As a seasoned gamer who’s spent countless hours immersed in the virtual worlds of RPGs, I can say that the success of “Wicked” is nothing short of a grand quest victory. The numbers are staggering, and it’s clear that Universal has managed to craft an epic tale that’s resonating with audiences on a global scale.
The universality of their efforts has proven valid, with the enchantresses from Oz and the resilience of studio head and senior NBCUniversal executive Donna Langley playing significant roles in this validation.
Over the November 22nd through 24th weekend, director Jon M. Chu’s movie adaptation of Wicked debuted with an estimated domestic earning of $114 million, smashing the record for the highest box office opening for a Broadway adaptation by a significant margin. The previous record-holder, Into the Woods, only managed to earn $31 million upon its release, and this figure is not inflation-adjusted.
Furthermore, it ranks as the fourth largest debut for a homegrown musical, surpassed only by three highly popular Disney productions.
It’s particularly gratifying for Universal that the outcome turned out this way, given the painful blow they took when Tom Hooper’s adaptation of Cats flopped at the box office in 2019. The film initially made only $6.6 million and eventually reached a domestic total of $25.2 million, with global earnings of $75.6 million. Despite this, Langley and her colleagues were resolute in their decision to produce two movies based on Wicked (the sequel by Chu is set to premiere next year).
Universal’s film ‘Wicked’ set a new standard for raking in over $100 million during opening weekends in the notoriously unpredictable musical genre. This is quite an achievement given that numerous other musical films have still failed, despite having established IP, famous stars, and skilled filmmakers, as well as strong marketing campaigns,” observes Paul Degerabedian, a top box office analyst at Comscore. “It’s important to note that the success of ‘Wicked’ wasn’t a fluke; it was carefully planned and strategized to the smallest detail, making it difficult to simply replicate its achievements.
Globally, the musical “Wicked” smashed records by earning $50.2 million across 61 countries at its launch, totaling a worldwide opening of $164 million. This is not only the largest global debut for a Broadway musical adaptation but also ranks fifth among all musicals in terms of biggest openings, surpassing “Les Misérables.
Below is breakdown of where Wicked ranks on the various lists, not adjusted for inflation.
Top 10 Domestic Openings of All Time for a Broadway Musical Adaptation
2019’s blockbuster musical, “Wicked”, grossed approximately $114 million.
Top 10 Domestic Openings for Any Stage Musical Adaptation
2019’s Wicked raked in a whopping $114 million at the box office.
Top Five Domestic Openings for Any Musical
The Lion King (2019) — $191.8 million
The Beauty and the Beast (2017) — $174.8 million
Frozen II (2019) — $130.3 million
Wicked (2024) — $114 million
*Runner-up: The Little Mermaid (2023) — $95.6 million
Top Five Global Openings for Any Musical
2019’s The Lion King grossed an impressive $446 million, followed closely by Beauty and the Beast (2017) with $358 million. Frozen II (2019) also earned $358 million, while Aladdin (2019) brought in a respectable $213 million. As for the upcoming Wicked (2024), it’s projected to earn $164.2 million at the box office.
Adapted from Gregory Maguire’s renowned novel, the film Wicked delves into an unheard tale about the witches of Oz, featuring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. Winnie Holzman, responsible for the stage play’s script, penned the screenplay under Chu’s direction alongside Dana Fox. Stephen Schwartz, an Oscar-winning composer and lyricist, reworked the musical for the big screen adaptation.
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2024-11-25 06:27