Let’s be honest: we’re seven months into 2026, and there’s been a shocking lack of movie musicals. What’s worse, most that have been released this year — shout out to the utterly pointless and box-office-bomb live-action version of Moana — have been utter duds. What stirs the heart in a musical movie differs from person to person, but we can all agree the best ones have songs that lean into their role as narrative tools while also reflecting the world we live in.

Meanwhile, the movie musicals that are the worst have a shallow message with bad acting and even worse singing. I’m thinking of 2019’s Cats and 2021’s Dear Evan Hansen. With that in mind, you’ll understand why I’m feeling a little put out that the greatest musical movie that 2026 has on offer so far is is — let me check my notes — a vapid and saccharine movie involving the Jonas Brothers and Paul Rudd.

While the current musical movie landscape in 2026 looks pretty dire, there is light at the end of the tunnel for Netflix subscribers. John M. Chu’s 2025 movie adaptation of the Broadway musical,Wicked: For Good, is available to stream starting today, July 20. The first part of the adaptation, simply titled Wicked (2024), is also available to stream on the platform, making the two movies the perfect weekend binge for either a die-hard fan or anyone who has the privilege of watchingWickedfor the first time.

Adapted from Stephen Schwartz’s musical, itself an adaptation of Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, For Good takes place a year after the first film. Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) is now on the run from The Wizard of Oz (Jeff Goldblum) and his cronies, including Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh). Worse still, Elphaba’s attempts to expose the Wizard’s cruelty have backfired, leaving the citizens of Oz believing she is as wicked as the Wizard claims. Her best frenemy, Glinda (Ariana Grande), is forced to reckon with her role in the oppressive, dictatorial government led by the Wizard.

Image: Universal Pictures

Wicked has had plenty of different adaptations across multiple formats over the years, but none has enraptured me quite as much as Erivo and Grande’s performances as Elphaba and Glinda. The relationship between the two women is explored extensively in For Good. They have more scenes together — Elphaba appearing the night before Glinda’s wedding to Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) certainly made many Gelphie fans happy — and it helps that Erivo and Grande have such a natural chemistry. When either one of them is missing from a scene, the absence is felt so keenly that it’s hard not to breathe a sigh of relief when the two find their way to one another once again.

What’s refreshing about this relationship is that, despite all their arguing about each other’s love for, their affection for the prince feels almost like a schoolgirl’s crush compared to the all-encompassing adoration Elphaba and Glinda have for one another. It can feel rare to see a movie in which a love triangle doesn’t manage to jeopardize the friendship between two women.

Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) staring into each other’s eyes up close in Wicked: For Good

Image: Universal Pictures

The way Chu portrays Schwartz's songs across both Wicked and For Good brilliantly reveals the different phases of Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship. While Wicked has a more optimistic, even whimsical tone that emphasizes the tension and the joyful moments they shared at school, For Good presents a much darker story, with songs that mirror the hardships faced by both girls and their relationship.

At its core, Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship isn’t just a feature of both films, it’s the beating heart of Wicked. Chu’s adaptation understands this so well that if you just wanted to watch Wicked and For Good and not touch any other Wicked material, you’d still leave with a strong understanding of what makes the original stage musical so meaningful to fans over the years.

Wicked: For Good is available to stream on Netflix.