Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, is expected to earn $117 million domestically in its opening weekend.
Worldwide, the film could gross as much as $165 million at the pre-Thanksgiving box office.
The staggering sum will earn the film the title of “the biggest opening weekend for a film based on a Broadway adaptation,” according to Term.
Previously, Into the Woods, released in 2014, held the record after earning $31 million in its opening weekend.
If it meets expectations, Wicked will also cement its place as the third biggest opening of 2024 so far.
Per The coverWicked grossed “$27.7 million from 3,888 theaters on Friday.”
Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, is expected to earn $165 million in its opening weekend
According to previous reports, Amazon Prime screenings of the musical adaptation grossed $2.5 million in 750 theaters nationwide on November 18.
Advanced screenings on November 20 grossed an additional $5.7 million in the US and Canada.
After Wicked hit theaters on Thursday, the film – an adaptation of the Broadway Musical – grossed another $11 million.
The huge numbers come in the wake of an emotional promotional tour by Ariana, 31, and Cynthia, 37, which saw both actresses break down in tears in multiple interviews.
“We cried 500 times today. And honestly, this is a PSA. Sorry guys,” said Everyday singer Ariana E! News earlier this month.
“It is what it is,” her British-born co-star Cynthia added. “We just can’t do anything about it.”
On Friday, Cynthia explained why she and Ariana burst into tears so often while promoting the film.
On the Heart Breakfast show, Amanda Holden told Cynthia, “Every interview I’ve read Cynthia about you and Ariana just says you’re in tears all the time.”
Cynthia replied, “Yes!
“And I think it’s because people come in with so much energy and they come in, their reactions, their emotional reactions come into the room with us, it’s the first time we can talk about it, so we’re both reliving it and reliving it.” experiencing all the things we have experienced and the journey we have made.
Worldwide, the film could gross as much as $165 million at the pre-Thanksgiving box office (Ariana Grande seen in November 2024)
‘We can’t do anything about it. It makes us very emotional.’
Amanda added, “Yes, I don’t blame you.
“You’ve been through Covid, you’ve been through strikes, all kinds of obstacles had to be overcome to make this film.”
For some fans, however, the tear-jerking moments were a bit too much.
“Does anyone else find it bizarre that the Wicked press tour seems to consist solely of actresses crying the entire time,” someone wrote on X.
“Literally the only press videos of Wicked I’ve seen are these two crying,” another added.
The staggering sum will earn the film the title of “the biggest opening weekend for a film based on a Broadway adaptation,” according to Deadline; seen in 2024
Echoing a similar sentiment, a third said: ‘What is really going on with this Wicked press tour, are these girls ok????? They’re always bawling their eyes out.’
The film adaptation of the 2024 Broadway musical Wicked lasted approximately a year, with principal photography beginning in England in December 2022.
Filming was paused in July 2023 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, but resumed after the winter holidays of the same year and finally wrapped in January 2024.
Director Jon M. Chu decided to film the adaptation in two separate films, so that means the cast and crew will do all the promotional interviews again next year.
Wicked is the origin story of ‘a green-skinned woman who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West’ and serves as a prequel to The Wizard Of Oz, exploring the story before Dorothy’s arrival and exploring the former friendship between characters Elphaba and Glinda becomes engrossed. .
Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo (seen above)
Cynthia plays Elphaba in the successful musical adaptation alongside Ariana’s Glinda
Critics’ reviews for Wicked have already poured in, and for the most part, they’ve applauded the performances of its leading stars.
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian described it as a ‘sugar rush fantasy with Cynthia Erivo’s overwhelming star presence; it basically immerses you face down in a hyper-realistic ball pit full of M&Ms for two and three-quarters of an hour.”
He praised Cynthia’s performance, adding, “Erivo’s charismatic Elphaba exerts a planetary pull on a star-studded cast.”
Brian Viner of The Daily Mail wrote: ‘It’s a fantastic spectacle, begging to be seen on the biggest screen possible.’