The Wicked’s creator has finally revealed why Jonathan Bailey and Ariana Grande’s kiss scene was cut from the new sequel.

Speaking to Deadline, Dana Fox said, “There was a scene between Fiyero and Glinda that we cut in which they kissed; it was romantic and beautiful, but a little too passionate.”

In the musical fantasy, Ariana’s character, Galinda, is betrothed to Jonathan’s character, Prince Fiyero – who ultimately betrays her for Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba, played by Cynthia Erivo.

“Seeing that made it too hard to watch him make the choice he makes to be with Elphaba, and made it too hard to make it OK that Elphaba ran off with him,” said Dana.

“It was too real that he and Glinda were actually feeling something together,” said the Wicked creator, adding that “It was like a feeling that he really did love her—which he does care about Glinda a lot, don’t get me wrong. But he likes her in a different way.”

“But this scene was too romantic, so it was like, ‘Oh, we can’t know that because then our brains will explode when he doesn’t choose her in the end. And then we’ll hate Elphaba, Glinda and Fiyero,'” she continued.

“So, I think it was a good cut because it was too adorable that you simply couldn’t handle it,” added Diana.

The 49-year-old screenwriter further told the outlet that she was happy with the decision to leave it out of the movie.

“I don’t think there’s anything that I wish we hadn’t cut because everything we cut, I felt we cut for exactly the right reasons,” said Diana.

For those unversed, Wicked: For Good was released in cinemas on November 21, 2025.