TL;DR
- New teaser for Wicked: For Good just dropped.
- Ariana Grande’s Glinda is caught between power, love, and loyalty.
- Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba reminds her that “good” is more than a title.
- Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero complicates things with queer-coded tension.
- Oz is about to get messy — and very gay.
Trouble in Emerald City
Oz is looking less like a fairy-tale paradise and more like the world’s messiest group chat. The brand-new Wicked: For Good teaser, dropped September 4, serves us Ariana Grande as Glinda, Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, and Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, all caught in a twisted love triangle that’s practically screaming “Gelphie forever.”
Fans of the first installment know the stakes: Glinda’s cushy position as the government-backed “Good Witch” came with a hefty cost, including her separation from Elphaba. The teaser gives us an even juicier setup — a pre-wedding scene between Glinda and Fiyero, one that doesn’t even exist in the Broadway show. When Fiyero teases, “You can’t resist this,” Glinda’s cheeky reply lands like shade at a drag brunch: “Who could?” But when Fiyero fires back, “You know who could,” it’s clear this isn’t just about him — it’s about Elphaba, the green witch who haunts every beat of their relationship.
Queer Codes and Wicked Love
That little exchange is more than a lovers’ spat. For queer fans, it’s a nod to the enduring sapphic tension between Glinda and Elphaba — a relationship that has fueled fanfiction, Tumblr edits, and entire dissertations for years. The fact that Hollywood is leaning into it, even obliquely, feels like validation for a community that’s always read between the lines.
And then there’s Elphaba, ever the rebel in emerald, firing off her line of the teaser: “We can’t let ‘good’ be just a word.” It’s a challenge to Glinda, but it also lands like a queer rallying cry. Good isn’t just what society labels you. Good is what you fight for, what you defend, and who you love — even when the world wants to paint you wicked.
The Wizard, the Wedding, and the Wicked
Of course, Oz wouldn’t be Oz without a scheming Wizard. Jeff Goldblum pops up to play puppet master, ordering Dorothy and her merry band to snatch the Wicked Witch’s broom. He’s dripping with menace, but the real drama is elsewhere: Glinda’s choices, Fiyero’s conflicted loyalties, and Elphaba’s fight to define what “good” really means.
Noticeably absent? Michelle Yeoh’s Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater’s Boq, and Marissa Bode’s Nessarose. Their no-shows in the teaser only fuel speculation about how wild this second chapter will get.