Universal's 'Wicked: For Good' soared to $150 million domestically and $76 million internationally for a $226 million global opening weekend, setting multiple records for Broadway adaptations. The film, directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, outperformed its predecessor in key markets and earned an 'A' CinemaScore. This success provides a much-needed boost to a struggling box office ahead of the holiday season.
Opening Weekend Performance
'Wicked: For Good,' the second installment of the musical adaptation of the Broadway hit, launched strongly on November 21, 2025, earning $150 million from 4,115 North American theaters. This marks the biggest domestic debut for a stage-to-screen adaptation, surpassing the 2024 'Wicked' film's $112.5 million opening. Internationally, it collected $76 million across 78 markets, with top performers including the United Kingdom and Ireland ($24.4 million), Australia ($8.6 million), and Germany ($4.1 million), setting a new record for overseas openings of Broadway adaptations ahead of the first film's $50.2 million.
The global total of $226 million ranks as the fourth-best Hollywood debut of 2025, behind Disney's 'Lilo & Stitch' remake ($341 million), 'Jurassic World Rebirth' ($322 million), and 'A Minecraft Movie' ($313 million). It is also the fifth-largest start for a musical worldwide, following 'The Lion King' (2019) at $433 million, 'Moana 2' at $389 million, 'Frozen 2' at $358.4 million, and 'Beauty and the Beast' (2017) at $357 million.
Records and Audience Reception
The film achieved several milestones, including the second-highest domestic opening of 2025 (behind 'A Minecraft Movie' at $162 million), the second-largest start for Universal Pictures (after 'Jurassic World' in 2015 at $208.8 million), and the third-best launch for any musical domestically (behind 'The Lion King' 2019 at $191 million and 'Beauty and the Beast' 2017 at $174 million). It also posted the biggest first-day domestic gross for a Broadway musical adaptation at $68.9 million and the highest previews of the year at $30.8 million.
Audiences, 71% female, gave it an 'A' on CinemaScore, matching the first film. The PG-rated sequel, which continues the story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda (Ariana Grande) as a public figure, features returning cast members Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, and Jonathan Bailey, along with nods to 'The Wizard of Oz' characters.
Industry Impact
“This is broad-appealing Hollywood filmmaking at its best,” said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. “Strong word-of-mouth is going to drive business through the Thanksgiving Holiday and into December. This is a smash.” Universal's Jim Orr added, “The first movie set the stage for this to be an extraordinary event.” The success follows the original 'Wicked's $758 million global haul and justifies the two-part split of the stage show, injecting momentum into a box office that is only 3% ahead of 2024 levels.
