Wicked: For Good has made a spectacular entrance, marking one of the year’s most significant debuts with an impressive $150 million across North America and a global tally of $226 million during its initial weekend in cinemas.
The eagerly awaited sequel dominated the North American box office on Friday, amassing $68.7 million from 4,115 theaters, which includes a substantial $30.8 million from preview screenings.
This film serves as the second chapter in the expansive adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, delving into the untold backstory of the witches from the land of Oz.
Featuring Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good Witch and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, the production has set new benchmarks in box office performance.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, it now holds the record for the largest opening ever for a Broadway musical adaptation, surpassing the previous year’s Wicked debut of $112.5 million. It stands as the third-highest opening among musical films, trailing only The Lion King (2019) and Beauty and the Beast (2017).
A significant portion of this triumph is attributed to the ‘powerhouse’ performances of Erivo and Grande, with particular acclaim for Grande’s Oscar-worthy portrayal of Glinda.
Wicked: For Good has delivered one of the biggest debuts of the year, opening to a record-breaking $150 million in North America and $226 million worldwide
The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney went as far to say that Grande ‘owns’ Part Two as she so effortlessly brings Glinda to ”luminous life.’
‘Grande has been acting since she was a kid, and her quiet moments of introspection, anxiety or sadness show tender depths, as does her loyalty to Elphaba,’ he wrote.
He referred to both Grande and Erivo as ‘stellar vocal talents.’
‘Erivo remains a powerhouse, with pipes that shake the heavens and a wellspring of unforced emotional intensity that never runs dry,’ Rooney penned.
As for the film itself, Rooney said that while Wicked’s most ‘memorable songs’ are featured in Part One, Wicked: For Good ‘more than compensates’ by investing in ‘character, story and sumptuous design.’
The release also posted the second-best opening weekend ahead of Thanksgiving and currently stands as the second-largest three-day launch of 2025, trailing A Minecraft Movie.
Internationally, the film generated $76million overseas to secure the highest global opening ever for a Broadway adaptation and the fifth-largest debut of all time for any musical, behind The Lion King, Moana 2, Frozen 2 and Beauty and the Beast.
In a statement obtained by Deadline, Universal Domestic Distribution President Jim Orr said, “From the moment tickets went on sale it was very clear that the audience for Wicked: For Good was beyond eager to come out and see what has truly become more than just a movie, rather a cultural event that continues to defy expectations, as well as gravity.’
The highly anticipated sequel led the North American box office on Friday with $68.7 million from 4,115 theaters, a figure that includes $30.8 million in previews
Directed by Jon M. Chu, the film is the second installment of his large-scale adaptation of the iconic Broadway musical, chronicling the untold origin story of the witches of Oz
The film’s soundtrack features two new original songs, No Place Like Home and The Girl In The Bubble, performed as solos by Grande and Erivo.
While reception to the additions was mixed, one viewer wrote on X: ‘Finished Wicked For Good. And if I said they should have never added those new songs then what.’
Another wrote: ‘Wicked For Good just didn’t do it for me which is really disappointing and I’m really sad about it.
Despite some criticism, critical response has been largely positive. The Mail’s film critic Brian Viner awarded the film a five-star rating, writing: ‘The film is just as impressive as the first one, if not better.’
He added: ’Like last year’s film, this one is extravagantly sumptuous on the eye.
’The sets and costumes are truly spectacular, and the animal exodus from Oz (where Morrible has stripped them of their power to speak) is superbly rendered.
Ariana Grande returns as Glinda the Good Witch, alongside Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West
‘Above all, Erivo and Grande are magnificent, worthy of all the acclaim that will doubtless be dished upon them.’
‘It was slow, it didn’t flow well, the new songs were unnecessary and it just wasn’t it.’
A third shared: ‘I liked Wicked For Good slightly better than Wicked but the songs are nowhere near as good.’
While a fourth remarked: ‘I don’t get it. They obv are going for best original song awards.
‘I really thought Stephen Schwartz would go all out with the original songs.
‘My first reaction when I heard the songs in Wicked: For Good for the first time was like “that’s it? that’s the best he could do?”‘
According to The Hollywood Reporter, it now holds the largest opening ever for a Broadway musical adaptation, surpassing last year’s Wicked debut of $112.5 million
For Universal, it marks the second-biggest North American debut in the studio’s history, behind Jurassic World
A fifth chimed in: ‘Some flaws particularly with the pacing, new songs and lighting but some very strong performances make it worth seeing.’
’They handle a very funny fight scene beautifully, and both deliver their songs with proper star quality.
‘For those who know the stage musical inside-out, there are one or two new ones to savour.’
Returning cast members include Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum and Grande’s partner Ethan Slater, with Emmy-winning actor Colman Domingo joining as the voice of Brr the Cowardly Lion.
The original stage musical was adapted from Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which itself drew inspiration from L. Frank Baum’s original story and the 1939 film starring Judy Garland.
