Universal’s ‘Wicked: For Good’ Attracts $151.5M Opening This Weekend

Los Angeles, CA – Universal Pictures’ highly anticipated film, ‘Wicked: For Good,’ opened with a bang, earning an impressive $151.5 million over its first weekend. The film, directed by Jon M. Chu, secured $68.6 million from Friday previews alone, reigniting excitement in theaters after a slow autumn season.

This opening marks a significant achievement for the motion picture industry, especially as the holiday season approaches. Box office tracking before the weekend had expected ‘Wicked: For Good’ to earn between $130 million and $130 million based on ticket presales, which indicated stronger performance.

‘Wicked: For Good’ has received positive audience reactions, with an A CinemaScore, matching the acclaim of its predecessor, ‘Wicked.’ This sequel holds a recommend rate of 83%, slightly higher than the original, which stood at 80%.

The film’s demographic reports show a similar audience breakdown to the first installment, with women making up 70% of ticket buyers. The 18-34 age group comprises 61% of the audience, reflecting a solid engagement from younger viewers.

In terms of diversity, the audience this weekend was 52% Caucasian, 22% Latino or Hispanic, 13% Black, and 9% Asian American. IMAX and premium large formats are helping drive ticket sales, generating up to 40% of the weekend total revenue.

Distribution figures also highlight major success, with theaters in cities such as Los Angeles, New York City, and Kansas leading in ticket sales. The AMC Empire in New York grossed approximately $285,000 during the weekend, showing a high turnout in key markets.

Warner Bros’ plan to release special event films like ‘Rental Family‘ and ‘Sisu: Road to Revenge‘ may struggle against ‘Wicked: For Good’s’ overwhelming presence at the box office, with both new releases seeking to maintain audience interest over the Thanksgiving holiday.

The overall weekend box office is projected at $188.2 million, down 7% compared to the same pre-Thanksgiving weekend last year. Nevertheless, ‘Wicked: For Good’s’ strong performance suggests a rebound for the film industry as it moves into a critical holiday season.