No, dear reader, it wasn't just your social media feed. It looks like much of the country—nay, the world!—went to see Wicked in movie theatres over its opening weekend, turning the screen version of the Broadway musical into a certifiable megahit. Variety is reporting the film brought in a staggering $164 million in the opening weekend of its global box office (the film officially released November 22, but preview screenings began November 18). That makes Wicked the new record holder for the biggest opening weekend of any Broadway screen adaptation, more than quintupling the $30 million record brought in by Into the Woods' opening weekend in 2014.
The film carries a reported price tag of $150 million, a cost equaled by the second installment due next year and not including the extremely prolific marketing campaign. That means that Wicked, and next year's Wicked: Part 2, will need to continue defying gravity at the box office before Universal starts seeing profits, but based on this weekend's numbers and audience response to at least the first film, that shouldn't be too hard to accomplish. Many fans are seeing the film multiple times, something we are likely to see even more of once sing-along screenings begin in December.
READ: 10 Changes the Wicked Movie Made to the Broadway Musical
Now in theatres, you can find tickets to a Wicked screening near you at WickedMovie.com. A soundtrack album also released November 22, and is available on streaming and digital platforms. The second film is set to follow November 21, 2025.
Tony winner Cynthia Erivo and Grammy winner Ariana Grande co-star as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. Joining them in the cast are West End Company Olivier winner and Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, SpongeBob SquarePants star Ethan Slater as Boq, Emmy winner Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond, 2023 Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, and newcomer Marissa Bode as Nessarose, the first wheelchair-using actor in the musical's history to take on the role.
READ: Behind the Broadway Cameos and the New Song in the Wicked Movie
Stage and screen star Keala Settle, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Aaron Teoh, and Colin Michael Carmichael are also in the cast, with Settle as Miss Coddle, Carmichael as Professor Nikidik, and Yang, James, and Teoh as Shiz students Pfannee, ShenShen, and Avaric, respectively.
The screen adaptation, which includes new songs by Stephen Schwartz, is helmed by In the Heights screen director Jon M. Chu. Wicked book writer Winnie Holzman has penned the screenplay with Dana Fox, and Tony winner Paul Tazewell designed the costumes.
READ: The Wicked Film Features an 80-Member Orchestra—And the Full Overture
Wicked, injecting a new backstory onto the classic tale The Wizard of Oz, debuted on Broadway in 2003 and continues to be an audience favorite at the Gershwin Theatre. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, the musical features music and lyrics by Schwartz and a book by Holzman. The original cast included Tony winners Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. The musical is now the fourth longest-running production in Broadway history.
The show won 2004 Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical (Menzel), Best Costume Design (Susan Hilferty), and Best Scenic Design (Eugene Lee).
