Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo both took inspiration from Elphaba’s wardrobe for the beginning of the Wicked: For Good press tour.
The stars each sported all-black ensembles while taking the stage at CinemaCon 2025 on Wednesday, April 2. Grande, 31, channeled Glinda’s feminine wardrobe by sporting a strapless minidress with a ruffled skirt. Erivo, 38, showed off her edgy style in a hooded sheer black blouse, a matching bra underneath and flowy trousers. She accessorized the look with pieces of gold jewelry — including a large chain connected to her hood — and another of her detailed nail designs.
The pair’s outfits differed drastically from the ones they wore at last year’s CinemaCon. At the time, Grande and Erivo continued their trend of wearing their Wicked characters’ signature pink and green colors, with Grande wearing a flower petal-inspired minidress and Erivo rocking a bright green top and boots with a silver sequin skirt.
The costars were joined in Las Vegas on Wednesday by Wicked director Jon M. Chu and producer Marc Platt to debut the first footage from the upcoming sequel. According to Deadline, footage shown at the convention teased how Glinda and Elphaba find themselves on different paths in the second half of the movie musical adaptation.
Wicked — which hit theaters in November 2024 — followed Glinda and Elphaba as they went from rival roommates to best friends during their time at the magical Shiz University. Upon discovering The Wizard is a fraud looking to use Elphaba’s powers for his nefarious purposes, the movie ends with Elphaba fleeing the Emerald City on her broomstick, while Glinda chooses to stay behind.
“Elphaba, I know you’re out there,” Glinda says before Elphaba drops on the balcony of her friend’s Emerald City castle, per Deadline. “This is about the Wizard and I,” Elphaba replies, referencing her anthem of the same name from Wicked.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Ethan Miller/Getty Images
In addition to Elphaba writing “OUR WIZARD LIES” across the sky, the teaser hinted at many major story moments (spoilers!), from Glinda walking down the aisle, to Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) and his fellow guards searching for Elphaba in the forest and The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) requesting Dorothy and her friends to bring him Elphaba’s broom.
“I’m off to see the Wizard,” Elphaba reportedly states in the trailer’s final moments as she summons her broom and iconic black witch hat.
During Wicked: For Good’s CinemaCon presentation, Erivo jokingly promised there will be “less waterworks” from her and Grande during the film’s press tour, as they famously got emotional during several Wicked interviews over the past year.
“We already have our tissues packed,” Grande quipped during the event, per the Associated Press.
The sequel will feature new songs, including one cowritten by Erivo, in addition to the ones from the original Broadway soundtrack. Marissa Bode, who portrays Elphaba’s sister Nessarose, previously teased to Us Weekly that For Good will be “a lot darker in a lot of ways.”
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo speak onstage during CinemaCon on April 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jerod Harris/Getty Images for CinemaCon
“There’s a time jump for sure, and I’m excited to see visually — because I haven’t really seen any of the footage yet — how the characters have changed for good or maybe not for good,” Bode, 24, exclusively shared with Us earlier this year.
Wicked: For Good hits theaters on Friday, November 21.
