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The most shocking moment in the final Wicked: For Good trailer comes courtesy of the Tin Man, one of the most beloved characters from The Wizard of Oz.
The latest footage from the Wicked sequel sets up a huge confrontation in Oz, pitting Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) against Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow. These iconic characters from L. Frank Baum‘s 1900 fantasy novel are presented in a much more sinister fashion than newbies to the musical might expect.
In fact, the Tin Man’s only line in the trailer is to ask an off-screen character: “What have you done to me?”
The identity of the Tin Man — like Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion — are deliberately kept vague in the final footage. In fact, the Oz characters are initially shot from behind before the Tin Man’s solitary line. However, their true identities might not be so secret after all.
Keep scrolling — and beware of spoilers — for a full breakdown of who is playing the Tin Man in Wicked: For Good ahead of the movie opening on November 21.
Who Is Playing the Tin Man in ‘Wicked: For Good’?
One of the bigger questions after the release of Wicked in 2024 revolved around who would play Dorothy and her friends in the sequel. OG Wicked fans can breathe a sigh of relief because director Jon M. Chu’s adaptation will honor its source material by having Ethan Slater don the tin suit in For Good.
Slater had a supporting role in 2024’s Wicked as Boq Woodsman, a resident of Munchkinland who develops feelings for Ariana Grande’s Glinda the Good Witch. Boq and Glinda’s love story has been particularly interesting for Grande’s fans since she started dating Slater in real life after they met on the set of Wicked.
Slater confirmed his transformative role via Instagram on September 24 by sharing two photos of himself in the full Tin Man costume. While Slater posted the images without any comment, Chu offered the tongue-in-cheek reply: “Heartless.”
What Is the Backstory of the Tin Man in ‘Wicked: For Good’?
Provided For Good follows the blueprint of the stage musical, Boq’s transformation into the Tin Man will be a major plot point in the sequel. The second act of Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s 2003 musical opens with Elphaba visiting her sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode) in Munchinland, where Nessarose has become the governor.
Nessarose tries to keep Boq by her side by limiting the rights of the Munchkin people, leading Elphaba to enchant Nessa’s shoes in hopes of softening her paraplegic younger half-sister’s heart. The so-called Wicked Witch’s spell backfires, as Boq decides to leave Nessarose once and for all since she’s now able to walk.
The vengeful Nessarose desperately tries to keep Boq captive by casting a love spell, but due to her crude knowledge of magic, she accidentally shrinks the size of his heart. Elphaba intervenes to save Boq, though her spell goes awry and he is transformed into a tin man who no longer needs a heart at all.
Will ‘Wicked: For Good’ Follow the Musical’s Story Line for the Tin Man?
The final trailer, which was released on September 24, does foreshadow a larger quest for the Tin Man and his friends by showing him lining up in front of the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum).
“Bring me the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West so I have proof that she’s dead,” the Wizard demands.
An angry Tin Man is later shown asking an off-camera character: “What have you done to me?”
Wicked: For Good hair and makeup artist Frances Hannon was the first to address Slater’s casting in the role while discussing the Tin Man’s combination of practical and CGI design with VFX Voice in January 2025.
“For Tin Man, we wanted to achieve something sympathetic because it should have never happened to Boq,” Hannon said. “In our story, Elphaba’s spell goes wrong in Nessarose’s office, and everything metal in that room attaches to Boq; his breast plate would be the tray on the table, and his hands become the thimbles, salt and peppers. Then, the visual effects took over because all the joints were blue.”
What Has Ethan Slater Said About Wicked: For Good?
The actor compared his involvement with Wicked: For Good to “a dream” during a September 2025 interview with Fandango.
“It was so fun to get to focus in on Boq and Nessa, and our relationship and spend more time there,” he teased. “[We explain] how things get twisted over time.”
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