A fleeting glimpse of a familiar silhouette on the Yellow Brick Road has Oz fans buzzing. While Dorothy’s iconic journey may be etched into cinematic history, her role in Wicked’s new tale is shrouded in mystery—and director Jon M. Chu is keeping audiences guessing about what’s next. The first installment of Wicked, which landed in theaters on Nov. 22, offers just a tantalizing peek at the Kansas farm girl. Her brief cameo appears during the opening sequence, showing Dorothy alongside her companions—the Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, and Tin Man—in what Chu describes as “maybe the most famous crime scene ever in cinema and literature.”
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Intriguingly, no actress is credited for playing Dorothy in the film. This could mean the glimpse we catch was achieved through CGI, or perhaps an uncredited extra stepped in for the momentary appearance. The decision aligns with the Broadway musical’s approach, where Dorothy appears only as a shadow during pivotal moments. But Chu’s careful integration of Dorothy isn’t just fan service.
“Well, I won’t talk too much about what we show or don’t show in movie 2. But in movie 1, it was important to let Dorothy be how you want her to be. I didn’t want to step on your images of whatever version of Dorothy you wanted her to be,” he tells Screen Rant. “But the presence is important because that plays a significant role in what will happen and how they intersect. That was sort of how we played with it. But you’ll have to see movie 2 to know how far we go with her.”
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This deliberate ambiguity sets up larger possibilities for Wicked: Part Two, scheduled for release on Nov. 21, 2025. While the first film largely predates Dorothy’s arrival in Oz, the sequel promises to weave closer to the events familiar to fans of the 1939 classic. The second installment picks up with Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) in command of her powers and branded an enemy of the state by the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh). When pressed about Dorothy’s role in Part Two, Chu remained coy.
“In the show, Dorothy is around. They have to intersect, and you can only tease it so much,” he tells explained. “There’s a part of me that wants everyone’s Dorothy to be the whatever Dorothy they want. And yet, there is interaction and some crossover.”
Some clues about Dorothy’s future appearance may already exist in plain sight. Sharp-eyed viewers noticed that Wicked’s marketing materials included shots of Dorothy and her companions meeting the Wizard—scenes that never appear in the first film. These could be glimpses of sequences planned for the sequel. The Broadway musical offers additional hints about Dorothy’s potential role in Part Two as well. On stage, the character features most prominently during the story’s conclusion, particularly in the famous scene where she encounters the Wicked Witch of the West. However, the film adaptation has already shown a willingness to expand beyond its theatrical source material, suggesting Dorothy’s role could be more substantial than in previous iterations. What’s certain is that the sequel will maintain its focus on the complex relationship between Elphaba and Glinda (Ariana Grande).
“Part Two, I will say because I’ve cut it together, is a doozy,” Chu reveals to Variety. “It becomes eight times more relevant than before when you’re talking about truth and consequences of making the right or wrong choices. It’s intense.”
Most of the main cast is confirmed to return, including Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, alongside Goldblum and Yeoh. Whether a formally announced Dorothy will join them remains to be seen, but Chu’s careful orchestration of the character’s presence suggests her role in the conclusion of this epic two-part saga will be worth the wait.
As audiences anticipate the second chapter of this reimagined tale, one thing becomes clear: Dorothy’s journey down the Yellow Brick Road may lead to some unexpected destinations—and the intersection of her story with Elphaba and Glinda’s promises to deliver a fresh perspective on this beloved corner of Oz.
Wicked is in theaters now.
