After seemingly having concluded its theatrical run with critical acclaim, box office success, and a couple of Oscars under its belt, the musical adaptationWickedannounced that it intends to defy gravity for a little while longer. The movie debuted in its final major territory, Japan, this past week. It has earned over $5 million in Japan so far, elevating both its box office haul, and its ranking on the all-time list of the highest-grossing films in history.Wickedis based on the popular Broadway musical of the same name, which itself is based onGregory Maguire’s novel, which was inspired byL. Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz” books.
With a whopping $473 million domestically and another $261 million from overseas markets,Wicked’scumulative box office haul stands at just under $735 million worldwide. The movie has now overtaken the $730 million lifetime haul of Pixar’s Oscar-winningUp, and is poised to out-performThe Matrix Reloaded, which concluded its run with $738 million over two decades ago. Directed byJon M. Chu,Wickedwas clearly more popular at the domestic box office than it was overseas, but this is typical for a musical with a racially diverse cast. The movie was headlined byCynthia ErivoandAriana Grande, both of whom earned Oscar nominations for their performances.
Themovie itself was nominated in eight categories, including Best Picture. It ended up winning in the Best Costume Design and Best Production Design categories. Produced ona reported budget of $150 million,Wickedemerged as a cultural phenomenon, andone of the highest-grossing films in domestic box office history. It’s currently ranked 26th on the all-time chart, having beaten landmark releases such as the originalStar Wars,E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, andJurassic Park.
A Sequel, Titled ‘Wicked: For Good’, Is Slated for Release Later This Year
The movie holds a “fresh” 88% approval rating on the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, and an even better 95% audience score.In his review, Collider’sJeff Ewingdescribed it as “an incredible cinematic musical outing and easily one of the year’s best films.” Also starringJonathan Bailey,Bowen YangandJeff Goldblum,Wickedwill be followed by a sequel, titledWicked: For Good. The movie will be released in November. You can watchWickedat home, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
