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Moviegoers made it a WICKED weekend, spending $150M to catch up with Glinda & Elphaba.

The Universal/Marc Platt Productions’ PG family fantasy musical WICKED: FOR GOOD exceeded Hollywood handicappers’ early expectations for a $112-115M opening and later projections for $130M or more. Its lively launch at 4,115 theatres ($36,452) put big smiles back on exhibitors’ faces, proving once again that moviegoing in the post-COVID world is alive &  well — when studios produce films audiences want to see.

WFG, a global marketing triumph for Universal, also did $76M internationally for a worldwide cume of $226M, per Comscore. BUDGET BUZZ: $300M production cost for both WICKED episodes.

Directed by Jon M. Chu (WICKED), WFG reteams Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande from the 2024 franchise original. WFG is tracking best for first choice with women over 25 (20 points over norm). Rotten Tomatoes critics are an okay 70%, but paying audiences are applauding at 95%, which should translate into ticket-selling word of mouth.

WICKED opened 11/22/24 to $112.5M. It did $473.2M domestic & $756.4M worldwide on a budget of $150M.

Domestic ticket sales this weekend soared to $185.5M, according to Comscore Head of Marketplace Trends Paul Dergarabedian. That’s up 144% from the prior weekend, but down 9% vs. this time last year. Comscore’s year to date tally has 2025 at $7.49B, up 3.27% from $7.26B in 2024. The prior weekend showed 2025 up 3.09% vs. last year. On 6/8, Comscore’s 2025 cume was up by 26.08%.

Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: Lionsgate’s PG-13 crime thriller NOW YOU SEE ME: NOW YOU DON’T was #2 in weekend two with $9.1M
(-57%) at 3,403 theatres ($2,680). It’s done $36.8M domestically and $146.2M worldwide. BUDGET BUZZ: $90M to produce.

20th Century Studios’ PG-13 sci-fi action adventure PREDATOR: BADLANDS was #3 in weekend three with $6.3M (-51%) at 3,100 theatres ($2,016). It’s done $76.3M domestic and $159.6M worldwide. BUDGET BUZZ: $105M to produce.

Paramount’s R rated sci-fi action adventure THE RUNNING MAN was #4 in weekend two with $5.8M (-65%) at 3,534 theatres ($1,641). It’s done $27M domestically and $48.3 worldwide. BUDGET BUZZ: $110M to produce.

Next weekend (Wed., 11/26) 🐝🐝🐝🐝: Disney’s PG animated action adventure ZOOTOPIA 2 opens for Thanksgiving at about 4,000 theatres and should make it a truly festive holiday — especially with WICKED: FOR GOOD likely to be sizzling in weekend two. Z2’s tracking best and equally well for first choice with women under & over 25 (each seven points over norm).

Directed by Jared Bush & Byron Howard (both ZOOTOPIA), Z2’s voice stars include Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman & Ke Huy Quan.

The original ZOOTOPIA opened 3/4/2016 to $75.1M domestic and did $1.03B on a budget of $150M.