STACK #256 February 2026

MOVIE FEATURE

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GENRE: Musical fantasy RUN TIME: 2h 17m

WICKED: FOR GOOD JOURNEY BACK TO OZ Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande return to Oz in Wicked: For Good , revealing how their onscreen bond as Elphaba and Glinda evolved into a genuine real-life friendship.

(Inset) Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and director Jon M. Chu (Right) Ariana Grande

I f audiences delighted in 2023’s Wicked , chronicling the unlikely friendship between Erivo’s green

“It was really overwhelming. I thought I had gotten used to watching the film, and I'd seen it with a few people, but never in a room full of

Kansas - that will change the Land of Oz forever. If the two witches may find themselves at loggerheads for a while, then Erivo and Grande’s relationship is built on solid ground. “We were cast together but we didn't audition together,” says Erivo. “We only met after we’d both been cast, and we spent some time together and decided between each other that we were going to make sure that we protected each other, that we were kind to one another, that we were going to work with each other in honesty and build a relationship from that.” Gill Pringle

skinned Elphaba Thropp and Grande’s pink-loving Glinda Upland, then Wicked: For Good finds the former friends worlds apart. For Erivo, 38, and Grande, 32 - both powerhouse singers in their own rights – the roles have been nothing short of transformative, forming a lifelong bond as they traversed the globe on a years long promotional ride. Interestingly, Erivo tells STACK that it was only while attending the Wicked premiere at Sydney’s State Theatre that she understood the enormity of the role.

people. So the first time I saw it with an audience properly was in Australia, and I didn't expect to be so overwhelmed by how effusive and how alive the audience was, and how they go with you,” In Wicked: For Good , Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship is put to the test

DYK?

Nine million real tulips were planted for the Munchkinland scenes.

• Wicked: For Good is out Feb 25

by a series of events – including the surprising arrival of Dorothy Gale from

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU’LL LOVE THESE:

Cinderella (2021) , Enchanted, Wonka, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

GENRE: Comedy RUN TIME: 1h 39m

GOOD FORTUNE HEAVEN HELP KEANU! We’ve seen plenty of movies about guardian angels saving lives (think Wings of Desire or City of Angels ), but what about the angels who screw up?

Aziz Ansari and Keanu Reeves

Fun fact: Gabriel wears a trench coat

P arks and Recreation star Aziz Ansari explores that idea with hilarious effect in Good Fortune , a riotous comedy he writes and directs, starring himself alongside Seth Rogen and Keanu Reeves, and flipping the script on the tried-and-true formula. Reeves stars as Gabriel, a well meaning but hopelessly inept angel, bored with saving texting drivers and desperate for bigger responsibilities. A string of celestial screw-ups sees him demoted again and again, until he’s finally banished to Earth as a human. To earn his way back, Gabriel meddles with the lives of a struggling gig worker and a wealthy entrepreneur, swapping

their fortunes, then discovering he can’t switch them back. Reeves was a massive stroke of luck for Ansari, who initially never entertained the notion of such a big star taking on the role of Gabriel. “Keanu Reeves name came up,” Ansari recalls, then reflecting on his massive get “and I was stunned as he’s such a big star. I met him and immediately knew, this has to be Keanu.” And from the moment he read the script, the John Wick star wanted on board.

and respectful in his views of what’s fundamentally important in life. I was honored that Aziz was interested in working with me.” For Rogen, a prolific writer and producer in his own right, the subversion of expectations is what convinced him. “The idea of the film,” he explains, “is that your life is your life, and how will you deal with that? The movie makes a clear observation that it’s much easier to be happy if you have money than if you don’t. But you can still be miserable with money. Wanting your life to be different is relatable for a lot of people.” Glenn Cochrane

reminiscent of TV detective Columbo, an intentional yet subtle nod to Peter Falk’s role in Wim Wenders’ 1987 film Wings of Desire .

“The role Aziz presented to me was not only funny, but sensitive

• Good Fortune is out Feb 4

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU’LL LOVE THESE:

It’s a Wonderful Life, Bruce Almighty, Meet Joe Black, Dogma

30 FEBRUARY 2026

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