Wednesday, January 14, 2026

The Next Best Picture Podcast – A Behind The Scenes Look At “Wicked: For Good”

Wicked: For Good” is a musical fantasy sequel directed by Jon M. Chu that adapts the second act of the “Wicked” stage musical, itself inspired by Gregory Maguire’s reimagining of “The Wizard of Oz.” Starring returning cast members Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, and others, the film follows Elphaba and Glinda as they embrace their identities as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. Developed over a decade and split into two films to preserve the story’s depth, production faced delays due to the pandemic and the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Released by Universal Pictures in November 2025, the film grossed $523 million worldwide, earned awards recognition from the Critics’ Choice Awards and the Golden Globes, and was named one of the top ten films of the year by both the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute. Ever since its release, the Next Best Picture team has been conducting a series of interviews with many people involved in the making of the film, which we’re proud to share with you below. First up, we have my interview with the film’s director Jon M. Chu, followed Cody Dericks’s interview with casting directors Tiffany Little Canfield & Bernard Telsey, then we have my intervew with the film’s editor Myron Kerstein, followed by Cody’s interview with makeup & hair designer Frances Hannon, then Dan Bayer’s interview with sound mixer Simon Hayes, and then we end with Cody’s interview with visual effects supervisor Pablo Helman. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to rent or own digitally or on physical media from Universal Pictures, and is up for your consideration for this year’s Academy Awards in all eligible categories. Thank you, and enjoy!

Thank you so much for listening. The Next Best Picture Podcast is proud to be a part of the Evergreen Podcasts Network. You can subscribe to us anywhere you listen to podcasts or listen in the embedded player below. Please take a moment to review us on Apple Podcasts here. And if you’re feeling generous, you enjoy what you hear, and you want to hear more, please help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month, and you’ll receive some exclusive podcast content from us.

You can follow Matt, Cody & Dan and hear more of their thoughts on the Oscars and Film on X @NextBestPicture, @codymonster91 & @dancindanonfilm

Subscribe to Our Newsletter!

Matt Neglia
Matt Negliahttps://nextbestpicture.com/
Obsessed about the Oscars, Criterion Collection and all things film 24/7. Critics Choice Member.

Related Articles

Stay Connected

114,929FollowersFollow
101,150FollowersFollow
9,315FansLike
9,410FansLike
4,686FollowersFollow
6,055FollowersFollow
101,150FollowersFollow
9,315FansLike
4,880SubscribersSubscribe
4,686FollowersFollow
111,897FollowersFollow
9,315FansLike
5,801FollowersFollow
4,330SubscribersSubscribe

Latest Reviews