Wicked breaks major box office record as fans celebrate: ‘The girls and the gays won so hard’

The movie Wicked: Part One has set a new box office record for the opening of a Broadway film adaptation.

The musical, about the unlikely friendship between two witches, opened on Friday (22 November), taking more than $164 million (£130 million) at the worldwide box office, making it the biggest opening for a musical adaptation.

The previous record was held by Les Miserables, which banked $103 million (approximately £66 million at the time) in 2012.

Wicked banked $114 million (£90.6 million) in North America, playing on 3,888 screens over the weekend, plus $50.2 (£39.7 million) at the international box office.

In the UK and Ireland, Wicked earned about $17 million (£13.5 million), making it the top-grossing opening weekend of the year so far. 

The US domestic record was held by 2014’s Into the Woods with $31 million (approximately £19 million at the time).

‘WICKED’ debuts with $114 million in its opening weekend at the domestic box office, the biggest opening for a Broadway adaptation in history. pic.twitter.com/kHFfQxLnNv

— Pop Base (@PopBase) November 24, 2024

The film is the third-biggest domestic debut of 2024, behind Deadpool & Wolverine ($211 million/£168 million) and Inside Out 2 ($154 million/£122.5 million).

Director Jon M Chu’s first of a two-part film adaptation of the stage musical stars Cynthia Erivo as the Elphaba (later known as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz) and Ariana Grande as Glinda (the Good Witch of the North).

The film’s soundtrack has also been climbing the most-played lists on streaming services over the weekend.

Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang and Jeff Goldblum also star in the movie.

Fans took to X and other social media platforms to celebrate the movie’s success, with one tweeting: “Oh the girls and the gays won so hard this weekend!!!!”

WICKED MOVIE MAKING BACK IT’S $145 Million Dollar budget in one weekend is TRULY ICONIC BEHAVIOR!!!!!!!!!!!! Not only that, it grossed $164 MILLION DOLLARS FOR A MOVIE MUSICAL?!?!?!?! OH THE GIRLS AND THE GAYS WON SO HARD THIS WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/bOv4TAAvIL

— FD✨🍉 (@francisdominiic) November 24, 2024

The retelling of the Oz story has barely been out of the headlines in recent weeks with Erivo’s reaction to a fan-made poster, Mattel’s porn-error Barbie dolls and Grande’s relationship with co-star Ethan Slater, who plays the munchkin, Boq.

Many viewers have pointed out the sapphic undertones of the film, including shipping Elphaba and Glinda.

Speaking to Gay Times, Grande said: “Whether it’s romantic or platonic, Glinda might be a little in the closet. You never know, give it a little time. I mean, it is a true love and that transcends sexuality. It’s kind of a deep safety within each other. That’s why they probably ship it.”

Erivo agreed: “I think Elphie is… she goes wherever the wind goes. I think she loves Glinda, I think she loves love.

“And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with celebrating the deep connection the both of them have.”

Meanwhile, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, starring Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal has made approximately $200 million (£159 million) since its release on 15 November. The two films opening together has been referred to as “Glicked” and compared to the Barbie/Oppenheimer clash earlier in the year – “Barbenheimer.”

Wicked is in cinemas now and part two is due this time next year.

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