‘Wicked: For Good’ Sets New Record for Broadway Adaptation and Becomes 2025’s No. 2 Opener

Universal’s Wicked: For Good has started its theatrical run with a huge box office win, topping the debut of last year’s first Wicked film.

According to Universal, the new movie opened with $150 million in the United States and reached $226 million worldwide during its first weekend. These numbers put it ahead of the 2024 film, which launched with $112.5 million domestic and $164 million globally.

With this performance, Wicked: For Good now holds the record for the biggest domestic and global opening for a movie based on a Broadway musical.

It also secured the second-largest opening of 2025 so far, sitting behind A Minecraft Movie and ahead of Lilo & Stitch. It is also the studio’s second-biggest domestic opening ever, only behind Jurassic World from 2015.

The movie serves as the second part of the two-film adaptation of the stage musical. Directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, the sequel continues the story of Elphaba and Glinda as they grow into the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum all returned for the second chapter.

The studio reported that the film made $68.6 million on its first full day in theaters, and $30.8 million came from preview screenings earlier in the week. Those preview numbers were the biggest of the year so far, passing the preview total for The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Superman.

The final #WickedForGood trailer is here ✨ Watch now. pic.twitter.com/P9UPa4B1Rx

— Wicked: For Good (@wickedmovie) September 24, 2025

Critics responded to the sequel differently than they did to the first movie. Rotten Tomatoes shows that 71 percent of reviews are positive. The site’s summary says the film’s slower pace and darker tone don’t always help it, but the ending still delivers, stating, “Taking one last lap down the yellow brick road, Wicked: For Good’s darker tone and unhurried pacing sometimes get in the way, but this epic conclusion ultimately brings Elphaba and Glinda’s story home in rousing fashion.”

Metacritic reports a score of 58, showing mixed reactions. Audience scores, however, were high. CinemaScore gave the film an A grade, and PostTrak said 92 percent of moviegoers gave it positive marks, with 82 percent saying they would recommend it.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!