Universal Pictures’ two-part “Wicked” franchise continues to impress at the global box office, with the highly anticipated conclusion, “Wicked: For Good,” drawing massive crowds during its opening weekend, reports Baltimore Chronicle. According to studio estimates released on Sunday, the film earned approximately $150 million in North America during its first days and $226 million worldwide. This remarkable debut surpasses the previous record set by the original “Wicked” film, which launched with $112 million, and stands as the second highest opening of the year, trailing only “A Minecraft Movie,” which earned $162 million.
Jim Orr, head of domestic distribution for Universal, described the results as “fantastic,” noting that the strong ticket sales accurately reflect audience enthusiasm rather than early sales hype. Universal began limited previews for “Wicked: For Good” earlier in the week, generating $6.1 million from 1,050 theaters on Monday and $6.5 million from 2,300 theaters on Wednesday. By Friday, the film expanded to 4,115 North American locations, earning $68.6 million, with IMAX showings contributing $15.5 million, or 11% of domestic revenue—a November record for the company.
IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond emphasized that the success reflects the company’s growth across diverse audiences and genres, including family-oriented films. Women comprised approximately 71% of opening weekend ticket buyers, according to PostTrak exit polls. While critical responses to the film were mixed, audience reactions were overwhelmingly positive, with 83% indicating they would “definitely recommend” the movie to others. Box office tracking by EntTelligence estimates that about two million more viewers attended “Wicked: For Good” during its first weekend compared to the original “Wicked” film.
The two films were directed by Jon M. Chu and star Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The first installment grossed over $758.7 million worldwide and received ten Oscar nominations, winning two for costume and production design. The combined production budget for both films was approximately $300 million, not including marketing and promotional expenses. Orr noted that the initial film paved the way for “Wicked: For Good” to become a major cultural event, drawing audiences back to theaters.
Other films released this weekend performed more modestly. Searchlight Pictures debuted “Rental Family,” starring Brendan Fraser, in 1,925 theaters with a $3.3 million opening. Finnish action film “Sisu: Road to Revenge,” distributed by Sony, opened in 2,222 theaters and earned an estimated $2.6 million. “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” held the second spot with $9.1 million in its second weekend, followed by “Predator: Badlands” with $6.3 million in its third weekend, and “The Running Man” at $5.8 million, down 65% from its debut.
Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Comscore, highlighted that “Wicked: For Good” is critical for driving momentum in the final weeks of the year. Thanksgiving blockbusters such as “Zootopia 2” are expected to further boost cinema attendance during the holiday period. Current domestic box office totals are around $7.5 billion, with pre-pandemic figures regularly surpassing $11 billion and post-pandemic targets set at $9 billion. Industry analysts are closely watching whether major releases like “Wicked: For Good,” “Zootopia 2,” and “Avatar: Fire and Ash” can elevate the box office to meet or exceed these goals.
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