Universal wants Wicked: For Good to be a global crowd-pleaser. But instead of letting audiences escape to Oz, director Jon M. Chu is hinting he’s using the Wicked sequel to make political commentary — and it sure sounds aimed squarely at the era of President Trump and the movement that reshaped American politics.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Chu didn’t shy away from signaling that the second film isn’t just entertainment — it’s intended as a statement.
‘WICKED:FOR GOOD’ director Jon M. Chu hopes the movies themes of ‘standing up to power’ speaks to what is happening in the US today-
“What happens when you look at your home and it’s no longer the home that you thought it was? And that your home isn’t actually even built for… pic.twitter.com/Y6aCHMbVLV
— Geeks + Gamers (@GeeksGamersCom) October 30, 2025
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He reflected on expanding the story, saying the creative question became whether they could “make it something that it’s not just a fairy tale, but it’s about being as relevant as we could about what we really wanted to say in this movie.”
That’s not subtle. Hollywood code language for “relevant” almost always means politics — and usually not the kind that welcomes the half of America who voted for President Trump to a Wicked movie.
Chu doubled down, adding that the goal was for the film to “speak to what’s happening in the U.S. now, particularly around the themes of standing up to power.”
Ariana Grande in Wicked – Peacock
Standing up to power? From Hollywood’s perspective, that often translates to “resisting” the last Republican administration.
Again — audiences want Oz, not MSNBC with a broomstick.
He also frames the movie as a reckoning moment for America, saying it’s about “who are we when we know the truth? Who do you become when the stories you’re told, the promises you’re given, shatter in front of you?”
Those lines sound tailor-made for the post-2016 media narrative — a nation “disillusioned” after electing an outsider president.
U.S. President Donald Trump sits for an interview with ABC News – YouTube, ABC News
Then he goes further: “What happens when you look at your home and it’s no longer the home that you thought it was? And that your home isn’t actually even built for you?”
That kind of rhetoric has become a staple of progressive cultural commentary — framing America as exclusionary and broken. Not exactly the tone that invites everyone to the theater.
And just in case the message wasn’t clear, Chu closes his thoughts by urging people to get out of their “bubble,” saying some are “too scared to pop their bubble because they don’t have to.”
A screenshot from the trailer to Wicked, YouTube
Translation: this movie is for the people “brave” enough to challenge the system — and a judgment of those who don’t. In Hollywood’s worldview, that’s often code for middle-America families who don’t chant the right slogans on social media.
Hollywood Can’t Help Itself
For years, audiences have made one thing abundantly clear: they don’t want every blockbuster to double as a political allegory about America’s latest election cycle. And yet Hollywood keeps insisting that beloved stories must be reshaped into commentaries on real-world ideological battles while wagging their fingers and rubbing our faces in it through every interview.
Universal invested years and an enormous budget into Wicked: For Good. Fans expected magic, melody, and a return to the enchanting world of Oz — not a referendum on the electorate. But once again, a filmmaker appears convinced the world desperately needs his philosophical guidance.
A Screenshot of Ariana Grande From the Wicked Movie Trailer, YouTube – Universal Pictures
People go to the movies to get away from Washington, not be reminded of it. If viewers end up feeling like Wicked is scolding half the country for voting the “wrong” way, backlash will come fast — and loudly.
The safest bet for a studio film with billion-dollar aspirations is simple: enchant the whole audience, not just the ones who nod along politically.
From Emerald City to Election Metaphor?
The Wicked Broadway show tackled themes of power, perception, and propaganda — but it was a fantasy first and it came out in the early 2000s. Chu seems intent on shifting the center of gravity: the magic becomes commentary, the fairy tale becomes a lecture.
A Screenshot of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in the Wicked Movie Trailer, YouTube – Universal Pictures
Universal is aiming for a billion-dollar musical franchise. But turning Wicked into a cinematic op-ed risks alienating huge swaths of moviegoers — especially the millions who supported Trump and are tired of political messaging seeping into every franchise.
How do you feel about the Wicked director insinuating that his movie is an attack on Trump and MAGA voters? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
