Wicked: For Good – Box Office 1st Weekend

“Wicked: For Good” blasted into theaters over Thanksgiving weekend 2025, raking in a jaw-dropping $151 million domestically and $228 million worldwide. The sequel didn’t just open big—it smashed records for Broadway musical adaptations.

With a $68.7 million opening day, including $30.8 million from previews, the film soared past what most industry insiders expected. Universal Pictures had high hopes after the first film, but honestly, this performance probably made even their accountants do a happy dance.

Not only did “Wicked: For Good” meet expectations, it blew right past them, landing as the second-biggest North American opening ever for Universal. Audiences gave it an A CinemaScore, and Rotten Tomatoes fans handed over a wild 96 percent rating.

Nearly 70 percent of Friday’s crowd were women, which says a lot about who’s driving ticket sales these days. The film outpaced the first “Wicked” movie from 2024, which opened at $112.5 million and eventually soared to nearly $750 million globally.

The sequel’s timing couldn’t have been better for Hollywood, which limped through a tough fall packed with guy-centric flicks. “Wicked: For Good” now sits as the second-best three-day launch of 2025 and the second-biggest pre-Thanksgiving opening in box office history.

Director Jon M. Chu, Ariana Grande, and Cynthia Erivo really struck a chord with both critics and audiences. It’s easily one of the year’s biggest success stories—maybe even a little bit of a cultural moment.

Key Takeaways – Wicked: For Good

• “Wicked: For Good” stormed in with $151 million domestically and $228 million worldwide, shattering records for Broadway musical adaptations.
• The film Wicked: For Good outperformed projections and scored big with audiences: A CinemaScore and 96 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
• Women made up nearly 70 percent of opening weekend viewers, showing just how vital female and family audiences are to box office success.

Wicked Opening Day and First Weekend Box Office Performance

Wicked: For Good dominated theaters its opening weekend, setting new records for Broadway adaptations. Universal Pictures definitely got the blockbuster returns they wanted, and then some.

Official Opening Day Gross and Theaters Count

On its opening Friday, “Wicked: For Good” pulled in $68.6 million across 4,115 theaters in North America. That number includes preview screenings earlier in the week.

Preview earnings alone hit $30.8 million—the best preview performance of 2025, hands down.

Let’s break down those preview numbers, just because they’re kind of wild:

• $18.2 million from Thursday screenings at 3,350 theaters
• $6.1 million from Monday Amazon Prime screenings at 1,050 theaters
• $6.5 million from Wednesday advance screenings at 2,300 theaters

These previews even beat Barbie’s $22.3 million, which is saying something. AMC Empire in New York City led the pack, pulling in $285,000 by itself.

Domestic Opening Weekend Earnings – Wicked: For Good

The Jon M. Chu-directed sequel scored $151.5 million over its first three days in the U.S. and Canada. That’s the second-highest opening of 2025, just behind A Minecraft Movie’s $162.7 million debut.

The audience looked a lot like the first film’s: 70% women, and 61% were aged 18-34. Women over 25 led the charge at 44% of ticket buyers, with women under 25 at 26%.

Premium formats made a big difference. IMAX and large-format screens brought in 40% of weekend revenue, and IMAX alone grabbed 12%. Even 3D tickets made up another 12%—some people still love those glasses.

Global Box Office Numbers – Wicked: For Good

Worldwide, “Wicked: For Good” soared to $228 million in its opening weekend. International markets pitched in strong numbers, though the exact breakdown wasn’t available right away.

The film played everywhere—from Canada to big U.S. cities. The first Wicked film’s massive $758.7 million global haul and $230 million profit for Universal definitely set the stage for this sequel’s momentum.

Comparison With Projections and Previous Records

The Wicked: For Good opening weekend numbers crushed initial tracking predictions. NRG had guessed a low-end of $130 million, but pre-sales hinted it’d go higher. In the end, $151.5 million landed right at the top of the $150-180 million range analysts tossed around.

“Wicked: For Good” broke the record for biggest Broadway adaptation opening, beating out the first film’s $112.5 million debut in 2024. It also snagged the second-highest pre-Thanksgiving opening, just behind The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’s $158 million in 2013.

Among musicals, only The Lion King ($191.7 million) and Beauty and the Beast ($174.7 million) opened bigger. The film matched the first installment’s A CinemaScore, and 83% of viewers told PostTrak they’d definitely recommend it.

Box Office Milestones, Industry Context, and Competing Releases

“Wicked: For Good” didn’t just break records—it obliterated them. The film grabbed $114 million domestically in its first weekend and cruised past $700 million worldwide within a month.

It went head-to-head with heavy hitters like Gladiator II and Moana 2 during the Thanksgiving rush, helping create the highest-grossing Thanksgiving weekend ever.

Records Broken by Wicked

“Wicked: For Good” became the biggest Broadway musical adaptation of all time, leapfrogging Mamma Mia!’s $611.5 million global total. It pulled the fourth-highest domestic opening weekend of 2024 at $114 million, trailing only Deadpool & Wolverine, Inside Out 2, and Moana 2.

It also set the record for highest-grossing Thanksgiving five-day weekend for a live-action film at $118.3 million, beating The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’s old record. For Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Jon M. Chu, it was their personal best opening weekend—Grande’s $114 million stomped on Lady Gaga’s “A Star Is Born” $42.5 million debut.

By $461 million domestic and over $700 million worldwide, “Wicked” landed as the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2024. It also became the highest-grossing non-sequel of the year and Universal’s top musical ever.

Competing Releases: Moana 2, Gladiator II and Market Share

Thanksgiving 2024 was a wild three-way race. Disney’s Moana 2 opened with $140 million, just edging out “Wicked’s” $114 million, while Gladiator II from Paramount joined the fray.

This was the first Thanksgiving weekend to ever cross $400 million at the domestic box office. The combined muscle of “Wicked,” Moana 2, Gladiator II, and Red One smashed the old 2018 record. Even with tough competition, “Wicked” stayed strong through December and into 2025.

Its broad appeal let it go toe-to-toe with family-friendly Moana 2 and the more adult Gladiator II. “Wicked” kept playing in theaters through April, which says a lot about its staying power.

Universal’s 2024 Performance and Broadway Adaptation Success

Universal Pictures had a banner year in 2024, with “Wicked” becoming their highest-grossing musical. It outdid the studio’s previous musical champ, Sing, which made $634 million worldwide.

The film proved that Broadway adaptations can absolutely work as major theatrical releases. Sure, previous hits like Les Misérables and Into the Woods did well, but “Wicked” smashed every benchmark. Universal’s gamble to split the story into two films paid off—look for “Wicked: For Good” on November 21, 2025.

Usually, Broadway adaptations don’t stack up against big franchise sequels, but “Wicked” flipped the script and held its own during peak movie season.

Critical and Audience Reception – Wicked: For Good

“Wicked: For Good” got rave reviews from both critics and fans. The film earned an A CinemaScore and kept high ratings across review sites.

Rotten Tomatoes and Certified Fresh Status

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics gave the sequel plenty of love. Scores shifted a bit over time, but the consensus stayed positive, especially for Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s performances.

The film’s costumes and set design got a lot of praise, too. Reviewers called out Jon M. Chu’s direction for honoring the source material while expanding the story in smart ways. The movie managed to please longtime fans and win over plenty of newbies.

CinemaScore and Audience Scores

“Wicked: For Good” landed an A CinemaScore, just like the first film. PostTrak showed an 83% definite recommend rating, which even beat the first film’s 80%. The positive score hit 92%, only a hair below the original “Wicked’s” 93%.

These numbers suggest people were buzzing about the movie. That kind of word-of-mouth usually means a film sticks around at the box office. The first movie pulled a 4.2x multiplier, and it looks like the sequel could do the same.

Notable Public and Fan Reactions

Social media? Absolutely bananas—1.33 billion followers engaged across platforms. Fans couldn’t get enough of Ariana Grande as Glinda, calling her “scene-stealing,” “angelic,” and even “Oscar-worthy.”

The chemistry between Grande and Erivo got called “flawless” by viewers. RelishMix tracked an 8.7 out of 10 conversation index, which is huge. TikTok and Instagram exploded with viral moments—especially Grande’s comedic timing and vocal runs. Tons of fans said they planned to see the movie more than once, which pretty much says it all.

Analysis: Did Wicked Meet Box Office and Audience Expectations?

The first “Wicked” film surprised everyone by smashing projections, and “Wicked: For Good” just kept breaking records. Both movies proved that Broadway adaptations can absolutely pack theaters when done right.

Comparison to Studio and Industry Expectations

The original “Wicked” opened at $112.5 million domestically in 2024, landing as the fourth-biggest musical film debut ever. Analysts expected a big opening, but the movie still beat their forecasts by 15-20%. It earned $164 million over its five-day Thanksgiving launch.

“Wicked: For Good” went even further. The sequel opened at $151 million domestically and $228 million globally in its first weekend. That’s a 34% jump over the first film’s opening. The $68.7 million Friday haul, with $30.8 million in previews, set the pace for the rest of the run.

Audiences gave Universal another A CinemaScore for “Wicked: For Good.” Rotten Tomatoes showed a 96% audience rating, so word-of-mouth probably kept those box office numbers high well after opening weekend.

Key Factors Driving Success

Female audiences didn’t just show up—they powered both films to the top. Nearly 70% of Wicked: For Good’s Friday crowd were women and girls. That’s a massive flex for female moviegoers, especially in a fall packed with movies aimed at guys.

The casting of Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba? Genius move. Both stars brought their own fan armies to theaters.

Plus, the Broadway musical has been charming audiences since 2003. That kind of legacy doesn’t just fade away.

Director Jon M. Chu split the adaptation into two parts. That choice let the story breathe and gave fans more to chew on.

People loved getting a richer story, and the anticipation for the sequel? You could feel it in the air. Audiences really embraced both halves.

Universal went all out with their marketing. Social media, old-school ads, creative partnerships—they hit every angle.

The studio hyped the films as big-screen must-sees, not just something to stream later. You had to be there, or risk missing out.

Looking Ahead: Momentum and Market Impact

The first Wicked wrapped up its theatrical run with $471 million worldwide. That’s enough to land it as the 26th-highest-grossing domestic movie ever.

It became the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation in history. Honestly, Wicked: For Good looks ready to snatch that crown next.

Projections say Wicked: For Good could hit $600-750 million globally. Audiences keep coming back, and that Thanksgiving release? Smart move—it gives the movie a longer runway before the competition swoops in.

These two films have shaken up Hollywood’s attitude toward Broadway adaptations. Universal showed the genre can actually compete with superhero blockbusters and animated giants.

The box office wins gave theaters a much-needed lift, especially during a fall when family-friendly options felt pretty scarce.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Wicked film adaptation didn’t just break records—it smashed them. It scored $162.5 million worldwide in its opening weekend, outpacing every other Broadway-to-film adaptation. The movie blew past industry predictions and set a new standard for musicals in 2024.

What were the opening day revenue figures for the Wicked film adaptation?

Wicked pulled in $46.4 million on its first day in domestic theaters. Preview screenings alone brought in $19.2 million.

That opening day set a new record for Broadway musical movies. It left Les Misérables and The Color Purple in the dust—both of those opened with $18.1 million.

How does the first weekend box office performance of Wicked compare to its projections?

The film blew past projections, landing a $112.5 million domestic opening weekend. Add in international numbers, and the total reached $162.5 million worldwide.

Analysts expected it to do well, but Wicked took things to another level for a Broadway adaptation. It grabbed the third-biggest domestic opening weekend of 2024, trailing only Deadpool & Wolverine ($211.4 million) and Inside Out 2 ($154.2 million).

What is the total box office gross for Wicked after the opening weekend?

By November 30, 2025, Wicked hit $214 million domestically—just 10 days after release.

The film set a new Monday box office record for November, beating out Frozen 2’s old mark from 2019. Strong weekday numbers kept its momentum rolling past opening weekend.

Can you provide a comparison of Wicked’s box office results to other similar film openings?

Wicked now holds the record for the biggest global opening of any Broadway musical adaptation. Before this, Les Misérables led with a $103 million worldwide debut back in 2012.

It ranks as the fifth-biggest domestic opening for a musical. Only The Lion King ($191.7 million), Beauty and the Beast ($174.7 million), Barbie ($162 million), and Frozen II ($130.2 million) did better. Globally, Wicked sits at sixth among musical features, behind The Lion King ($446 million), Beauty and the Beast ($358 million), Frozen 2 ($358 million), Barbie ($356.3 million), and Aladdin ($213 million).

The movie also grabbed the title for biggest global opening for a non-sequel in 2024. It outperformed China’s Yolo ($112 million) and It Ends With Us ($80 million).

What percentage of box office sales came from international markets for Wicked’s debut?

International markets chipped in over $50 million for Wicked’s opening weekend. That’s about 31% of the $162.5 million global debut.

The domestic market brought in $112.5 million, or roughly 69% of the total. Broadway adaptations always play big in North America—cultural familiarity goes a long way.

Has the critical reception of Wicked had an impact on its commercial success?

Looks like audiences couldn’t get enough—Wicked’s box office numbers soared, hinting that people really showed up for this one. The film snagged a jaw-dropping $350 million in promotional partner campaigns, which, honestly, is the biggest Hollywood’s ever seen.

Of course, the movie had the massive fanbase of the $5 billion-grossing Broadway show cheering it on. Director Jon M. Chu pulled off his best opening yet, even topping G.I. Joe: Retaliation’s $40.5 million domestic debut.

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo? Both broke their own box office records with this film. Not too shabby, right?