So, the box office has finally come alive. “Wicked: For Good” had early showings on Tuesday and Wednesday, earning $11M in the process. The film made an additional $18–19M last night, bringing the total to $30M so far. The movie is currently tracking for a $160M+ opening this weekend. It might even surpass the top opening of the year, “A Minecraft Movie,” which earned a $162M three-day tally in April.
If critics’ scores continue to dwindle (60 MC, 70% RT), audience scores appear to be very strong. Its RT Popcornmeter is at 97% with 5000+ verified ratings. The PostTrak is 92% positive and 82% definite recommend. Don’t be surprised if the CinemaScore is in the “A-“ range, or higher. No surprise, this one’s for the fans. Critics had their knives sharpened for this one, but audiences are in full embrace mode.
Both “Wicked” movies were produced by Universal and shot back-to-back in 2023, costing a combined $300M—not including sizable marketing budgets. The first installment grossed $758M worldwide, and despite more lukewarm reviews for the sequel, it’s likely to exceed that total.