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Netflix Quietly Adding 'Wicked: For Good' Months After Box Office Success

Wicked: For Good is officially joining the Netflix U.S. catalog on July 20, 2026.

The sequel to Jon M. Chu's beloved musical blockbuster was released in November 2025 to mixed reviews. While many fans appreciated the loyal and authentic adaptation of the Broadway production, critics were much harsher on its storytelling choices.

Starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, and Jonathan Bailey, the Wicked movies are cinematic adaptations of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman's award-winning stage musical of the same name, which acts as a prequel to The Wizard of Oz.

The musical follows the rivalry-turned-friendship between Elphaba and Glinda, two young witches attending university together, who would later be torn apart and grow up to become the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the East.

The first Wicked movie was an all-around success. Both a critical and commercial hit, the film received very strong reviews across the board and pulled in $765 million worldwide against a reported production budget of $150 million. It was among the most profitable movies of 2024-and one of the most financially successful musical adaptations ever.

Unfortunately, Wicked: For Good was a slightly different story. While the film still turned a profit at the box office, the sequel suffered from poor reviews and an underwhelming word-of-mouth, with fans generally agreeing that it failed to wrap up the story in a conclusive and satisfying way.

Much of the criticism for Wicked: For Good stems from the fact that Jon M. Chu decided to split the stage play into two parts, with each movie representing the two main acts of the Broadway production. This meant that the movies were forced to add lots of new material to help pad the runtime, which critics generally found unnecessary and uninspiring.

Ultimately, it will be up to each individual viewer to make up their mind and decide for themselves whether Wicked: For Good is a worthy successor to the original film. The sequel will be added to Netflix in the United States on July 20, 2026. Until then, Wicked: For Good is currently available to stream on Peacock or to buy/rent on VOD platforms such as Apple TV or Amazon Prime.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

2026 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.

This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 9:38 AM.

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