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The land of Oz has once again defied the opening weekend box office.
Almost exactly one year after Wicked hit theaters, the highly anticipated second part, Wicked: For Good, opened on Friday, Nov. 21, bringing in $150 million in North America and $226 million worldwide, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Wicked: For Good bested last year’s Wicked, which brought in $112.5 million during its opening weekend, the outlet said.
The film now marks the biggest opening weekend ever for a Broadway musical adaptation, per THR.
Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures
Wicked: For Good’s opening weekend competed against kid-friendly high-performers this year, including Lilo & Stitch ($183 million) and A Minecraft Movie ($163 million).
Wicked was the third-largest domestic debut in 2024, trailing behind Deadpool & Wolverine ($211 million) and Inside Out 2 ($154 million).
Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures
Picking up in Oz where the first film left off, Wicked: For Good follows Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba as she grapples with villainous accusations, as well as Ariana Grande’s Glinda, who must embrace her “Good Witch” high status.
The memorable Wizard of Oz plot comes into play as the two navigate a changed friendship, with Dorothy’s cyclone arrival shaking up the already unstable community.
Alluring new and returning viewers with tweaks from the long-running Broadway musical, as well as the addition of two new songs — Wicked: For Good didn’t aim to be entirely predictable, and it received critical acclaim almost immediately.
Chris Murphy, a staff writer at Vanity Fair, wrote on X, “Believe me when i say that it expands and deepens the original source material in generally exciting and innovative ways.”
“Cynthia and Ari take their performances to the next level with jaw dropping performances. The film fully sticks the landing,” he continued.
Similarly, Buzzfeed U.K.’s Ada Enechi wrote that Wicked: For Good “delivers in every way possible.”
“The new original songs… life changing! They will melt your heart in ways you can’t even imagine,” Enechi added. “Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande have cemented their places in history, this is truly an unmissable sequel.”
Wicked: For Good is now in theaters.
