Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are heading back to Oz — and potentially back to the Oscars.
Variety has confirmed that Erivo and Grande will once again campaign in the lead and supporting actress categories, respectively, for the sequel “Wicked: For Good.”
Universal Pictures’ musical fantasy, directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, continues the story begun in 2024’s “Wicked,” which adapted the first act of the hit 2003 Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz and Holzman. The follow-up adapts the second act, exploring the aftermath of Elphaba and Glinda’s diverging paths — one as the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, the other as the beloved Glinda the Good.
If both Erivo and Grande are nominated again for playing Elphaba and Glinda, they would join a very short list, becoming the seventh and eighth performers in Oscars history to be recognized twice for the same role.
Bing Crosby was the first ever, after winning best actor for “Going My Way” (1944) before earning another nom the following year for its sequel, “The Bells of St. Mary’s.” Peter O’Toole received two nominations for portraying King Henry II in “Becket” (1964) and “The Lion in Winter” (1968), while Al Pacino was nominated for both “The Godfather” (1972) in supporting actor before landing a lead nod for “The Godfather Part II” (1974).
On his eighth career nomination, one year after receiving an Honorary Oscar, Paul Newman finally won a competitive statue for reprising Fast Eddie Felson in “The Color of Money” (1986), 25 years after “The Hustler.” Cate Blanchett earned dual nods for playing Queen Elizabeth I in “Elizabeth” (1998) and “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (2007), while Sylvester Stallone did the same as Rocky Balboa in “Rocky” (1976) and “Creed” (2015).
Erivo and Grande lead an ensemble that includes Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum, all reprising their roles from the first installment. Other than Erivo, each member of the ensemble will be submitted in supporting categories.
The film will feature a mix of beloved songs from the stage musical and new original numbers, including “No Place Like Home” sung by Erivo’s Elphaba and “The Girl in the Bubble” performed by Grande’s Glinda. Both tracks are penned by Stephen Schwartz, who also composes alongside John Powell.
The first “Wicked” was a major awards force last season. At the Oscars, the film tied with “The Brutalist” for the second-most nominations with 10 apiece, including best picture, best actress for Erivo and best supporting actress for Grande. It ultimately won best costume design for Paul Tazewell, who became the first African American man to win the category, and production design for Nathan Crowley and Lee Sandales.
Produced by Marc Platt and David Stone, “Wicked: For Good” will open in theaters on Nov. 21.
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