The fear of the “Act Two” slump is real. When Hollywood decides to split a massive story into two films, the second installment often suffers. It loses the novelty of the introduction but lacks the cohesive punch of a standalone story. Going into Wicked For Good, that was the hesitation: Could a movie without “Defying Gravity” actually hold its own?

The answer, surprisingly, is yes. The latest episode of So Many Sequels examines how the film managed to stick the landing. It raked in a massive $150 million domestic opening.

Here’s a look at the box office wins, the streaming frustrations, and the rest of this week’s movie lineup.

Defying the “Part Two” Curse

The biggest hurdle Wicked For Good faced wasn’t the music. It was the narrative structure. Second chapters often feel like filler, but the crew agreed that this film dodged that bullet.

David noted that the second half leans a bit more into “fan fiction” territory. It tries to shoehorn the plot directly into the start of The Wizard of Oz. Still, it ultimately works. It successfully bridges the gap between the prequel and the classic. This proves that the decision to split the film wasn’t just a cash grab. It gave the story room to breathe.

Netflix Is Still “Allergic to Money”

We need to talk about Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. We want to talk about it. We want to see it. But Netflix is making that incredibly difficult.

Despite the massive success of Glass Onion’s limited theatrical run, Netflix is once again keeping the third Benoit Blanc film on a frighteningly short leash. The restrictions are particularly noticeable about theaters. For film fans living outside major metropolitan hubs, finding a screening is nearly impossible.

It’s a frustrating stalemate. Theater chains (rightfully) don’t want to promote a movie that jumps to streaming instantly. Netflix also refuses to grant the wide release window. This window would generate millions in ticket sales. The result? A great movie gets buried in the content algorithm. Fans are forced to wait. They also need to subscribe to a service they don’t want.

Quick Hits: Stream or Skip?

The team ran through a gauntlet of other releases this week. Here is the rapid-fire verdict:

• The Naked Gun: WATCH. Comedy is officially legal again. Liam Neeson picks up the mantle perfectly, leaning into the absurdity with machine-gun rapid-fire jokes. It’s refreshing to watch a studio comedy that aims to be funny. It doesn’t just rely on improv.
• Nobody 2: SKIP. A classic case of an “unnecessary sequel.” Bob Odenkirk is still great at action, but the magic of the first film is gone. If you loved the first one, maybe just pretend this doesn’t exist so you don’t ruin the vibe.
• The Conjuring: Last Rites: WATCH. Surprisingly, this franchise still has gas in the tank. It delivers genuine scares. This has been missing from horror for a while. It also leans into the “demon face” jump scares effectively.

The Human Touch in a Digital World

Finally, a bit of good news for the physical media hearted: Letterboxd is launching a digital video store.

Why does the world need another VOD service? Because this one isn’t run by an algorithm pushing the same Top 10 hits. The store promises curation based on user watchlists and staff picks. It highlights festival darlings and unreleased gems that usually vanish into the ether.

Lingering Thought: Wicked proves that audiences will show up for a spectacle. Knives Out shows that streamers still don’t quite understand theatrical demand. We are in a weird transition period. We have better movies than we’ve had in years. Despite this, it’s getting harder to figure out where, or how, we’re supposed to watch them.