The cinematic spell cast by the witches of Oz is proving more powerful than ever. The epic conclusion to the two-part musical, "Wicked: For Good," has defied all expectations with a spectacular opening weekend that has left the film industry buzzing.
A Record-Breaking Opening Weekend
According to studio estimates released on Sunday, "Wicked: For Good" earned a staggering $150 million from North American theaters in its first days. This phenomenal performance was not confined to domestic borders; the film conjured an additional $226 million internationally, bringing its global opening haul to a magical $376 million.
This debut is historically significant for two major reasons. First, it unseats the record previously held by its predecessor, the first "Wicked" film, which opened to $112 million. This makes "Wicked: For Good" the biggest opening ever for a Broadway musical adaptation. Second, it now holds the title for the second-biggest debut of the entire year, trailing only behind "A Minecraft Movie" which opened at $162 million.
Jim Orr, the head of domestic distribution for Universal Pictures, could barely contain his enthusiasm. "The results are just fantastic," Orr stated. "Some films can deliver a false positive when tickets go on sale early but these results speak for themselves."
The Path to a Magical Debut
Universal Pictures carefully orchestrated the film's release, building momentum throughout the week. The studio began with previews on Monday, which earned $6.1 million from 1,050 theaters. This was followed by Wednesday previews that brought in $6.5 million from an expanded 2,300 locations. By Friday, the film was casting its spell in 4,115 North American theaters and had already raked in $68.6 million.
A significant contributor to this success was the premium large-format experience. IMAX showings alone accounted for $15.5 million, or 11%, of the domestic total, setting a new November record for the company. IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond highlighted that this strong market share demonstrates their "momentum carries into demos and genres beyond our traditional core, including families."
As with the first installment, the opening weekend was powered largely by female audiences. PostTrak exit polls revealed that women made up approximately 71% of ticket buyers. While critics offered mixed reviews on the final chapter, audiences were unequivocal in their praise. An overwhelming 83% of viewers said it was a film they would "definitely recommend" to friends, and box office tracker EntTelligence estimates that about 2 million more people attended "Wicked: For Good's" first weekend compared to the first film's debut.
Setting the Stage for a Strong Year-End
The success of "Wicked: For Good" is a vital shot in the arm for the entire exhibition industry as it heads into the crucial final weeks of the year. Directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the two-part "Wicked" saga cost a combined $300 million to produce, not including marketing. The first film was a massive success in its own right, earning over $758.7 million globally and receiving 10 Oscar nominations, winning two for costume and production design.
Jim Orr believes the first film's performance was key. "The first film paved the way," he said. "It's really become a cultural event I think audiences are going to be flocking to theaters for quite some time to come."
Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore's head of marketplace trends, echoed this sentiment, noting that the film's performance "sets up a very strong final homestretch of the year." This is particularly welcome after a slow fall season. The timing aligns perfectly with the Thanksgiving holiday, which is traditionally one of the biggest moviegoing periods. The upcoming release of "Zootopia 2" is expected to drive even more crowds to theaters, creating a powerful one-two punch.
The annual domestic box office is currently around $7.5 billion. While pre-pandemic levels regularly hit $11 billion, the post-pandemic goal has been adjusted to $9 billion. The industry is now watching closely to see if blockbusters like "Wicked: For Good," "Zootopia 2," and "Avatar: Fire and Ash" can collectively push the industry over that financial threshold.
In other box office news, the weekend's other wide releases, "Rental Family" and "Sisu: Road to Revenge," earned $3.3 million and $2.6 million respectively, landing far behind the dominant power of Oz.
