"Wicked: For Good" Almost Had A "Darker" And "Scarier" Ending — Here's What It Was

3 weeks ago 13

It would've sent chills down your spine.

We're definitely not in Kansas anymore, Toto — because this post has HEAVY spoilers for Wicked: For Good. You've been warned!

If you are a person with a disposable income and a passion for musical theater, it's highly likely that you either just saw or are about to see Wicked: For Good this weekend.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in costume embrace outdoors. One has green skin and dark clothing; the other has light skin and a soft, pastel outfit

If you've seen it already — or if you're a huge fan of the musical — you already know that Wicked: For Good ends with Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) fleeing Oz entirely after the former fakes her death (a faux-melting, if you will).

Cynthia Erivo and Jonathan Bailey in theatrical costumes. One is dressed as a witch with a textured hat, while the other wears a military-style outfit with gold accents

The two characters go to an unnamed desert land that is referenced in the turn-of-the-20th-century book that started all of this Oz-mania, L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, as the "Deadly Desert." Sounds scary!

Three actors in elaborate fantasy costumes. Two in military attire flank one in intricate, dark-themed clothing appearing to be in a dramatic scene

And as it turns out, Wicked: For Good director Jon M. Chu and his team of Oz-heads originally had darker designs for this part of the film's ending — or, at least, so he revealed in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in elaborate fairy tale costumes pose with Jon M. Chu on a whimsical set

In the chat, Jon revealed that he and his team considered concluding the film with "versions of that desert that were a lot darker and scarier — like walking into your fears." Why didn't they, then?

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in costumes, one as a witch with a hat and one in a white gown, are on set with Jon M. Chu for a possible film or theater production

Well, Jon decided that the sandy locale itself "is not dead space, it's possibility. No one has explored that horizon because everyone's too scared."

People on a film set with fantastical costumes. One wears a long black outfit and green makeup, another a sparkly gown. Crew members are seen around

"Let's put sparkles in that sand!" he added regarding the film's ultimate ending.

Ariana Grande in elegant, vintage-style dress and necklace, smiling in an ornate room with green accents in the background

So, here's the question: Do you agree with Jon, or do you think Wicked: For Good needed a little bit more darkness to its grand finale? Let us know in the comments!

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