‘Wicked: For Good’ outshines first film with $226 million global debut

LOS ANGELES

Universal Pictures’ two-part “Wicked” project continues to rise at the box office, with the concluding chapter, “Wicked: For Good,” drawing even larger crowds than the first film.

Studio estimates released on Nov. 24 show the film earning $150 million in North America over its opening weekend and $226 million worldwide. The performance marks the biggest opening ever for a Broadway musical adaptation, surpassing the first film’s $112 million debut, and the second-highest launch of the year, following “A Minecraft Movie” with $162 million.

Universal rolled the film out gradually, with preview screenings on Nov. 17 and 19 generating a combined $12.6 million. By Nov. 21, “Wicked: For Good” was playing in 4,115 theaters across North America and had collected $68.6 million by midweek. IMAX screenings contributed $15.5 million, or 11 percent of domestic revenue, marking a November record for the company.

IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond said the strong market share shows their momentum “carries into demos and genres beyond our traditional core, including families.”

Women led the way again, making up 71 percent of opening-weekend moviegoers, according to PostTrak. While critics offered mixed reactions, audiences embraced the film, with 83 percent saying they would “definitely recommend” it to friends.

Both “Wicked” films were directed by Jon M. Chu and star Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. The first installment earned more than $758.7 million worldwide and received 10 Oscar nominations, winning in costume and production design. The combined production budget for the two films is estimated at around $300 million, excluding marketing.

Two other films also opened widely this weekend — Searchlight Pictures’ Brendan Fraser title “Rental Family” and the Finnish action film “Sisu: Road to Revenge,” released by Sony — but both trailed far behind a slate of strong holdovers.

For the exhibition industry, the success of “Wicked: For Good” comes at a crucial time as theaters head into the final weeks of the year after a slow fall season. Holiday turnout is expected to increase further next week when “Zootopia 2” arrives, drawing families to cinemas over the Thanksgiving break.