The domestic box office is set to explode on Christmas Day, but Universal’s holdover hit, Wicked, witnessed a pretty good turnout on the historically sleepy Christmas Eve. The movie grossed over $3 million on what happened to be its 33rd day in theaters, and entered an elite list that includes some truly legendary films. Already among the top five biggest hits of the year, Wicked has been a cultural phenomenon, especially in North America. It has, however, had a more difficult time in overseas markets, where the source material — the hit Broadway musical of the same name — hasn’t had the time to ingrain itself among the masses.
With $392 million domestically so far, Wicked is now among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time. The movie overtook two Marvel blockbusters — Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Spider-Man: Far From Home — in one fell swoop, and is now the 49th-biggest hit in domestic box office history. It will next set its sights on passing the $400 million mark, which should also put it over Frozen and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on the all-time list.
Two other movies from this year — Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine — have also broken into the top 50. Incidentally, they’re ranked back-to-back, at numbers 11 and 12. Inside Out 2 has grossed $652 million, while Deadpool & Wolverine has generated $636 million. Directed by Jon M. Chu and starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, Wicked is the second-highest-grossing live-action movie musical of all time, behind the 2017 remake of Beauty and the Beast, which grossed over $500 million domestically.
‘Wicked: For Good’ Is Set for Release In 2025
Because of the holidays, Wicked still has a chance to accumulate more revenue during its theatrical run, but while the $500 million milestone seemed achievable at one point, it’s beginning to feel a little out of reach now. Globally, the film has grossed over $575 million. Produced on a reported budget of $150 million, Wicked opened to exceptional reviews, and even better audience response. The movie holds a “fresh” 88% approval rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with Collider’s Jeff Ewing calling it “an incredible cinematic musical outing and easily one of the year’s best films.”
Wicked also holds an even more impressive 95% audience score on the platform. The film will get a sequel, Wicked: For Good, which is scheduled for release in November 2025. You can watch Wicked in theaters, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
