The release of Wicked: For Good couldn’t have been timed better. Theater owners are always happy to welcome a massively popular blockbuster, but the box office was in rough shape during the first part of the fall. This October was one of the worst in recent memory, meaning the multiplex was in dire need of a big hit as the holiday season kicks off. It was all but a guarantee Wicked: For Good would be a sizable draw; the real question was how high would it go during its opening weekend. Initial estimated pegged it for a debut in the same ballpark as the first Wicked, but those estimates increased after For Good broke Fandango pre-sales records. Now that the numbers are in, the film has scored one of the biggest openings of the year.
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According to The Hollywood Reporter, Wicked: For Good brought in $150 million domestically over its first three days. Globally, it’s earned $226 million. That stateside figure is good enough to be the second-highest-grossing opening weekend of 2025, behind only A Minecraft Movie ($162.7 million). Wicked: For Good set a new record for biggest debut for an adaptation of a Broadway musical, besting the previous mark set by its predecessor ($112.5 million).
Will Wicked: For Good Have Strong Legs at the Box Office?
By earning $150 million in one weekend, it only took Wicked: For Good three days to work its way into the year’s top 15 at the domestic box office. How far it goes over the course of its run will depend on the strength of its legs in subsequent weekends. Films that break records are susceptible to steep second weekend drops because they tend to be frontloaded. Die-hard fans eagerly awaiting the movie’s arrival rush out to see it as soon as possible, and then business can slow down after that. We saw The Fantastic Four: First Steps suffer a sharp decrease after it exceeded expectations in its debut.
However, Wicked: For Good is in a bit of a different situation, meaning the typical rules about records and second weekend drop-offs may not apply. Last year, the first Wicked saw only a 27.9% decrease, which is a very atypical figure for a massive blockbuster. Wicked was able to hold as well as it did because its second weekend coincided with Thanksgiving weekend, which has always been a lucrative time for moviegoing. So, even with Zootopia 2 right around the corner, Wicked: For Good should hold very well, as it will continue to be a draw over the holiday frame. If the first Wicked was able to coexist alongside Moana 2 (which broke records of its own), there’s no reason why the same can’t happen this November.
Outside of Zootopia 2, Wicked: For Good isn’t going to face much competition over the first few weeks of its run. The first half of December has titles like Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 and Ella McCay, but there isn’t anything poised to make a major splash at the box office until Avatar: Fire and Ash right before Christmas. This means Wicked: For Good could spend the better part of a month as the highest-profile title playing. The first Wicked fell no further than second place at the box office for its first four weekends, and it wouldn’t be a shock if For Good pulled off the same feat. That said, it is worth keeping in mind that reviews for Wicked: For Good are not as strong as the first film. The reception could have some impact on how the film performs over the next few weeks once some of the hype dies down.
It remains to be seen if Wicked: For Good will join the $1 billion club, but even if it falls short of that milestone, it should quickly become one of the highest-grossing films of the year. It’s no wonder why some people from the Wicked creative team are starting to think about possibilities of more films (not a direct sequel, but a new story set in that world) and keep the franchise going. It’s proven to be one of the most lucrative properties Universal has under its roof, and in an era where box office trends have changed and longtime stalwarts (Pixar, superhero movies) aren’t always locks, Wicked is very valuable.
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