Wicked: For Good – Director Jon M. Chu Explains Glinda and Elphaba’s New Songs

Director Jon M. Chu explained why Villain: for good will feature two all-new songs for Glinda and Elphaba, a departure from the Broadway musical adaptation.

Speaking to Deadlineat the Contenders event in London, the director said his connection with Wicked returns to his early days, remembering seeing one of the first performances of the musical. He revealed that he always preferred the second act of the musicalcalling it the emotional core of the story.

When discussing the new songs, Chu explained that he and his team expanded on these themes from the musical, hoping to capture the same weight on screen. Read his comments below:

For me, what the second half needed was more about the individual experiences of these women. How alone we feel when we make a choice like that, when we have to stand up to power and when we have the impression of being the only one to do so. It’s a very heavy and lonely experience…

And what happens when you’re someone like Glinda who has this bubble of protection, where you never have to face the truth if you don’t want to. Are you able to burst your bubble of privilege? For me, these were the biggest questions of the Wicked saga.

Chu went on to explain that the decision to include new songs wasn’t about scale or spectacle, but rather about emotional connection. For the director, Villain: for good needed to explore the inner lives of Glinda and Elphaba in a way that dialogue alone couldn’t allow. In his own words:

We needed more songs, because we needed more pathways to that state of mind. Musicals are great because it’s not about being bigger, it’s about going deeper into these characters and these minds and what they’re going through. So we have new songs that allow us to see how they go through these thoughts and the audience can experience that.

The two new songs are “No Place Like Home” performed by Elphaba by Cynthia Erivo and “The Girl in the Bubble,” sung by Glinda by Ariana Grande. These will be the first musical additions to the Wicked films that were not part of the original Broadway score.

The sequel picks up where Villain: Part One has stopped and will adapt the second act of the 2003 musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman. Villain: for good I will explore the consequences of Elphaba’s transformation into the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda’s rise to power, and how their friendship is reshaped by the political chaos of Oz.

In the second act, Glinda and Elphaba face not only Oz’s external conflict, but also internal struggles regarding identity, loyalty, and justice. Chu sees new songs as a key tool by describing the character’s inner turmoil. By giving each protagonist new musical moments, Chu lets the storyline and songs work together, and in doing so, the film gives each witch a fuller voice as they face impossible decisions.

Anticipation for Villain: for good already reaching record highs. Fandango revealed that Villain: for good had the highest number of first day ticket presales of any 2025 film, surpassing Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle, Taylor Swift: A Showgirl’s Official Release Party, And Superman.

The first the film was released just before Thanksgiving 2024, earning $112.5 million in its debut and grossing $756.4 million worldwide, making it Wicked the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation of all time.

Wicked: For Good hits theaters on November 21.