The highly-anticipated Wicked movie, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, has made a huge splash at the box office since its release in US theaters on November 22. Breaking box office records, the film grossed an impressive $114 million in its opening weekend, becoming the best opening ever for an adaptation of a Broadway musical. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked is set in the world of the classic story, The Wizard of Oz.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, the movie’s success extends beyond the US, with international earnings reaching $50.2 million, bringing its worldwide total to $164 million. This achievement surpasses even Les Misérables and ranks the film fifth among all musical films. Despite this success, the road to hit movie musicals is not easy, as evidenced by recent flops like Cats and Joker: Folie à Deux.
According to Comscore’s top box office analyst, Paul Dergarabedian, Universal Studios carefully planned and strategized the success of Wicked, demonstrating that achieving such high box office numbers in the musical genre is no small feat. While this success may not necessarily result in a flood of blockbuster musicals, it is a significant achievement for the industry. The film’s earnings are expected to continue rising as it opens in more countries in the weeks to come.
Source
Photo credit www.prestigeonline.com
