LOL: Deadline First Reaction Calls ‘Wicked: For Good’ the ‘Godfather Part II’ of Musicals

Deadline‘s Baz Bamigboye has been bestowed by Universal to post his “exclusive” thoughts on “Wicked: For Good,” which as far as I know, is the first official reaction to John M. Chu’s sequel that we’ve gotten

Regardless, it reads less like a review, and more like studio-approved sparkle. The veteran journalist clearly fell under the film’s spell — calling it “gloriously, deliciously good” and “one of the year’s outstanding movies” — but the tone veers toward promotional ecstasy rather than critical distance. He even compares “Wicked: For Good” to “The Godfather: Part Two.” lol.

It’s worth noting that this rave arrives alongside an exclusive interview with Chu — an arrangement that inevitably blurs the line between journalism and marketing.

Bamigboye gushes that Chu’s sequel to “Wicked” is tighter, more romantic, and more thrilling than the stage show’s second act. He praises Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba as “a badass,” Ariana Grande’s Glinda as radiant, and Jonathan Bailey’s Fiyero as unexpectedly tender — all while declaring the film a “marvellous piece of cinematic art.”

To Bamigboye’s credit, he seems to have really been taken by the scope and ambition Chu brings to the project — his obsession with color calibration, his superhero framing of Elphaba, and his drive to make a better film than the first one. Yet his write-up barely hints at any flaws. This reads more lik a preemptive coronation, arriving just in time to build awards momentum before its November release.

The question is whether “Wicked: For Good” truly earns that exaltation or if Bamigboye’s praise is part of the larger machine — a well-timed piece of publicity hiding as an early reaction. Still, if the goal was to make “Wicked: For Good” sound like an unmissable event, mission accomplished.

“Wicked: For Good” hits theaters on November 21, 2025. The film is poised to be a major hit — and, much like its predecessor, could very well be an Oscar contender for Best Picture.