Wicked: For Good Box Office Sees Record-Breaking Debut — But Trouble Could Be Coming in Second Weekend

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As a huge movie fan, I have to say, Universal Pictures is having a massive hit with Wicked: For Good! It absolutely crushed the box office records during its opening weekend, instantly becoming one of the biggest musical movie debuts ever. It’s a fantastic start for a film I’ve been eagerly anticipating!

Early box office numbers show that Wicked: For Good earned $150 million in the US and $226 million globally. This exceeded predictions and demonstrates that a well-known and popular brand can still draw large crowds to theaters.

The new movie Wicked: For Good has broken records, achieving the biggest opening weekend ever for a Broadway show adapted into a film. It earned significantly more than the previous Wicked movie did last year. In fact, it’s the third-highest-grossing opening weekend for any musical movie, only behind the remakes of The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast.

The movie was a big success internationally, particularly in the U.K. and across Europe, achieving record opening weekend numbers for a film adapted from a Broadway show. However, over half of the movie’s worldwide earnings came from North American ticket sales, suggesting it’s a massive hit domestically but may be performing less strongly in some other countries.

Both Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were very well-received by audiences. The film earned an A from CinemaScore, a 95% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a ‘Decent’ score of 58% on Criticless (you can find my review of Wicked: For Good on Criticless).

As a movie lover, I was really happy to see so many people – families, teenagers, and musical fans especially – heading to the theaters! It looks like this Thanksgiving was one of the biggest holiday openings we’ve seen in a long time.

Everything looks great… for now.

The Big Problem: A Darker Story Means Limited Rewatch Value

Okay, so Universal’s really happy with how the movie opened, and rightfully so! But I’m hearing a lot of talk now about whether it can stay popular after the initial excitement dies down. Will people keep going back to see it, or was it just a big opening weekend?

And that’s where things get tricky.

The second act of the musical Wicked is known for being somber, sad, and emotionally intense, and that feeling continues in Wicked: For Good. While the first film is full of bright, energetic, and visually impressive songs that audiences love, this second part of the story focuses more on political conflict, lost love, deception, and overall tragedy.

That creates a massive hurdle:

  • Dark musicals rarely generate repeat business.
  • Families—one of the biggest moviegoing segments—tend to avoid downbeat material.
  • Younger audiences don’t usually rewatch emotionally heavy stories.

Even experts are observing that people aren’t watching this movie repeatedly like they usually do. Without that repeat viewing, movies that start strong at the box office tend to lose viewers quickly in the following weeks.

Second Weekend Collision: Enter Zootopia 2

The biggest threat to Wicked: For Good will be arriving in its second weekend.

The highly anticipated sequel, Zootopia 2, arrives in theaters this week and is expected to be a huge hit with families – the same audience that helped Wicked achieve its impressive box office opening. Zootopia remains a favorite Disney animated film, and early indicators show strong interest from parents and children for the new installment.

Here’s why that’s dangerous for the Wicked: For Good second weekend box office.

  • Families will overwhelmingly choose animation over a darker fantasy musical.
  • Premium screens (IMAX, Dolby) will shift to Zootopia 2, slashing high-priced ticket sales for Wicked.
  • Competition for holiday vacation crowds becomes a zero-sum game.
  • Musicals historically face steeper week-two drops than standard blockbusters.

The movie is likely to see a significant drop in ticket sales during its second weekend – potentially 60 to 70 percent. The exact amount will depend on how quickly theaters switch to showing it on fewer, more expensive screens, and how well it performs internationally.

If that occurs, Wicked: For Good might see box office results similar to many recent hits – strong initial sales followed by a decline, particularly because enthusiastic fans rushed to see it early on.

So Where Does That Leave Universal?

Despite the looming second-weekend challenges, Universal still has plenty to celebrate:

  • A massive opening means strong holiday momentum.
  • International markets tend to carry musicals longer.
  • The brand could be strong enough to stay relevant through December.
  • Awards season attention could bolster long-term performance.

The next ten days will be crucial for Wicked: For Good. They’ll show whether the movie becomes a massive, lasting success or just a short-lived hit with a strong opening but quickly fading popularity.

If Zootopia 2 proves very popular with families—and it looks like it will be—Wicked: For Good might not perform as well over the long term, especially during the holiday season when animated films typically stay in theaters for a while.

Final Thoughts

The Wicked: For Good box office story is a tale of two realities:

Okay, so the movie absolutely crushed its opening weekend – way more people showed up than anyone predicted! But now things get tricky. It’s facing some tough competition from family-friendly films coming out, and honestly, the movie’s pretty dark tone might not appeal to everyone after the initial excitement dies down. We’ll see if it can hold strong.

I’m absolutely blown away by this film – the actors are incredible, and the marketing was brilliant, and it seems like Universal really nailed the release. However, I’m a little worried. If the movie can’t fix some issues with how the story is put together, and if people stop going to see it quickly, the final numbers might not be as amazing as they seem right now. I’m really hoping it can maintain its momentum!

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2025-11-24 15:58