"Wicked" Sequel Scales Back Promo Blitz, Targets Broader Audience

In the lead-up to the release of "Wicked: For Good" on November 21, 2025, Universal is taking a more restrained approach to marketing the sequel compared to the first film's epic promotional blitz.

Whereas the original "Wicked" movie launched with a $7 million Super Bowl spot, a sprawling partnership with 400 corporate brands, and a press junket that lasted nearly a year, the studio is now opting for a more subtle strategy. "One of the words to describe the marketing of the new release would be 'restraint,'" says Jason Squire, professor emeritus at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. "We're not inundated like we were on the first movie."

The reason for this shift is twofold. First, "Wicked" is now an established property, so the studio doesn't need to work as hard to introduce it to audiences. Second, there was a risk of consumer fatigue from the relentless marketing campaign for the first film. By waiting until summer 2025 to ramp up the promotional blitz for "Wicked: For Good," Universal has been able to leverage the residual goodwill and reduce marketing costs from the initial movie's nearly $150 million budget down to around $90 million.

Despite the scaled-back efforts, the sequel is currently tracking for a bigger opening than its predecessor. And with a lack of other major female-driven releases on the horizon, analysts predict "Wicked: For Good" will enjoy similar staying power in theaters. As one executive at a rival studio puts it, "The first movie was about priming the pump. Now they don't want to let air out of the tire."