Wicked star Bowen Yang doesn’t want a third movie – but does have a spin-off idea

Saturday Night Live star and Wicked actor Bowen Yang has joined the list of people involved in the films who have shot down the idea of doing a third instalment. However, he has pitched the idea of a spin-off.

The just-released Wicked: For Good adapts the second and final act of the stage show musical, and while Hollywood loves franchises that can go on forever with sequel after sequel, the people who made the film don’t feel the need to add a third act to Glinda and Elphaba’s story.

“I think we leave it here,” Yang told Variety, although he does think it could be fun to do something with some of the less-central characters. One of whom is his.

“I’m going to pitch a Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead story with my and Bronwyn James’ characters,” he added.

Yang plays the character Pfannee in the films, while How to Train Your Dragon remake actor James plays Shenshen. Both are snobby Shiz University students who look down upon Elphaba and worship Glinda.

Universal

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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is a surreal tragicomedy that focuses on two minor characters from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and retells the story through their perspectives.

Originally written and performed in the 1960s, the premise has inspired other works to try the same premise. Perhaps one of the most famous examples is The Lion King 3 (or The Lion King 1½) which shows what Timon and Pumbaa were up to before, during, and after the animated Disney classic.

Could the idea work for Wicked, which already kind of applies the premise to The Wizard of Oz?

Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures

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Meanwhile, director Jon M Chu told Access Hollywood that “this was always meant to be a two-movie experience”, although he did tell Variety that “there’s a lot of ideas flying around”.

Ariana Grande said at a Screen Actors Guild screening and Q&A that the release of For Good means that “people will finally get to know the full truth of these women”.

She also said she hopes that the team who worked on the film continue to work together, stating: “If we’ve learned anything from Cher, we can count on there always being another farewell tour. So I don’t think anyone’s going anywhere.”

Wicked: For Good is out in cinemas now.

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