Stephen Schwartz Teases New WICKED Spin-Off Project
The project would not be a direct sequel to the Broadway show or films.
By: Josh Sharpe Nov. 21, 2025
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With the release of Wicked: For Good, the film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical is now complete. However, songwriter Stephen Schwartz believes there may be more Ozian stories in the future.
“...[Screenplay & Book writer] 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 recently 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."
He went on to liken the Wicked world to that of Star Wars, noting the successful standalone projects that have come from that franchise. He also highlighted the many Wizard of Oz books written by L. Frank Baum that could be used for inspiration. At this point in development, it is unknown if the project would be produced for the stage or screen.
Though he is open to spin-offs, Schwartz has yet to see a compelling reason to make a proper sequel. “As far as right now, no one has yet presented an idea that I’ve heard that would justify such a thing.” Check out the full interview with Schwartz, alongside composer John Powell, at The Ankler.
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. Part 1 of the blockbuster film adaptation opened on November 22, 2024, becoming the highest-grossing movie based on a Broadway musical. The second part, Wicked: For Good, is now in theaters.
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: Bruce Glikas
