WICKED Spin-offs in the Works; Universal Working to 'Figure Out' Franchise Expansion

Less than a week after the theatrical release of Wicked: For Good, the studio heads at Universal are already brainstorming how to continue the wonderful world of Oz onscreen. In an interview with Vulture, Universal Chief Marketing Officer Michael Moses shared that the studio is working on ideas for spin-offs to keep the Wicked mania rolling.

“Because of Wicked’s success but also the fanship, we have almost a responsibility to figure out how we can continue in this universe. Have we figured it out yet? No. But there are things underway," Moses said. Though it is unknown whether this would be another movie musical, Moses highlighted how the two-part Wicked adaptation has become a "family event" at the box office. The studio likely wants to continue capitalizing on the box office success of the franchise, which has broken several records.

This news comes a few days after a different interview with songwriter Stephen Schwartz, who revealed that he and screenwriter/book writer Winnie Holzman are also doing work on a Wicked project.

"Winnie Holzman and I are doing some work right now on ideas that aren’t a sequel to Wicked, because I think the Glinda and Elphaba story feels complete — but there are other aspects that could be explored," the composer and lyricist told The Ankler. "Gregory Maguire, the original Wicked novelist, has several books, for example. But there’s another idea that Winnie and I are discussing: not a sequel, but an adjunct." 

The second part of the Wicked film, Wicked: For Good, opened with $226 million at the global box office, making it the biggest ever opening for a Broadway musical adaptation. This surpasses the record set for Part One in 2024. Early screenings and preview showings brought in $30.8 million, making it the film with the best previews of the year.

Wicked: Part One film brought in $112.5 million during its opening weekend in 2024. By the end of its theatrical run, it grossed over $756 million worldwide. Domestically, it became one of the top 50 highest-grossing movies in the United States of all time, and was also the highest-grossing movie based on a Broadway musical in the U.S.

Wicked is a world-renowned musical with music & lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. The show is loosely adapted from the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, “WICKED: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.” Maguire was inspired by the literary classic by L. Frank Baum, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”

Since its first show on Broadway in October 2003, Wicked has been seen by over 65 million people and played in 16 countries. Currently the 4th longest-running show in Broadway history, Wicked is in its 22nd year on Broadway. 

Get tickets to see Wicked: For Good in theaters and check out critics' reviews here. Listen to the soundtrack here.

Wicked: For Good picks up after the 2024 blockbuster. Elphaba, now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard. 

Wicked: For Good stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose. Other cast members include Tony-nominee Colman Domingo as the voice of the Cowardly Lion and Sharon D. Clarke (Caroline, or Change) as the voice of Elphaba’s childhood nanny, Dulcibear.

Photo Credit: Universal