of action moments the film will likely also include and lets it the ranks of fantasy books with shocking plot twists, each moment forcing you to question who Amy can truly trust.
Combined with the more classic aesthetic of Oz, Dorothy Must Die makes for a fascinating look at how to reformat a classic as well as the perfect way to revisit Oz before Wicked: For Good flies into theaters.
Amy herself also has quite a few of the markers of more modern BookTok protagonists, mixing Oz in with more modern fantasy even further. She is both kind and snarky, building her skills to help her new friends even as challenges arise and the threat Dorothy poses to Oz builds. Combined with the more classic aesthetic of Oz, Dorothy Must Die makes for a fascinating look at how to reformat a classic as well as the perfect way to revisit Oz before Wicked: For Good flies into theaters.
Wicked: For Good
- Release Date
- November 21, 2025
- Director
- Jon M. Chu
- Writers
- Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox
- Producers
- Marc Platt
- Prequel(s)
- Wicked
Cast
Cynthia ErivoElphaba
Glinda
Jonathan BaileyFiyero
Ethan SlaterBoq
Wicked: For Good concludes the two-part film adaptation of the acclaimed Broadway musical. It explores the tumultuous dynamics between Elphaba and Glinda amidst political intrigue in Oz, as an unforeseen visitor arrives, reshaping destinies and revealing the lasting impact of their choices.
