Jon M. Chu's Wicked Defies Box Office Records with $164 Million Debut: What Records Did it Break?

Universal Pictures' long-awaited film adaptation of Wicked defied both gravity and box office expectations in its opening weekend, as the epic musical fantasy beat out the likes of Gladiator II and Red One with a massive global debut of $164 million ($114 million domestically and $50 million internationally).

"This weekend offered further post-'Barbenheimer' proof that the power of counter-programming is alive and well and that a same-day release of two very high-profile, big budget blockbusters from wildly disparate genres with distinctive audience demographic appeal can indeed work in harmony to create huge success for both films," Paul Dergarabedian, Senior Media Analyst at Comscore, tells NBC Insider over email. "Great reviews, an internationally appealing cast, audience enthusiasm and a marketing hook made in promotional heaven don't hurt either and the impressive results for both Wicked and Gladiator II prove the point. The social resonance of a phenomenon such as 'Glicked' demonstrates the power of a shared communal experience to build awareness, moviegoer excitement and impressive global box office revenue."

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Based on the award-winning Broadway production of the same name and directed by Jon. M Chu, Wicked serves as a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, offering up an unexpected origin story for Elphaba (Cynthia Ervio), the green-skinned young woman destined to become the Wicked Witch of the West. Before Elphaba gained that notorious nickname, however, she was merely a gifted student at the prestigious Shiz University, studying sorcerer under Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) and striking up a lasting friendship with Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande).

Wicked box office opening records explained

According to Variety, Wicked nabbed the biggest domestic debut for any movie based on a Broadway musical. The previous record holder, Disney's Into the Woods, only managed $31.05 million back in 2014. The Oz-inspired feature also set the third-biggest North American debut of the year behind Deadpool & Wolverine ($211 million) and Inside Out 2 ($154 million).

On the global side of things, Wicked dethroned the 2012 adaptation of Les Misérables ($103 million) for the largest worldwide opening of any Broadway translation released so far. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Wicked set the fifth-largest global inauguration for the musical genre, trailing behind three live-action Disney remakes — The Lion King ($446 million), Beauty and the Beast ($358 million), Aladdin ($213 million) — as well as Frozen II ($358 million).

Meanwhile, Fandango reported its best PG-rated ticket sales of the year, with Elphaba & Co. unseating Pixar's Inside Out 2. In addition, Wicked became the ticket vendor's third-best opening weekend seller of all time after the live-action remakes of The Lion King (2019) and Beauty and the Beast (2017).

“We are ecstatic to see the amazing moviegoer turnout for the cinematic masterpiece Wicked,” Jerramy Hainline, EVP of Fandango, said in a statement. “For 21 years, Wicked has lived in the hearts of many, and the fan sentiment was incredible throughout opening weekend, as they flocked to theaters to experience the magic of this iconic property on the big screen.”

How can you watch Wicked in theaters?

Boasting a near-perfect score of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, Wicked is now playing in theaters everywhere. Click here to pick up tickets for yourself and the whole family! The sequel — Wicked Part Two — is set to follow on November 21, 2025.