For Good’ soars to $150 million domestic opening

Box Office Success: Wicked: For Good Defies Gravity

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo star in Universal’s highly anticipated film, Wicked: For Good, which has taken the box office by storm. The movie has raked in an estimated $150 million from domestic ticket sales, marking the second-highest opening weekend for a film released in 2025.

This impressive feat puts Wicked: For Good just behind Warner Bros.’ A Minecraft Movie, which opened with $163 million in April. Moreover, it surpasses the debut of last year’s Wicked, which earned $112.5 million in the US and Canada. The film’s success sets a new record for the biggest opening weekend of a Broadway adaptation.

Global Haul and Ticket Sales

With additional ticket sales from international markets, Wicked: For Good is projected to reach a $226 million global haul for its first three days in theaters. According to data from EntTelligence, an estimated 10 million tickets were sold for the film during its opening weekend, exceeding the 8 million sold during the opening of Wicked last year.

Notably, 30% of domestic screenings were in premium large format theaters, up from 18% for Wicked. These premium tickets, which are more expensive than general admission, can significantly contribute to a film’s blockbuster success. On average, general tickets for Wicked: For Good cost around $15.25, while premium screen tickets averaged $18.75.

Industry Insights and Expectations

Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Comscore, praised Universal’s efforts, stating that the team “did a fantastic job of following perfectly on the success of the original film a year ago and have parlayed that into an even bigger debut for this second installment.” He expects Wicked: For Good to maintain strong playability throughout the Thanksgiving week and beyond, into the holiday movie-going season.

Last year, the combination of Wicked, Paramount’s Gladiator II, and Disney’s Moana 2 boosted the Thanksgiving holiday box office to its highest haul ever. This year, Wicked: For Good is joined by Disney’s Zootopia 2, which is expected to perform well, potentially grossing over $100 million in its three-day opening and over $125 million in the five-day Thanksgiving period.

Dergarabedian believes that the impressive performance of Wicked: For Good, combined with other films in the marketplace, could challenge last year’s record Thanksgiving box office. This is welcome news after a challenging October box office, which drove negative narratives about the industry.