Universal did not wait long to start talking about the future of Wicked on the big screen. After Wicked: For Good smashed box office records over the weekend, studio leadership and key creatives are openly acknowledging that more trips to Oz are on the table, even if nobody is calling it a simple “Wicked 3” yet.
The numbers make it easy to see why the studio is so eager to keep going. Wicked: For Good opened to around 150 million dollars in North America, the biggest debut ever for a Broadway musical adaptation and one of the strongest openings of 2025 overall. Worldwide, the film landed at roughly 226 million dollars in its first days, outpacing the launch of the first Wicked movie and giving theaters a much needed late year jolt.
Universal also spent the last two years treating Wicked as more than just a film release. The studio built a sprawling web of partnerships and promos around both movies, from brand tie ins and themed reality show episodes to a network special, LEGO and Project Runway challenges, and even a Roblox experience that funnelled millions of players into watching the trailer inside the game. The goal was to position Wicked and Wicked: For Good as cultural events that live beyond a single weekend, something Universal executives now point to as proof that the franchise can sustain more stories.
On the record, Universal’s chief marketing officer Michael Moses is careful not to announce anything concrete, but he makes it clear that internal conversations have already started. He describes feeling “almost a responsibility to figure out how we can continue in this universe,” and admits that while they have not solved it yet, “there are things underway.” In other words, the studio is actively looking for the right angle rather than simply rushing out another direct sequel.
That is where composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz and writer Winnie Holzman come in. The two creative architects of Wicked, who co-wrote the scripts for both films, are currently exploring new ideas set in Oz. Schwartz has said the Glinda and Elphaba story feels complete to him, but he still sees room to expand. He points to additional novels by Gregory Maguire, the author of the original Wicked book, as one possible source of inspiration. At the same time, he has teased a different concept he calls “not a sequel, but an adjunct,” suggesting a story that lives alongside the main saga rather than continuing it in a straight line.
That “adjunct” language is important. It hints at spin offs and side stories that could explore other corners of Oz without undoing the emotional resolution audiences just watched. Universal has already proven with two long, elaborately produced films that it is willing to invest heavily in this world. The studio now has a successful two part arc that tracks Elphaba and Glinda from misfit students to the legends audiences know from The Wizard of Oz, plus a global fanbase that has shown up for both installments. If the next chapter can offer a fresh point of view, whether it follows supporting characters, dives into Maguire’s later books, or invents something new with the same creative team, there is a clear path for Wicked to become an ongoing cinematic saga instead of a completed two film event.
For now, everyone involved is managing expectations. Wicked: For Good is still rolling out in theaters, awards season is just starting up, and Universal will want to see how the legs look before it officially greenlights anything new. But between the record setting box office, the massive marketing footprint, and Schwartz and Holzman already sketching ideas, it feels less like a question of “if” there will be more Wicked on screen and more a question of “what shape” it will take.
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