Bowen Yang says the ‘Wicked’ film series should end with ‘For Good,’ joking about a spinoff while director Jon M. Chu stays noncommittal on a third movie.
Bowen Yang is ready to close the spellbook on the Wicked film franchise — at least for now.
Attending the New York City premiere of Wicked: For Good, the second installment in the two-part adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, the actor made it clear that he feels the story has reached its natural conclusion.
Speaking to Variety’s Marc Malkin during Variety On the Carpet presented by Lexus, Yang responded to speculation about a potential third film.
“I think we leave it here,” he said, expressing satisfaction with how For Good wraps up the tale. Still, the Saturday Night Live star playfully entertained the idea of a spinoff focused on his character, Pfannee, and Bronwyn James’ character, ShenShen.
“I’m going to pitch a Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead story with my and Bronwyn James’ characters,” he joked.
Wicked: For Good adapts the second and final act of the long-running Broadway show, completing the cinematic retelling that began with 2024’s Wicked.
With the musical’s narrative fully covered across the two films, no third installment is currently in development.
Even director Jon M. Chu approached the concept with caution when asked about extending the series beyond the established story.
“What’s it about?” Chu said. “There’s a lot of ideas flying around right now. … We’ll see. Let’s enjoy this ride first.”
Yang also shared his excitement over his co-star Ariana Grande returning to SNL as host this December, with Cher joining as the musical guest.
Calling Cher his “dream host,” Yang teased that he hopes to pitch a “Cher Family Reunion” sketch for the holiday episode.
“Ariana definitely has a good Cher impression,” he said, noting the show’s history of ensemble impressions.
While Grande and Cynthia Erivo both attended the New York premiere, neither participated in interviews.
Universal representatives informed media that Erivo had lost her voice and was feeling unwell. Grande opted to skip press in solidarity with her co-star.
Other cast members — including Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Colman Domingo, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum — walked the carpet to celebrate the debut of Wicked: For Good, marking what appears to be the finale of the franchise’s on-screen journey.
