Wicked: For Good Cast, Including Ariana Grande, Won’t Promote in Australia

Despite the nation’s love for all things Oz, the cast of Wicked: For Good will not be travelling Down Under to promote the highly anticipated sequel.

After dazzling Sydney last year with a red-carpet premiere for the first Wicked film – complete with appearances by stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum – Australians were expecting another major Hollywood spectacle.

But this time around, Universal Pictures has quietly confirmed that the global promotional tour will skip Australia entirely, focusing instead on São Paulo, Paris, Singapore, London and New York ahead of the film’s release on November 20. 

Industry insiders say the decision comes down to cold, hard logistics and cost efficiency.

Promoting a blockbuster of this scale involves enormous expense – travel, accommodation, staging and security – and studios typically prioritise regions expected to drive the biggest box-office returns.

While Wicked performed strongly in Australia, it’s considered a ‘stable’ market that will turn up regardless of whether the stars do.

Despite the nation’s love for all things Oz, the cast of Wicked: For Good will not be travelling Down Under to promote the highly anticipated sequel. Pictured: Ariana Grande 

After dazzling Sydney last year with a red-carpet premiere for the first Wicked film – complete with appearances by stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum (all pictured) – Australians were expecting another major Hollywood spectacle

Celebrity publicist and digital marketing guru Adrian Falk told Daily Mail the move shouldn’t come as a surprise.

‘They know that the movie is going to rate either way and Aussies have flocked to the cinemas to see it before,’ Falk said.

‘Having Ariana and the cast here isn’t going to do anyone any favours – the return on investment just isn’t there when the film already sells itself.’

Falk explained that the studio is simply focusing on bigger markets closer to Hollywood’s radar.

‘The reality is, Australia is a small territory in the grand scheme of global box office,’ he said.

‘You’ve got to remember, these stars are in high demand and the studios will always prioritise markets that make the biggest financial sense.’

He added that in 2025, digital engagement carries far more weight than physical appearances.

Falk also believes the absence of a visit could actually fuel more publicity.

This time around, Universal Pictures has quietly confirmed that the global promotional tour will skip Australia entirely, focusing instead on São Paulo, Paris, Singapore , London and New York ahead of the film’s release on November 20. (Cynthia and Ariana pictured in Sydney in November 2024)

‘Sometimes not having the stars show up actually creates more buzz,’ he said.

‘People talk about it, media covers the ‘snub’, and suddenly you’ve got more headlines and social chatter than if they’d just flown in, smiled for photos and left.’

Many local fans have taken to social media to express their disappointment after learning that Australia was cut from the promotional itinerary.

Some had hoped to see Ariana and Cynthia reunite in Sydney, where thousands of fans gathered last year for the film’s first instalment premiere.

Wicked: For Good opens in Australian cinemas on November 20.