Wicked, Universal’s beloved musical fantasy film, has achieved the extraordinary by becoming the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation of all time.The record was previously held byMamma Mia!, a 2008 feel-good romance film directed by Phyllida Lloyd, which earned $610 million at the global box office.Wickedhas surpassed this benchmark,amassing an astonishing $634 million worldwideafter only six weeks of release.
Directed by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians), the film marks the first installment of a two-part series, which is loosely based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel,Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, L. Frank Baum’sOzbooks, and the 1939 classicThe Wizard of Oz. The first musical act hassurprised many fans globally, including those who typically dislike musicals.A month prior,Wickedbroke the all-time domestic box office record by becoming the highest-grossing Broadway musical adaptation,earning $214.3 million by its second weekend—surpassing Paramount’s 1978 classicGrease, which previously held the record at $190 million. Four weeks later,Wickeddoubled its domestic revenue and set a new standard for these musicals.
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It is, in truth, a significant and underrated achievement for Broadway musicals, since stage-to-screen remakes have recently fallen off in terms of both quality and quantity, making it difficult for more adaptations to come through. However, the monumental success ofWickedlends Universal confidence to move forward with the sequel,Wicked: For Good, in the coming year.
Currently,Wickedstands at #6 inthe 2024 global box office rankings, trailingDune: Part Two, which grossed $714 million worldwide. Domestically, however, the fantasy musical ranks third, only behindInside Out 2andDeadpool & Wolverine, each earning over a billion dollars worldwide and $600 million domestically. Having said that,Wicked’s shockingly high domestic box office numbers highlight the fact that it did not fare well outside the United States and Canada. Nonetheless,Wickedset a high bar for future Broadway productions, including its own sequel,Wicked: For Good.
‘Wicked: For Good’ Must be Better to Outshine its Predecessor
It goes without saying thatWicked: For Goodis one ofthe most highly anticipated films of 2025, but the success of its predecessor has raised expectations for the second musical act. WhilePart Idepicts Glinda (Ariana Grande) and Elphaba’s (Cynthia Erivo) journey to become close friends at Shiz University, prior to Dorothy Gale’s arrival from Kansas,Part IIputs the duo’s friendship at stake as they assume new identities as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. This demonstrates how their actions will influence the future of the Land of Oz.
To properly cater to its audience and replicate the first film’s success, the second part must be as intense and emotional, if not more so, while also enhancing the musical aspects. Hopefully Chu, who has shown outstandingdirectorial skills in theG. I. JoeandNow You See Mefranchises, can continue to mesmerize moviegoers inWicked: For Good.
