The 9 biggest differences between Wicked: For Good and the musical.

Wicked: For Good has finally landed on the big screen, and while we're obsessed with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's chemistry, director Jon M. Chu definitely didn't shy away from mixing things up.

If you thought you knew Act II of the musical backwards, prepare to be a little surprised. The film version, while still true to the story, introduces some interesting changes to songs, character arcs, and the final moments.

Watch: The trailer for Wicked: For Good. Article continues after video.

We've rounded up the 9 majorly emotional changes that set the movie apart from the beloved Broadway musical.

The opening sequence. 

In the stage musical, Act II kicks off with Glinda serving pop-star energy in 'Thank Goodness' — celebrating her glamorous new life as the public face of Oz. 

But the movie flips the script and gets political right away. Instead of Glinda's glamorous debut, we're immediately thrown into the dark reality of Oz: abused animals being forced to work in fields. 

Enter Elphaba, the ultimate vigilante, swooping in to free them. It sets the tone of the film immediately.

Image: Universal Studios

Glinda's backstory. 

On stage, Glinda is already the perfectly popular, sometimes-shallow-but-sweet girl we know. But the film version gives us a massive, emotional dive into Glinda's psyche, finally providing the context we deserved.

The movie expands Glinda's origin story, showing us her deep desire for magic and popularity, and the psychological burden of trying to be "The Good Witch."

To top things off, we also get a new, emotional song written just for the movie: 'The Girl in the Bubble'.

It's where Glinda basically stares into a mirror and realises her life is built on beautiful, pink lies.

Image: Universal Pictures

Elphaba gets another power ballad.

Move over, 'Defying Gravity,' (but not really because nothing can beat that) there's a new solo in Oz. Elphaba gets her own original number called 'No Place Like Home'. 

The song pops up when she finds a group of oppressed animals fleeing Oz through tunnels under the Yellow Brick Road. It's less of a villain anthem and more of a powerful rallying cry, with Elphaba struggling to convince the creatures to stay and fight for their land. 

Image: Universal Pictures

Nessa Rose's wish gets an update. 

In the original musical, Elphaba's sister Nessa uses the Grimmerie (the magical book of spells) to wish that she could walk. In a much-needed modern update for the movie, Nessa Rose's wish is totally different. 

It's not about being "fixed" or able-bodied anymore. Instead, her desire is for genuine magic and happiness, specifically connecting to the feeling of "floating on air" she experienced when she danced with Boq in Part One.

This change shifts her emotional arc to wanting agency and joy, rather than a cure.

Image: Universal Pictures

The Glinda and Fiyero wedding that almost was.

While the stage show kept the 'wedding day' off-stage, the movie actually lets us witness the sheer, dazzling pink spectacle.

Glinda is literally walking down the aisle in a wedding dress when the chaos of Elphaba's rebellion (the stampede of freed animals) interrupts the whole affair.

This scene, which is entirely new, makes the turning point in the Glinda/Fiyero/Elphaba love triangle so much more dramatic and gut-wrenching.

Image: Universal Pictures

Glinda crashes 'Wonderful'.

On stage, Glinda is gone when Elphaba meets the Wizard for the song "Wonderful," leaving it as a duet between them. But in the film, Glinda sticks around and makes it a trio. 

Glinda joins the Wizard during the song as they both try to convince Elphaba to come back into the light. The addition of Glinda to the song certainly heightens the stakes and makes Elphaba's decision in this moment so much more personal.

Image: Universal Pictures

Dorothy is finally on screen (kind of). 

In the musical, Dorothy — the figure who sets the final tragic events in motion — is mostly just a shadow or a voice. While the movie wisely keeps her face obscured (Chu knows not to mess with an icon), Dorothy has a much bigger physical presence. 

We get to see the back of her head, her iconic slippers, and her gingham dress a lot more. The nostalgia! 

Image: Universal Pictures

Glinda frees the animals.

The film gives Glinda a much more active and satisfying redemption arc. After Elphaba fakes her death, Glinda returns to the Emerald City, swiftly dealing with the corrupt Wizard and arresting the villainous Madame Morrible. 

But the major, full-circle expansion is what she does next: she uses her newfound power to officially free all the animals. It's the ultimate act of friendship, proving she finally understands and honours Elphaba's original mission.

Image: Universal Pictures

The Grimmerie opens. 

Prepare for the biggest fan debate of the year.

In the closing scene, the powerful spellbook, the Grimmerie — which only Elphaba could read — actually opens for Glinda. This huge, emotional moment didn't happen in the musical, and its meaning is intentionally ambiguous. 

Does it suggest Glinda is finally gaining her own innate magic? Or did Elphaba trigger it to send a hidden message? Either way, it cements Glinda's destiny as the true, magical leader of a new Oz. Cue the tears.

READ NEXT: A brutally honest review of the new Wicked movie.

Feature Image: Universal Pictures.