I had desperately hoped, from the very beginning, that the movie would implement a whole lot of the darker elements from the book into the movie. The only way to really do that is to expand the second act because that’s where so much of it is (after Elphaba leaves Shiz). For that reason, I’m pretty glad it’s getting a second movie.
After Defying Gravity, Elphaba is waging a singular political war on the wizard, fighting for Animal rights, falling in love, and trying to reconcile with her estranged sister. OH, and she’s performing body-horror experiments to create flying monkeys. In the book, she’s also trying to atone for causing Fiyero’s capture and death (as a political prisoner) by FOLLOWING HIS WIFE AND KIDS BACK TO HIS CASTLE IN THE VINKUS.
The second half of the story, in the play, always got short shrift because they breeze over the interesting stuff to create closure with Glinda.
Now, you have a “Young Adult” movie where an outcast finds herself, becomes disillusioned, and sets out on her life purpose, followed by a “New Adult” movie where she finds romance, fights for her ideals, and accepts the consequences of her choices.
I’m for it.