I Wasn't Sure about Wicked's LEGO Friend Sets, But I Like Them More Than For Good's Traditional Options

I have certain nerd interests, chief among them being musical theater and LEGO sets. So when the company started releasing sets themed after Wicked and its forthcoming sequel For Good, it felt like they were basically made for me. But there was a twist: the Oscar-nominated movie's LEGO sets were the brand LEGO Friends, which have different builds and larger, more detailed minifigures. I wasn't sure about them at first, but I've got to say I like them more than For Good's traditional set options.

What we know about Wicked: For Good is limited, but it has the potential to be another movie musical that wins Best Picture. I'm a sucker for some merch about the beloved book to screen adaptation, which is why I bought the Emerald City and Shiz University LEGO that accompanied the first movie. But there was a twist: they were LGO Friends.

I've Gotten Used To The Lego Friends Minifigures

I've been collecting LEGO since I was a kid, having returned to the brand as an adult thanks to epic sets themed around Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I was hyped when it was revealed that Wicked was getting its own sets, but they ended up being the first Friends-style ones I've ever purchased.

While it took me a while to get to the look and build of these types of LEGO, I've spent the last year staring at them on my shelf and digging the way the Wicked cast was brought to life with that type of figure, called minidolls.

We got more LEGO Wicked sets thanks to the forthcoming release of For Good. While I purchased the Glinda & Elphaba Visit Munchkinland set to match the other ones I had, the company also offered some more traditional non-Friends sets. Case in point: Glinda & Elphaba Book Ends, which I also added to my collection. As you can see below, they figures themselves look more classic, and less doll-like.

As a fan of Bowen Yang and his podcast Las Culturistas, I simply had to get the above set, complete with a minifg of his scene-stealing character Pfannee. But once the build was over and it joined the rest of the Wicked sets on the shelf, the traditional minifigures just didn't look right. I'd gotten used to the LEGO Friends version of these beloved characters, particularly the way that Glinda's gowns were brought to life. Am I officially a convert?

The LEGO Friends line offers a number of exclusive brands that don't come in the traditional form, such as sets themed around Disney Princesses. While I was originally wasn't thrilled about Wicked being put in that category, I ultimately think it was the right call for Jon M. Chu's movie musical franchise. And seeing the OG minifigs used for characters like Glinda, Elphaba, and Fiyero just feels strange now.

Wicked: For Good will hit theaters on November 21st as part of the 2025 movie release list.