As audiences fly to see Wicked: For Good this weekend (and the next, and the one after that…), the world of Oz may have more to offer.
During the film’s New York premiere, the musical’s creator, Stephen Schwartz, told The Ankler “the right idea” may not exist for a proper sequel. That said, he did reveal he’s working with the films’ co-writer Winnie Holzman on ideas set in the world of Wicked. Dependent on how well For Good does at the box office, of course, but he considers Elphaba and Glinda’s stories complete, so that potential continuation would have to be something different: “Not a sequel, but an adjunct,” he told the outlet.
Whatever this idea is, it’s separate from adapting post-Wicked novels that were written by Gregory Maguire, as well as the later Oz books written by Frank L. Baum and other writers of the original Oz canon. The only stipulation Schwartz has right now is that such a project exists “beyond simply making money. As far as right now, no one has yet presented an idea that I’ve heard that would justify such a thing.” He thinks such a follow-up could exist, but even if it doesn’t, Wicked and Wicked: For Good have succeeded in renewing interest in movie musicals.
“In success, everybody wins,” added the film’s executive music producer, Stephen Oremus. “If the Wicked movies get people excited about telling musical stories and more movies get made or start development, it just goes to show you that’s incredible.”
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