Wicked Just Broke A Sixteen-Year-old Record

by

Summary

  • Wicked surpassed Mamma Mia! as the highest-grossing stage musical adaptation globally with $634 million.
  • The film had a $19.7 million domestic gross in its sixth weekend, experiencing a 39.6% increase.
  • Universal made the movie available for digital download in the US on Dec 31, potentially affecting ticket sales.

As a long-time theater enthusiast with a soft spot for musical adaptations, I can confidently say that Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” has left me utterly captivated and awestruck. Having grown up watching countless productions of “The Wizard of Oz,” the prequel’s success in surpassing “Mamma Mia!” as the highest-grossing stage musical adaptation globally is a dream come true for me.

I vividly remember waiting in line at the box office, eagerly anticipating the release of “Wicked” on November 22, 2024. The star-studded cast featuring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeffery Goldblum had me hooked from the moment I heard the news. The opening weekend’s record-breaking $112 million in North America was just the beginning of what would become an unprecedented box office run for this enchanting film.

The movie’s incredible legs, as proven by its 39.6% increase in the sixth weekend with a $19.7 million domestic gross, demonstrate its strong appeal to audiences worldwide. I was thrilled to witness such impressive numbers, especially when compared to box office heavyweights like “Frozen” and “Black Panther.”

However, my excitement was somewhat dampened by Universal’s decision to make the movie available for digital download in the US from December 31, potentially affecting ticket sales. Nonetheless, I remain hopeful that “Wicked” will continue to captivate audiences, reach new milestones, and ultimately secure a spot as one of the greatest musical adaptations of all time.

As the movie still shows in theaters worldwide, I eagerly await its second part, “Wicked: For Good,” set to grace screens on November 21, 2025. If you haven’t already experienced the magic of “Wicked,” I highly recommend making it a priority—just don’t forget to grab some popcorn for this unforgettable journey!

And as an added joke, I can’t help but laugh at the thought of Glinda and Elphaba competing against Sonic the Hedgehog in the box office battlefield. Who knew witches could run so fast?

Jon M. Chu’s movie “Wicked” has achieved numerous firsts in its category and is consistently breaking records during its prolonged theater run. During the last weekend of 2024 (December 27-29), this prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” surpassed another remarkable milestone that had been set sixteen years earlier.

In a two-part cinematic live-action adaptation of the widely acclaimed Broadway musical “Wicked,” the first half has been performing exceptionally well at the box office. Featuring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeffery Goldblum, this movie debuted with a North American gross of $112 million – breaking the record for Broadway adaptations by surpassing the previous record holder, “Into the Woods,” which earned $31 million. Globally, it accumulated $162 million. The second part, titled “Wicked: For Good,” is set to be released on November 21, 2025, for global audiences.

Wicked Unseats Mamma Mia! As the Biggest Stage Musical Adaptation of All Time

Analysts say a $700 million global haul Is Guaranteed

With data from various box office analysts like Deadline, Box Office Mojo, and Luiz Fernando on X confirming it, the Broadway musical “Wicked” has officially surpassed all other stage musical film adaptations in cinema history. After six weeks in theaters, it earned an additional $19.7 million in domestic box office sales, bringing its total to $424 million within the U.S., and an extra $13.7 million across 81 international markets, raising its global earnings to a staggering $634 million. This surpasses the $611 million gross of Universal’s “Mamma Mia!” in 2008, making “Wicked” the new record holder for the highest-grossing musical-to-film adaptation ever.

When considering ticket price inflation, “Wicked” only holds the top spot. However, if we adjust for inflation, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s 1965 classic, “The Sound of Music,” takes the lead with approximately $1.3 billion in 2024 dollars, surpassing its initial gross of $159.4 million. Nevertheless, the impressive longevity of “Wicked” might be more remarkable than its recent records. The sixth domestic weekend gross of $19.7 million represents a substantial increase of 39.6% from the previous weekend’s $14.1 million. This strong holdout places it fifth on the list of the biggest sixth weekends (strictly three-day) in US box office history, surpassing “Frozen” and “Black Panther,” with only $350,000 less than the $20.1 million grossed by “Avatar: The Way of Water.

With strong word-of-mouth and an impressive 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie Wicked has managed to stand its ground against tough competitors like The Lion King and Sonic the Hedgehog during their holiday box office struggle. Regrettably, Universal has opted to end Wicked‘s successful run early by making it available for download on digital platforms in the US as of December 31, 2024. Although foreign markets will remain unaffected, the domestic market makes up over two-thirds of its total audience, meaning a digital release could impact cinema attendance and consequently ticket sales. Nevertheless, experts predict that Wicked is still on track to achieve a global box office total of $700 million for the musical, with a potential increase to $750 million if a Japan-wide release on March 7 goes well—an impressive feat given its reported production budget of $150 million.

The musical “Wicked” was initially premiered on November 22, and continues to be screened globally in cinemas. However, as of December 31, it can also be digitally purchased within the U.S.

Read More

2025-01-01 00:44