Wicked: For Good Snubbed as Oscars Overlook Sequel
The much-anticipated Wicked: For Good failed to secure a single Oscar nod, a sharp contrast to its predecessor’s impressive awards haul. Find out which surprises and omissions defined this year’s nominations.
After a triumphant run for the original film, which swept up ten Oscar nominations in 2025, the follow-up, Wicked: For Good, found itself entirely absent from this year’s shortlist. Not a single mention, not even in categories where many had all but pencilled it in. The sequel’s omission was particularly striking given the buzz around Ariana Grande’s performance as Glinda, with many expecting her to feature in the Best Supporting Actress line-up. Yet, when the nominations were read out, her name was nowhere to be heard.
Adding to the surprise, Wicked: For Good introduced two fresh songs, neither of which appeared in the original stage production. These new numbers were widely tipped to make a splash in the Best Original Song category. Instead, the Academy’s attention drifted elsewhere, with nods going to tracks from Kpop Demon Hunters, Sinners, Train Dreams, Diane Warren: Relentless, and Viva Verdi! The absence of recognition for the film’s musical additions left fans and pundits alike scratching their heads.
Last Year’s Triumphs and This Year’s Silence
It’s a stark contrast to the previous year, when Wicked was a fixture across the board. The first film landed nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress (Cynthia Erivo), Best Supporting Actress (Ariana Grande), as well as Costume Design, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Production Design, Original Score, Sound, and Visual Effects. It didn’t just make up the numbers, either—taking home the statuettes for Best Costume Design and Best Production Design. This time around, the sequel’s total shutout was hard to ignore.
Wicked: For Good wasn’t the only high-profile project to miss out. One Battle After Another’s Chase Infiniti, who had been widely praised for her portrayal of Leonardo DiCaprio’s on-screen daughter, was left off the Best Actress list. Park Chan-wook’s much-discussed black comedy, No Other Choice, also failed to appear in the Best International Feature category, despite considerable buzz in the run-up to the announcement.
Unexpected Twists in the Acting Categories
Elsewhere, the acting categories delivered a few curveballs. Paul Mescal, despite his role as William Shakespeare in Hamnet and the film’s eight other nominations, was overlooked for Best Actor. Instead, Delroy Lindo from Sinners found himself a surprise addition to the shortlist, catching many off guard. The shake-up in the acting fields added to a sense of unpredictability that ran through this year’s nominations.
With the Oscars ceremony set for Sunday, 15 March, attention now turns to what surprises the night itself might hold. In the meantime, film enthusiasts are already eyeing the next batch of releases, eager to see which titles will make the cut in future awards seasons.