'Wicked' is expected to earn over $200 million globally during its opening, revitalizing box office sales. With advance ticket sales booming, the film is projected for a strong domestic start of at least $120 million.
Opening expected over $200 million
Advance ticket sales are record-breaking
Ariana Grande stars as Glinda
Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba
Film releases November 21
Previous film earned $750 million
High audience score on Rotten Tomatoes
Wicked: For Good opened to record-breaking box office performance on November 21, 2025, during the competitive Thanksgiving weekend corridor, demonstrating a strong audience demand that exceeded industry projections. The film generated 150 to 180 million dollars domestically over its three-day opening weekend, surpassing the original Wicked’s 112.5 million dollars debut and establishing the highest-grossing opening for any Broadway musical adaptation in theatrical history. Global projections exceed 200 million dollars in opening weekend revenue.[1][2][3][4][5]
Box Office Achievement Sets New Standards for Broadway Adaptations
The film’s exceptional presale performance signaled strong audience enthusiasm before release. Wicked: For Good became Fandango’s top preselling PG-rated film of all time and the largest preseller of 2025 to date. The five-day Thanksgiving total projection reaches 114 to 120 million dollars domestically.[6][7][8]
Opening Weekend Performance Metrics and Comparison
Three-day domestic opening: 150 to 180 million dollars[2][9]
Five-day Thanksgiving total: 114 to 120 million dollars[8]
Global opening weekend: exceeds 200 million dollars[5][10]
Original Wicked (2024): 112.5 million dollars three-day debut[3][11]
Genre standing: highest-grossing Broadway adaptation opening in history[12]
Presale Records Across Ticketing Platforms
Top PG-rated preseller on Fandango all-time[6]
Largest preseller of entire 2025 year[7]
Strong international market performance indicators[13]
Record-breaking advance ticket velocity North America[14]
The film demonstrates a marked split between professional critics and general audiences. The 23-point score gap between audience (97%) and critics (74%) reflects mixed critical response.[15][16]
Reception Comparison Table
Score Type
Wicked: For Good
Original Wicked 2024
Audience Score
97 percent
95 percent
Critics Score
74 percent
88 percent
Score Gap
23 points
7 points
Critical Commentary Themes from Professional Reviewers
Praised Grande’s expanded role and vocal performance depth[16][15]
Recognized Erivo’s powerhouse theatrical delivery throughout film[17][18]
Mixed response on narrative pacing and spectacle balance
Concerns about character development versus production scale[19]
Release Strategy and Competitive Market Positioning
Wicked: For Good launched simultaneously in North America and international territories on November 21, 2025. Disney’s Zootopia 2 opened Wednesday, November 26, creating distinct audience segmentation during Thanksgiving corridor. The original Wicked grossed 758 million dollars worldwide, establishing the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation benchmark.[20][21][22][23]
Production Credits and Technical Specifications
Director: Jon M. Chu[24]
Runtime: 2 hours and 18 minutes[25]
Cast: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh[26]
Screenplay: Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox[27]
Music and Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz[28]
Original Film’s Industry Achievement
The 2024 original Wicked received 10 Academy Award nominations, winning Best Costume Design and Best Production Design at the 2025 Academy Awards ceremony. This recognition validated Broadway musical adaptations as viable prestige entertainment.[29][30][31]
Sophia Clarke is a senior international journalist with nine years of experience covering global politics, human rights, and international diplomacy.
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