'Wicked: For Good' Director Jon Chu Teases 'Unexpected Moment' and Elphaba's Arc for Musical's Second Salvo

The press tour for Wicked: For Good has already brought out headline-making quotes, teases from the cast, and unfortunately, a male fan escaping security and grabbing Ariana Grande.

The director of the global phenomenon two-parter, Jon Chu, also shared some insights about the sequel to hype the fans. He revealed how they approached continuing Elphaba's arc in the sequel and the unplanned moment that happened between the film's leads while filming the musical performance of the song 'For Good.'

'Unique to That Moment in Time'

At the film's Asia-Pacific premiere in Singapore, Chu told Buzzfeed Australia of a special moment that happened while Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were filming the 'For Good' song number.

He said it was so 'raw and unexpected' that he decided to include it in the movie.

'What you see in the movie is unique to that moment in time... after 'For Good' there's this moment where they come together,' Chu said.

Of course, the director did not spill the beans on what exactly happened, but his tease was still enough to have 'Gelphie' fans excited. He also shared that each version of the performance came out differently because they were singing it live.

Elphaba's Decisions in Wicked Shaped Her Arc in the Sequel

The previous film released last year saw the main protagonists' split up due to a political divide concerning the Wizard of Oz's rule. Elphaba didn't like how the Wizard mistreated Oz's animals, so she left while Glinda remained to help the Wizard rule.

In the sequel, Elphaba is isolated from her former friends, family, and Oz's greater population all because she stood for beliefs. Chu said this shaped his approach on her arc saying that standing up is 'a lot more lonely.'

'When you realise, "oh standing up, that's a lot... that's a lot more lonely." You don't have a lot of friends, there are a lot more whispers,' he shared.

For Good chronicles the second half of the adapted story where Elphaba is living alone and was branded as the Wicked Witch of the West, while Glinda earned the support of the Wizard and his followers.

Marketing for the film teased that the friends will eventually reconcile, which makes the sequel more heartbreaking considering how The Wizard of Oz ended.

'Movie Two is Reality'

Chu made the decision to split the musical's film adaptation to develop the characters and reflect its themes better.

He said Wicked served as a way for them to 'break in' For Good.

'Movie one was about this fairytale, was about the things that we're taught by watching movies, or reading books, or what our parents taught us when we're young,' he said. 'And these hopes and these dreams, and then the reality of it not being what we thought.'

'But that's not reality. Movie two is reality. Movie two is what happens after,' he added.