Wicked has broken an at-home viewership record. The movie is an adaptation of the stage musical opf the same name, which tells the origin story of The Wizard of Oz‘s Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), and her friendship with Glinda (Ariana Grande-Butera), the future Good Witch of the North. The Wicked theatrical release kicked off the weekend before U.S. Thanksgiving in 2024 and has since risen past a total of $675 million worldwide, breaking the record as the highest-grossing Broadway musical of all time both in North America and worldwide.
Per Deadline, Wicked‘s at-home release, which kicked off on December 31, 2024, has earned $70 million during its first full week, which it kicked off by earning $26 million by the end of its debut day. This marks the largest first day ever and largest first week ever for a Universal at-home release. On its first day, it earned double the total of the previous record-holder, 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The movie’s current price point is $30 for purchase and $20 for rental.
What This Means For Wicked
Its At-Home Release Could Be Just As Successful
With this record-breaking at-home debut, the Wicked movie has proven that it will not be slowing down any time soon. In fact, its at-home opening day earned 56% of what its theatrical opening day did at the domestic box office. Including Thursday previews, its gross on Friday, November 22, 2024, was $46.2 million, which shows that its purchase and rental revenue has nearly reached theatrical heights during its debut week. This is considerably greater than The Super Mario Bros. Movie, as the previous Universal record-holder only earned roughly 40% of its day 1 theatrical gross.
[Wicked could] remain prominent in the conversation through early March…
The movie’s theatrical and at-home revenue could continue to swell as awards season continues in earnest. In addition to winning the award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement at the 2025 Golden Globes, Wicked has been nominated for 11 Critics’ Choice Awards and five Screen Actors Guild Awards. It has also been shortlisted in four Oscar categories so far, and nominations in any of those categories could guarantee that the movie will remain prominent in the conversation through early March, helping draw in both new and repeat viewers.
Our Take On The New Wicked Viewership Record
Wicked’s At-Home Profits Could Be Tremendous
It remains to be seen if the Wicked at-home release can grow at the same rate as its theatrical release. However, it could very well do so as its tenure in theaters begins to wind down, encouraging wider swaths of its audience to seek it out at home. Should it keep up its current trajectory relative to its theatrical release, it could earn roughly $250 million from at-home rentals and purchases before it begins streaming on Peacock in two and a half months, putting a cherry on top of its already dazzling theatrical run.
Source: Deadline
Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
- Release Date
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November 22, 2024
- Runtime
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160 Minutes
- Cast
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Cynthia Erivo
, Ariana Grande
, Michelle Yeoh
, Jeff Goldblum
, Jonathan Bailey
, Ethan Slater
, Marissa Bode
, Bowen Yang
, Bronwyn James
, Keala Settle
, Peter Dinklage
, Aaron Teoh
, Grecia De la Paz
, Colin Michael Carmichael
, Adam James
, Andy Nyman
, Courtney Mae-Briggs
, Sharon D. Clarke
, Jenna Boyd - Character(s)
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Elphaba Thropp
, Glinda Upland
, Madame Morrible
, The Wizard
, Fiyero Tigelaar
, Boq
, Nessarose Thropp
, Pfannee
, ShenShen
, Miss Coddle
, Doctor Dillamond (voice)
, Avaric Tenmeadows
, Gilligan
, Professor Nikidik
, Glinda’s Father
, Governor Frexspar Thropp
, Melena Thropp
, The Midwife - Director
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Jon M. Chu
- Writers
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Gregory Maguire
, Winnie Holzman
, Dana Fox
, L. Frank Baum - Studio(s)
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Marc Platt Productions
- Distributor(s)
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Universal Pictures