We’re over half way to the second part of Wicked. The second act, AKA Wicked: For Good will see the cast return for the conclusion of the story. Images of Michelle Yeoh and Jonathan Bailey’s characters have already started generating buzz for the film.

For those who need a brief refresher, Jonathan Bailey plays Fiyero, the charming prince and love interest to Elphaba while Michelle Yeoh plays Madame Morrible, the heistress at Shiz University who takes an interest in Elphaba’s powers. Both characters had memorable moments in the first part but it looks like they could be even more important in the second part if these promo pics are anything to go by.

Fans were very quick to begin speculating on the character looks and what it could mean for both characters going into the second part. One person wrote, ”[Bailey’s] character seems to be taking a turn to the dark side from the looks of this still.”

It’s true, his costume looks significantly different compared to the first film. Given how the last film ended we can definitely expect a serious switch up in Fiyero’s personality in the next part, the same goes for Madame Morrible.

Others on X simply praised the costumes and the actors who look pretty great in their roles, “What a stellar cast! Jonathan Bailey looks delicious as always,” a fan wrote, it’s hard to disagree, that man is perfect. Another added, “Michelle serving per usual.” One thing the film adaptation can’t be faulted for is it’s perfect casting, these actors truly shine in their roles and it’s exciting to think about seeing them return for the second part.

The rest of the ‘Wicked’ cast look great too

The pictures come from a short teaser which was released online on June 3rd. The video gives us a brief glimpse of all the main cast including Cynthis Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, and Ethan Slater as Boq along with a handful of other very important cast .

The clip comes prior to the much anticipated first trailer which is due to be released on June 4th. As we draw closer and closer to the release of Wicked: For Good we can expect to receive more teasers and more information about the film that will no doubt get Wicked fans buzzing for the final part.

For now we’ll just have to make do with the character portraits until the trailer releases tomorrow. I don’t know about you, but I’m already pretty excited for the next film and we’ve still got five months to wait!

Wicked: For Good releases in theaters November 21st

Excuse us a moment because we need to pick our jaws up off the floor. We have your first look at Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in Wicked: For Good. And even though summer just started, we can’t wait for November.

On June 3, 2025, DiscussingFilm shared the dazzling first official images of the stars in their magical roles from the much-anticipated sequel Wicked: For Good. Fans are already losing it. The tweet racked up over 120K views in mere hours—and for good reason.

Ariana Grande, playing Glinda the Good Witch, stuns in a shimmering pastel gown, complete with ethereal puff sleeves and an ornate crown, holding a sparkling wand with regal poise.

Meanwhile, Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba returns with striking green skin, long, dark hair, a dramatic black witch’s hat, and fierce emerald nails, radiating power and intensity.

“Wicked for Good”: First Look

Wicked: For Good is the highly anticipated second installment in the Wicked film saga, based on the hit Broadway musical and Gregory Maguire’s novel. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the sequel follows the origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda as they navigate the political, magical, and emotional fallout after the events of the first film.

With spellbinding visuals and emotional storytelling, Wicked: For Good is expected to dig deeper into the characters’ destinies, relationships, and the line between good and evil.

Mark your calendars: Wicked: For Good hits theaters on November 21, 2025. But if you can’t wait that long, you’re in luck—the official trailer drops tomorrow, June 4.

Why This Sequel Matters

The new image contrasts Glinda and Elphaba, perfectly capturing the duality. Grande floats against a whimsical lavender backdrop, her expression confident and full of glamor. Meanwhile, Erivo’s intense gaze and strong posture hint at the internal strength and conflict her character carries. It’s a stunning visual promise of the emotional weight and spectacle to come.

The first film, Wicked, was a monumental success. It grossed nearly $1 billion globally and dominated both the box office and the awards season. Critics praised the powerhouse performances of Erivo and Grande. The lush production design and the faithful yet fresh take on the beloved musical also earned accolades. It reinvigorated the movie musical genre, attracting longtime fans and newcomers.

The Wicked musical itself is one of Broadway’s most successful productions of all time. Since its debut in 2003, it’s won three Tony Awards, a Grammy, and played to sold-out audiences worldwide. The transition to film was always a high-stakes move, but the success of Part One proved the demand is stronger than ever.

Stay tuned for the trailer

The hype is real, and with the Wicked: For Good first look, it’s just getting started. Universal Pictures will release the full Wicked: For Good trailer on June 4, setting the tone for what’s sure to be one of the biggest cinematic events of the year.

Stay tuned and don’t miss it—because this holiday season, the land of Oz is taking over the big screen once again.

At CinemaCon 2025, the much-awaited follow-up to last year’s huge hit, Wicked, was the main attraction. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who are playing Glinda and Elphaba again, gave fans their first look at Wicked: For Good during Universal Pictures’ event at Caesars Palace. The studio was celebrating the massive success of the first movie, and this presentation gave everyone a small preview of what was coming next—both for the characters and the actors themselves.

As reported by People, the teaser shown at CinemaCon had a lot of exciting moments for fans. Most importantly, it revealed Dorothy for the first time, though her face wasn’t shown. There were also classic Wizard of Oz elements like the yellow brick road and the Emerald City, which suggested the movie would stay true to the original story while still telling something new.

Scenes of Erivo’s Elphaba singing No Good Deed and Grande’s Glinda performing For Good were included, proving that the sequel will have just as much music and spectacle as the first film. The teaser ended with Elphaba’s famous line, “I’m off to see the Wizard,” making it clear where the story is headed.

Wicked Actresses forgive the audience

Besides the new footage, the two actresses talked about how emotional they got during the Wicked press tour in 2024—a moment that spread quickly online. While they’re excited about the new round of promotions, Grande and Erivo joked that this time, there would be “less crying.” Erivo said, “We can’t wait to get back on the road again… And I promise less waterworks this time, but I’m not sure we can live up to that.”

“Yes, we already have our tissues packed,” Grande added as Erivo continued… but you’ve seen it, so you get it, right? You cried,” Grande added, to laughter from the audience. “You cried. Don’t lie. We know. We saw,” Erivo said. “And we thank you and forgive you for the hard time you gave us for doing it.”

Wicked: For Good picks up right where the first movie left off. Director Jon M. Chu confirmed that the sequel will deal with the fallout of the choices Elphaba and Glinda made before. The teaser hinted that their friendship would grow stronger, with scenes of Glinda warning Elphaba and others and suggesting a coming conflict.

Elphaba’s exile and Glinda’s search for what it really means to be good were key parts of the presentation. Most of the original cast is returning, including Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater, and Michelle Yeoh, so fans can expect the same world but with new developments. Wicked: For Good, directed by Chu and written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, will be in theaters on November 21, 2025.

Now that the Oscars are over, we can kiss film awards season goodbye. But that doesn’t mean the magic has to end… at least not for Ariana Grande and her fans. Beyond all the shimmer and shine as Glinda in Wicked, the fans have been craving the return of Ariana the artist.

Her seventh album, Eternal Sunshine began a new era for the star. However, between her commitments to Wicked and other business ventures, fans have long felt like they didn’t get the best rollout with the album. Alas, there’s more sunshine on the way.

Ariana the artist is still with us

It’s only a matter of time before the press tour for Wicked: For Good begins. Ariana and the rest of the cast and crew will begin yet another journey of promotions. But until then, the singer has given her fans something to look forward to: a deluxe version of Eternal Sunshine. This comes as a huge relief following the announcement that she won’t be touring this year.

Sticking to the theme of the album, Grande’s team shared some major teasers of what’s to come. Fans were asked to call (934) 33-ERASE for news about Grande’s new era.  While on hold, her song “Don’t Wanna Break Up” plays. An audio of Grande then takes over, assuring callers that the deluxe version of Eternal Sunshine is coming “eventually.”

Earlier this year at the Golden Globes, she shared with Access Hollywood that while she’s “not in the studio at the moment,” an “attachment” of the album would be released in the future. Ariana Grande has actually teased a deluxe version of Eternal Sunshine for quite some time now. Not long after the release of the album, a “slightly deluxe” version dropped, featuring remixes with Mariah Carey, Troye Sivan, Brandy, and Monica. 

More sunshine and magic on the way

The Grammys notably and controversially paid Eternal Sunshine dust. This came as a huge surprise, as this felt like Grande’s most ambitious album in a long while. But with only three nominations, and none in the major categories, Eternal Sunshine was snubbed. Critics and fans praised the project, and Grande scored two number-one singles on the Hot 100. Grande has not been one to care much about the Grammys (she’s missed multiple ceremonies). However, perhaps there’s a chance she could snag an award for the body of work. 

Regardless, Grande herself is having a stellar year already. She may not have won the Oscar, but she’s snagged other awards along the way. At the Oscars, she told Variety that the awards circuit has been the most surreal moment of her life.

It’s not something I ever dreamed of in my wildest dreams. The gift of my life was playing Glinda. So this part… I didn’t let my mind go this far. You don’t expect this thing. Doing the work is the gift. This is just such a surreal acknowledgement and cherry on top. To be included with so many actors and actresses I love so much. This whole circuit has been an amazing dream.

Things aren’t slowing down for her either, as she’s set to pick up Glinda’s wand again in Wicked: For Good. The sequel will be released on Nov. 21, and fans expect Eternal Sunshine’s deluxe to be released in the weeks before.

Musicals are still a niche genre, so it’s completely understandable if you haven’t seen Wicked on stage. However, now that it’s a major motion picture, there’s no excuse not to catch what is arguably the biggest movie of the last few months. And if you surprisingly missed its extended run in theaters, fear not, because Wicked is finally heading to streaming. 

Ever since its release, the popularity and success of Wicked has been monumental. Defying gravity, if you will. From its iconic press tour, meme-worthy interviews, and Jonathan Bailey’s suave demeanor to the movie’s box office smashing theatrical run, Wicked has kept audiences entertained for months on end. Now, fans and newbies can enjoy it from the comfort of their homes. 

It’s almost time for a magical streaming debut 

Starting Mar. 21, Wicked: Part 1 will be available to stream on Peacock. The movie was previously available for rent on Prime Video, but now all you’ll need is a Peacock subscription. The streaming release is coming at the perfect time as well. Now that awards season is over, anticipation for Wicked: For Good is officially underway. 

We can’t wait for Wicked: For Good 

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo might have dropped some lowkey teasers for Wicked: For Good with their opening performance at the Oscars. The pair of besties performed three songs in total, and each of them held weight. Grande kicked off the performance with a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz. Judy Garland sang this song as Dorothy Gale in the movie adaptation, and it won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1940. Following this, Erivo took the stage with a rendition of “Home” from The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical, another Oz adaptation. The Wiz is particularly relevant and stands out among Oz adaptations because it retells the story of The Wizard of Oz through the context of African-American culture, and stars an all-Black cast. 

After this, both women came together to sing the show-stopping duet, “Defying Gravity.” The song is the anthem of Wicked in pop culture, and Erivo’s angelic riff at the end has been attempted by everyone from TikTok influencers, to Keke Palmer. But, what does this have to do with Wicked: For Good?

A brand new interpretation 

Grande’s choice of song might give us an insight into some changes that might be made in the Wicked sequel. There are rumors that Wicked: For Good will borrow some plot points from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to give more context to the story. There has also been constant online debate on whether Dorothy will have a bigger part in the sequel than she did in the musical. If she does, then Grande’s song choice holds more significance. 

As for Erivo’s choice, as a Black woman in the world of Oz, The Wiz is an important part of her history and references. Erivo will also be collaborating with the film’s musical team to create a new song for Elphaba in the sequel. Additionally, a second original song will be made for Glinda. So, even if you know everything about Wicked, there are still some things to look forward to in the sequel. 

Ariana Grande fans are losing their minds over her opening performance at the Academy Awards, not least because it allowed her to change out of *that* red carpet dress.

In case you missed it, the pop star and actress turned heads with her Schiaparelli dress during the pre-awards festivities at this year’s Oscars, but not in the way she might’ve hoped. The sculpted frock featured an outurned corset that allowed the tulle skirt to cascade to the floor, which for some fans was instantly reminiscent of a lampshade. 

Ariana Grande looks stunning but also a little bit like a lampshade #Oscars pic.twitter.com/xrO9aO19Gj

— Dani (@danidelle23) March 2, 2025

listen ariana grande will look stunning in just abt anything but that oscars dress looked like a lampshade let's not kid ourselves

— fond of hats (@omgyourebald) March 2, 2025

“It’s giving lampshade,” one onlooker wrote of Grande, with another noting that while the actress “will look stunning in just about anything,” the dress nonetheless “looked like a lampshade let’s not kid ourselves.” Thankfully, any goodwill lost from Grande’s red carpet dress was quickly recuperated moments later, when she appeared on stage to open the Oscars ceremony with a duet with Cynthia Erivo. 

The stars, who are both nominated for their respective roles in Wicked, delivered a goosebumps-inducing rendition of The Wizard of Oz classics. For her part, Grande busted out a performance of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”, while Erivo sang “Home”, which is lifted from The Wiz — another Broadway rendition of The Wizard of Oz. The pair finished off the tribute opening with a t performance of “Defying Gravity,” which had been escapable from this writer’s brain for basically the last three months. 

Every singer tries their hand at Somewhere over the Rainbow, at some point in their career. Few do it justice.

Ariana Grande captures the magic at #Oscars2025

Stunning opening from her and Cynthia Erivo pic.twitter.com/Zza1PFDxOz

— It's a lawyer's life (@itsalawyerslife) March 3, 2025

While Grande’s unmatched vocals caught the most attention, that was not to be outdone by her dress, which channelled major Dorothy vibes in a seeming ode to the character’s ruby slippers. Hammering the tribute home, the back of Grande’s dress even featured a slipper sculpture, sending our collective excitement about Wicked: For Good into the stratosphere. “Ariana Grande changed out of her lampshade and into Dorothy’s left slipper,” one fan surmised, with another adding that the singer” sounds so ethereal.”

Another quipped that Grande “defines elegance,” with a fourth declaring it “a stunning performance.” Sadly, “Defying Gravity” was not nominated for Best Original Song (since it was lifted from Wicked’s broadway show and so is not technically “original”), but it did score a whopping 10 nominations across multiple categories. At the time of writing, Wicked already collected a win for Paul Tazewell for Best Costume Design, making Oscars history as the first time a Black man has received the award. It also won the award for  Best Production Design, with Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales accepting the honor.

Ariana Grande changed out of her lampshade and into Dorothy’s left slipper. #Oscars

— Nicky Frank (@NickyFrank30) March 3, 2025

Grande was up for Best ing Actress alongside Monica Barbaro, Felicity Jones, Erzsébet Tóth, Isabella Rossellini, Zoe Saldaña. Saldaña, who was the frontrunner, unsurprisingly came out on top for Emilia Pérez. In the other acting categories, it was Kieran Culkin who collected the Best ing Actor gong for A Real Pain — which is coincidentally the three words I used to describe the moments after Grande exited the Oscars stage. Thankfully, we’ll see her again when Wicked: For Good hits cinemas in November of this year. 

Ariana Grande performing Over The Rainbow at the #Oscars dressed as Dorothy’s ruby slipper was pure perfection pic.twitter.com/Z1eBZi555B

— mizge (@mihailo____) March 3, 2025

Oh, we also might see her in A24’s Jennifer Lawrence-starring murder mystery based on The Real Housewives, which is a sentence I’ll never tire of reading. In the meantime, I’m off to rewatch Grande and Erivo’s Oscars opening performance and see whether there’s any more tears left to cry in my tear ducts.

Here’s the thing about awards that people may not understand: the purpose of an award is not to bestow an honor upon the person, but for the award’s prestige to be elevated on of the recipient’s actions or achievements. Cillian Murphy is not a better actor because he has an Oscar; the Oscar is a better award because Cillian Murphy won it last year.

And so when we see an award, the most honest thing we can do is focus on the actions that earned the recipient that award, and the trail blazed by Cynthia Erivo — the Wicked leading lady who’s set to be honored with the Stephen F. Kolzak Award at the 36th GLAAD Media Awards next month — is a remarkable one indeed.

Per a statement from GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis to the The Hollywood Reporter, Erivo’s proactive presence on stage, screen, and the scenes behind and beyond them has made her more than deserving of recognition for the award, whose previous recipients include Laverne Cox, Jeremy Pope, Jim Parsons, and Wanda Sykes.

The award is presented to an “LGBTQ media professional who has made a significant difference in raising visibility and promoting acceptance of LGBTQ people and issues.”

Cynthia Erivo’s one-of-a-kind voice has been an integral part of accelerating acceptance for LGBTQ people since she came on the scene over a decade ago. Her legacy is defined not by her numerous accolades and honors but by how with each new platform and milestone, she continues to show up for Black, queer and other marginalized peoples amid her well-deserved success,

Wicked, which was nominated for a whopping 10 Academy Awards last month — including one for Best Picture and a Best Actress nod for Erivo herself — is the latest of these platform-milestones from which Erivo is showing up for marginalized people. The film deals very heavily in social justice, from the bigoted bullying in schoolyards all the way to the violent fascism enforced by the megalomaniacal Donald Tru – I mean, Wizard of Oz.

Despite these heavy topics, Wicked was and continues to be a bastion of escapism from the tumultuous state of the world, thanks to its mandate of colorful and complex musical numbers, and unwavering acceptance for folks of all colors, creeds, ability, and magical proficiencies. Its cultural impact and beefy box office haul were no coincidences.

So while the Stephen F. Kolzak Award seeks to honor more than a great cinematic performance that the Oscar acknowledges, Wicked shows us that the art Erivo chooses to commit to is inseparable from the harbored values that have earned her this honorary GLAAD award in the first place. Erivo, a Black, queer artist, has been at the forefront of diverse storytelling for close to a decade now, with The Color Purple, Harriet, and now Wicked among her most prominent projects. The bravery with which she willingly(?) participated in Chaos Walking can’t be ignored either.

Jokes aside, it’s no insignificant thing to see an artist like Erivo become even more decorated, and though she’s hardly the favorite for Best Actress, her continued visibility is a win for the world at large.

It’s no little secret that Hollywood — like most every facet of society — has been and continues to be a man’s world first and foremost. All the love to the gonzo Schwarzenegger outings of yore, but there’s something to be said about Hollywood’s longtime failure to consistently tell stories from outside the male perspective.

But change has dared to rear its head this past year. Per Deadline, 2024 marks the first time in recent (and almost certainly recorded) history that female-led films matched the percentage of male-led films among the top domestic grossing flicks of the year.

Indeed, of the top 100 highest-grossing domestic films of 2024, male- and female-led films both came in at 42% of the share, with ensemble casts making up the remaining 16%.

Moreover, three of the top five highest-grossing domestic films of 2024 were led by women. Inside Out 2 — Pixar’s beloved odyssey about feelings that have feelings — boasted the highest domestic gross of the year, and happened to have a voice cast led by Amy Schumer. Auliʻi Cravalho’s Moana 2, meanwhile, had the third highest domestic gross of the year. Finally, Wicked‘s double-threat of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande helped it nab fifth place on the domestic gross chart, and also become the highest grossing live-action film led by women.

Other prominent contributors to this achievement in cinematic gender parity were the Anya Taylor-Joy-led Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, the Cailee Spaeny sci-fi vehicle Alien: Romulus, A24’s Kirsten Dunst-enabled Civil War, and Challengers, the latest in what will hopefully be a long line of Zendaya’s leading lady efforts.

Elsewhere, The Substance and Anora (starring Demi Moore and Mikey Madison, respectively) ed Wicked in representing the awards season royalty among this crowd of history-making female-led films. Speaking of The Substance — in which Moore’s protagonist finds herself in a debilitating personal war with her age — there exists another element to the status of women’s representation in film that proves work still needs to be done.

The study from Dr. Martha Lauzen’s annual report on the subject (titled It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World and sourced by Deadline) suggests that, of the female characters with speaking roles in the highest-grossing domestic films of 2024, the majority of them are in their 20s and 30s; 23% in their 20s and 35% in their 30s.

These numbers drop significantly for women 40 and over, going down to 16% from the 35% of speaking roles for women in their 30s. Speaking roles for male characters, meanwhile, increase with that age range, going up to 31% for male characters in their 40s from the 25% of men in their 30s.

Speaking roles decay slower with the age of male characters, too. Sixteen percent of male speaking roles consist of characters in their 50s, while just 6% of speaking roles comprise women in their 50s. Men in their 60s, meanwhile, have 9% of the speaking roles, while women have just 5%.

This, despite the likes of The Substance, The Last Showgirl (starring Pamela Anderson), and the June Squibb-led Thelma capturing more than their fair share of hearts this past year. Surprise, surprise; the depth of experience inherent to older women makes for some pretty fantastic storytelling material. We ought to honor that more diligently going forward.

It’s been nearly three months since its debut in cinemas, and Wicked‘s popu-lahrity is still going as strong as expected. Its $723 million box office deadlift has since been boosted by a whopping 10 Academy Award nominations, among them a Best Actress and Best ing Actress nod for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, respectively.

It’s not terribly difficult to see why; the duo’s chemistry as Elphaba and Glinda could turn salt water into ice cream. The pair is so beloved, in fact, that Elphaba-Glinda fanfiction has become something of a lucrative currency, much to the shock of Grande herself, per her recent profile on The Hollywood Reporter.

… people think we’re secretly married… the Gelphie stuff… I wish I could unsee some things. I mean, wow, I had a feeling, but I didn’t know it would be on this scale or this graphic.

“Gelphie,” in this case, being the ship name of Elphaba and Glinda. A ship name, meanwhile, being a combination of two characters’ names to denote romance-driven fan stories involving said characters. Those familiar with the high seas of fanfiction websites will know that already; an advantage that Grande, evidently, did not have when she signed on for an adaptation of one of the most beloved musicals of all time.

The pop star-turned-Oscar-nominee alludes to some “graphic” material that she wishes she could “unsee,” but we’ll spare you the speculation on what she specifically means there. One thing is for sure, though; the online obsession with Glinda and Elphaba is but one ornament on the tree that is Wicked‘s cultural significance, which itself is likely playing no small part in its awards season run.

Indeed, the preceding stage musical — an adaptation of the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel, itself based on L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz — teed Wicked up for a lot of love early on, first from Maguire himself, and then from the likes of Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who originated the roles of Elphaba and Glinda on Broadway. Grande’s casting no doubt brought the film a lot of attention from her musical fanbase as well.

Then TikTok pounced on the hype, with Wicked fans old and new quickly flooding the algorithm with a plethora of songs and dances from the film. More recently, per EOnline, Taylor Swift — who is, of course, capable of shifting the entertainment industry with a tweet — recreated the “holding space” TikTok trend with Cynthia Erivo at the 2025 Grammy Awards, further proving the chokehold that Jon M. Chu’s fantasy musical has on the world.

And now, it’s the Oscars broadcast that stand to benefit from Wicked‘s prominence most of all. What better way to have viewers tune in to your ceremony than by making sure the internet’s favorite movie is well-represented among the nominees? Not to discredit Wicked‘s significant technical achievements nor the inch-perfect character work from Grande and Erivo, of course, but we mustn’t forget that the Academy once believed that Top Gun: Maverick deserved a Best Picture nomination over Till and The Woman King, despite its most notable merit being its $1.49 billion box office haul.

In short, no, Grande and Erivo are not secretly-or-otherwise married, and it’s entirely possible that the Academy isn’t a sincere body. We are, therefore, much better off treating the Oscars as a fun, celebratory event rather than an arbiter of who’s better than who. That’s probably how the Munchkins treat Oz’s various award shows.

The 2025 Oscars will air on March 3, 2025, and now is the time to try to catch all of the nominees for the awards show’s biggest prize — Best Picture — while they are streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and more.

After all, how else will you be able to outsmart your friends and family with your prodigious insight and blazing commentary about each film throughout the broadcast?

Best Picture nominees A Complete Unknown, I’m Still Here, The Brutalist, and Nickel Boys are currently unavailable on streaming, but plenty of nominated films can be streaming on several major platforms.

Anora

Mikey Madison stars as a young sex worker named Anora, or Ani, who marries Vanya Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a Russian oligarch. The movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2024. Ani marries Vanya — who needs a green card — after being paid $15,000 to spend a week with him in Las Vegas. His family soon finds out and demands an end to the marriage.

Watch Now: Anora on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV

Conclave

Conclave stars Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Thomas Lewis, who organizes a conclave to find the next Pope — and ends up investigating scandals that have plagued the Catholic Church instead.

Watch Now: Conclave on Peacock

Dune: Part Two

The second installment in the Dune series finds Paul Atredies (Timothée Chalamet) reunited with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen, where he is embraced.

Watch Now: Dune: Part Two on Max and Netflix

Emilia Pérez

Zoe Saldaña stars as a lawyer who is hired to help a Mexican cartel leader leave her life behind so she can transition to living as a woman. The movie also stars Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz.

Watch Now: Emilia Pérez on Netflix

The Substance

Demi Moore has won rave reviews for her role in The Substance as a woman who is fired on her 50th birthday and uses a mysterious substance to transform into a “better” version of herself.

Watch Now: The Substance on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV

Wicked

The film adaptation of the beloved musical by the same name stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Eviro as former friends turned foes.

Watch Now: Wicked on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV

It’s award show season and things are getting pretty heated with the Oscars looming large on the horizon. Industry award shows are a delicate balance of industry recognition, publicity, and glitz, and nobody — absolutely no one — wants to go away without a nomination.

Wicked was one of the major movies of the year, and its leading lady Cynthia Erivo has high hopes for winning the coveted EGOT — an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony — a gargantuan task made possible by her nomination for Best Actress for her portrayal of Elphaba Thropp. Wicked had already been shortlisted for 4 Oscars, but the official nomination is sure to have been “Popular” with Erivo.

Wicked gave legions of fans, new and old, a different look into the wonderful world of Oz by bringing it to the big screen. Erivo’s co-star, singer and actress Ariana Grande, has already won several awards for her performance as Glinda, and Wicked mania has well and truly spread throughout the world. It’s fair to say that as movie musicals go, Wicked is up there with the best of them, bringing the cultural phenomenon that is the Wicked musical to gravity-defying new heights.

Given the way the movie slotted itself firmly into the cultural landscape, it’s unsurprising that Wicked has picked up so many awards and nominations, although there are apparently some who aren’t exactly “rejoicified” at its attention. For example, director Jacques Audiard looked particularly unhappy with Cynthia Erivo’s nomination for Best Actress.

Audiard directed Emilia Pérez, a musical crime comedy film centered around the titular character Emilia, a former cartel boss and her story of gender transition. The film was released to a good critical reception in the U.S. and Europe but met a lesser welcome in Mexico for a number of reasons, including its use of stereotypes, which was pointed out by Mexican screenwriter Héctor Guillén who called out the film for its “Racist Euro Centrist Mockery”.

Despite its varied reception, the film has won “glory” at the Golden Globes, and its leading lady Karla Sofia Gascón is the first transgender actress to be nominated for the coveted Academy Award for Best Actress, putting trans visibility front and center. Audiard and the cast of Emilia Pérez should be justifiably pleased with their nominations after the hard work of the cast and crew, but in scenes described as “bitter and unprofessional,” Audiard can be seen derisively shaking his head at Cynthia Erivo’s own nomination for Best Actress.

Posted to X by a Wicked fan , the video attracted a lot of comments in of Wicked and Erivo, along with many critical of Emilia Pérez — including posts packaging Héctor Guillén’s scathing criticism of the movie into an easily digestible image.

The Oscars are big business in the industry and tensions are running high, so a bit of conflict is understandable. Yet any suggestion that Erivo doesn’t deserve her nomination is bound to displease many, as her grounded portrayal of Elphaba Thropp gave the character depth and nuance while her sensational vocals helped catapult Wicked to massive critical and commercial success. It’s one thing to be ive of your own movie and an actress you’ve worked closely with on a ion project, but it’s something else entirely to be dismissive towards another actress. It’s just about learning and accepting that it’s more than possible to build someone up without tearing someone else down.

The Oscar nominations are always met with a mix of joy and frustration, but how could there be any snubs for Wicked, aka one of the most popular (sorry), creative, and memorable movies of 2024? Unfortunately, Jon M. Chu didn’t receive a Best Director nom, and star Michelle Yeoh is talking about it.

The actress appeared on The View on Jan. 23, 2025 and praised Wicked‘s many nominations. Yeoh, who plays Madame Morrible, said, “We are all crying from joy, but we must say we are also crying because Jon M. Chu and Alice Brooks… were not nominated but the rest of us are celebrating… It is major.”

Wicked received 10 Oscar nominations: Best Actress for Cynthia Erivo, Best ing Actress for Ariana Grande, Best Picture, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, Best Visual Effects, Best Production Design, Best Editing, and Best Original Score. Yeoh pointed out that not only was Chu not honored in the Director category, but neither was cinematographer Brooks.

Both Chu and Brooks are a huge reason why Wicked is as visually stunning and wonderful as it is, which makes their lack of nominations particularly distressing. Chu didn’t get a Golden Globe Best Director nom either, which is equally upsetting. This begs the question, if a director who helms a movie that grosses $700 million worldwide and inspires a necessary conversation about social justice and fairness and decency gets snubbed at the Oscars, what is even the point of all this?

Sure, a lot of talented filmmakers have been kept out of this category before, like Ava DuVernay for Selma and Greta Gerwig for Barbie. In both Barbie and Wicked‘s cases, the directors are a key reason why the movies work so well, and yet both Gerwig and Chu were ignored. Barbie and Wicked have something else in common: they dominated the pop culture conversation in the years they were released, which should count for something. And, as people say, TV is a writer’s medium and movies are a director’s, so if people are going to praise a film, they’re essentially praising the person behind the camera.

There’s no doubt that Chu had a real artistic vision for Wicked that he executed perfectly. As he told IndieWire, his approach to the first movie included starting with the final song, “Defying Gravity,” and then looking back. He said, “It has to feel like the scene we’re rooting for the entire movie, which means we have to look backwards: ‘OK, if this is Elphaba and her takeoff is what we’re going to be rooting for, then who is Elphaba, and how fast can she become the center of our story?’” He added that he knew he had to ensure that Elphaba’s love of nature and animals had to be featured as well so her decision at the end would make sense. It’s a shame that Chu wasn’t honored for this vision, and although he didn’t get the nom he should have, he absolutely should be proud of the amazing work he did.

If Wicked doesn’t win Best Picture, many would say that would be another massive snub, so hopefully that wish will come true when the 97th Academy Awards air on ABC on Mar. 2, 2025. Could Chu’s next project, a Britney Spears biopic, earn him a Best Director Oscar nom? What about the Wicked sequel? One can only hope that this oversight will be fixed (for good).