Universal’s highly anticipated musical sequel, Wicked: For Good, is officially casting a spell over the box office, shattering records before its official opening weekend. The conclusion to last year’s pink-and-green sensation has already hauled in a spectacular $30.8 million in previews, marking the biggest pre-opening revenue of the year.
Record Previews, Strategic Rollout
However, the record-setting figure comes with a slight caveat that underscores the studio’s confidence: Universal strategically rolled out the film early to capitalize on massive fan excitement. While preview grosses traditionally come only from Thursday screenings, Wicked: For Good accumulated its massive total over several days. Monday fan screenings sponsored by Amazon Prime brought in a strong $6.1 million, and additional Wednesday showings contributed $6.5 million. The Thursday previews, which included double screenings of Wicked and Wicked: For Good, sealed the deal with a potent $18.2 million.
Targeting a $180 Million Debut
This massive haul puts the musical firmly on track to challenge the biggest box office debuts of 2025. Universal is cautiously projecting a $125 million opening this weekend, but industry tracking suggests a much higher range, with the film aiming for anywhere between $150 million and $180 million. If it reaches the upper end of that forecast, it will unseat the current record holder, Warner Bros.’ video game adaptation A Minecraft Movie, which debuted with $162 million after earning $10.6 million in its single Thursday preview. The year’s previous pre-opening record belonged to Superman, which earned $22.5 million in Thursday previews before its $125 million opening weekend.
Holiday History and Competition
Fan excitement is undeniably high after Ariana Grande’s Glinda and Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba became pop culture mainstays last fall. Director Jon M. Chu’s original Wicked set a strong precedent last year, hauling in $19.2 million in its previews before ascending to a $112.5 million opening weekend during the same pre-Thanksgiving slot. That film, alongside Gladiator II and Moana 2, helped power last year’s Thanksgiving box office to a record $420 million overall.
This year, the returning cast, which also includes Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, and Bowen Yang, will aim for similar holiday success as they finish off the beloved Wizard of Oz prequel story. They will soon be joined by Disney’s family-friendly Zootopia 2, which opens next week, as the two sequels vie to dominate the holiday season box office.
Other Openers: Action and Indie
Also debuting this weekend, though far down the marquee, are Sony’s action sequel Sisu: Road to Revenge, projected for a modest $3 million debut after making $575,000 in Thursday previews, and Searchlight’s Rental Family, starring Brendan Fraser, which is also expected to launch in the low single digits.
