‘Wicked: For Good‘ Casts a Record-Breaking Spell at the Box office, Surpassing $200 million in Opening Weekend
Wicked: For Good has soared to the top of the box office, grossing over $200 million domestically during its opening weekend – a figure that marks the biggest debut ever for a musical adaptation. The film,directed by Jon M.Chu,captivated audiences and generated meaningful buzz across social media,securing Dancing with the Stars’ most-watched show among the 18-24 age group since 2015 and amassing 57 million TikTok views within 24 hours,fueled by a performance of the opening number choreographed by Christopher Scott.
This landmark opening signals a potent resurgence for the Broadway-to-Hollywood adaptation genre, previously considered a challenging market for studios. Wicked: For good is already FandangoS top PG-rated pre-seller of all time and ranks among its top ten first days ever, becoming the biggest pre-seller of 2025 to date. Early audience reactions on Rotten tomatoes are overwhelmingly positive, with a 97 percent approval rating. The success builds on the momentum of the original Wicked, wich debuted to a record-breaking $112.5 million in 2024 and ultimately grossed nearly $750 million worldwide.
The film,based on the generation-defining musical stage play and book by Winnie holzman,and the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire,stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. Jeff Goldblum portrays The Wizard. The screenplay is by Holzman and Dana Fox, with a film score by john Powell and Stephen Schwartz, who also penned the music and lyrics.
Wicked: For Good follows Elphaba, demonized as the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, the glamorous symbol of Goodness, as they rediscover their friendship while uncovering a plot to ruin Oz. The film’s success suggests a strong appetite for large-scale musical adaptations and positions the Wicked franchise as a major player in the entertainment landscape.
