Do you have Wicked press tour fatigue? You're not alone

For the first film, which landed in the UK on 22 November 2024, there were five official premieres worldwide. This year, the Wicked: For Good press tour included another five – starting in Sao Paulo on 4 November, then Paris on the 7th, London on the 10th, Singapore on the 13th and New York on the 17th.

Despite some people's weariness, a recent Deadline report declared: "More products, less press: How 'Wicked: For Good' marketing stayed relevant while scaling back". The article explains that the first instalment was intentionally "just short of obnoxious", according to its chief marketing officer Michael Moses. 

"Universal was establishing 'Wicked,' based on the Broadway smash, not as a fizzy musical for moms and daughters, but as a four-quadrant extravaganza on the scale of 'Barbie'," it wrote. And it worked, with the first movie earning a huge $756 million globally after a $112 million opening – and nabbing 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.

However, for part two, the strategy was scaled back… slightly. "The studio shelled out roughly $90 million on global promotional efforts compared with the initial film's nearly $150 million marketing budget," reported Deadline. But for some, this was still perhaps too much.

Alongside the five premieres, each packed with red carpet looks, social clips and trending reactions, the campaign also included a two-hour musical special 'Wicked: One Wonderful Night' on NBC, a takeover of 'Dancing With the Stars' and a behind-the-scenes podcast hosted by Vanity Fair journalist Chris Murphy. 

The movie also has its own Instagram account with 1.4 million followers, featuring promotional videos from Jonathan Bailey and Cynthia Erivo launching collaborations with brands such as Dunkin'.

To be fair, I can see both sides of the argument. As a huge fan of the West End musical (I've seen it four times) and the first movie, I had big expectations for the second instalment.

And while I loved it, I did feel as though I had already watched the finale song, 'For Good', before. Perhaps it was because I had already seen countless TikTok videos of the original Broadway leads Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth joining Erivo and Grande on stage during the special reprisal for 'Wicked: One Wonderful Night'.

And don't get me wrong, as an entertainment journalist, I love press junkets, premieres and events – whether I'm lucky enough to attend or if I'm watching from home. 

But is there something in the criticism from those who simply want to see the film without every moment previewed beforehand? Some viewers don't even watch trailers for fear of seeing the entire plot in three minutes.

"I'd normally complain about a trailer showing pretty much every moment of the plot, but since I'm already so familiar with the show, it just makes me glad to know they're covering everything," wrote one YouTube user under the official trailer.

For HELLO!'s junior lifestyle writer Josh Osman, the marketing of the second film did nothing but stir up excitement to take a trip to the cinema. 

"The Wicked press tour has made me so much more excited for the film," he said. "I didn't love the first one, so the hype had died a little for me. But just seeing Cynthia and Ariana's dynamic together, on top of Jonathan Bailey having another global moment being PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive? It just reminded me of the sheer star power behind it all! I will be seated on Friday."