The highly anticipated film adaptation of the beloved musical Wicked is on track to achieve unprecedented box office success in both the UK and Ireland, as well as North America. Industry projections indicate that this cinematic rendition could generate $114 million (£90.6 million) during its opening weekend in North America, marking it as the highest-grossing opening for any Broadway musical adaptation.
According to data from Boxoffice, Wicked is forecasted to earn approximately $17.6 million in the UK and Ireland, making it the top-grossing opening weekend of 2024 thus far. This strong performance coincides with the release of Gladiator II, also debuting this weekend, leading to what Boxoffice describes as one of the most robust pre-Thanksgiving weekends since 2013.
The film adaptation opened strongly in North America, collecting $46.48 million on Friday and an additional $36 million on Saturday. Notably, the audience demographic skewed significantly female, with 72% identifying as women and 67% aged over 25—a promising sign for Universal Pictures.
In a broader context, Wicked has now achieved the third-largest opening in the US this year, trailing only Deadpool & Wolverine and Inside Out 2. The film’s soundtrack, featuring popular tracks sung by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo like “Popular” and “Defying Gravity,” has also surged to prominence on streaming platforms.
In addition to Wicked, Gladiator II, which serves as a continuation of Ridley Scott’s acclaimed 2000 film, opened to $22 million on Friday and $18.8 million on Saturday. It is expected to reach around $55.5 million by the end of its opening weekend. However, analysts suggest that upcoming releases like Moana 2, debuting Wednesday in the US, could shift market dynamics.
As cinemas across North America celebrate this revival post-pandemic, the National Association of Theatre Owners has hailed this weekend as one of November’s most successful ever.
Looking ahead, industry experts anticipate that with continued audience interest in both Wicked and Gladiator II, this Thanksgiving could see record-breaking box office figures. As theatrical releases regain momentum and audiences return to cinemas, this marks a significant turning point for filmmakers and studios alike.
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