Wicked: For Good has broken new ground at the box office, outpacing James Cameron box office records and surpassing even Avatar: The Way of Water’s domestic opening. Over the weekend, the highly anticipated musical film posted historic numbers, captivating audiences and setting benchmarks as it opened in cinemas across the United States and worldwide.
Blockbuster Opening Across the Globe
Wicked: For Good made a major entrance in theaters, debuting to $150 million domestically. This figure makes it the year’s second-highest opening weekend so far, trailing just behind the $162 million start of The Minecraft Movie. Globally, the film achieved a substantial $226 million opening weekend, toppling the record held by its predecessor for an adaptation of a Broadway show.
This latest entry in the Wicked franchise marks the fourth-biggest worldwide opening for 2025, standing alongside major releases like Lilo & Stitch ($340 million), Jurassic World: Rebirth ($322 million), and A Minecraft Movie ($313 million). The remarkable numbers signal strong anticipation and robust turnout from fans who previously flocked to see the first Wicked film, which impressed with its $112 million debut in November 2024.
Smashing Domestic Records and Challenging Industry Leaders
The arrival of Wicked: For Good is significant for Universal Pictures, delivering the studio’s second-largest domestic opening weekend behind only Jurassic World’s $208.8 million in 2015. It also set a milestone for the weekend leading up to Thanksgiving, securing the second-best figure after The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’s $158 million in 2013. In terms of November debuts, only Catching Fire and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever reached higher opening numbers, at $158 million and $181 million, respectively.
Of particular note is how Wicked: For Good managed to eclipse the $134 million opening domestic weekend of Avatar: The Way of Water. James Cameron remains in the conversation, as his sci-fi sequel still holds a much larger global debut of $435 million in December 2022. The upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash, set to premiere next month, promises to be another closely watched battle at the box office as the industry speculates whether it can match or surpass Wicked: For Good’s achievements.
Critical Response and Future Hold
While the initial returns for Wicked: For Good are undeniably impressive, some industry observers are curious about how well the film will maintain its momentum. The movie’s Rotten Tomatoes score stands at 70%, trailing the 88% achieved by the original, though both films earned an A grade from CinemaScore. This slight dip in critical ratings has sparked discussions among audiences and critics alike.
Looking beyond its opening, Wicked: For Good is joined by major upcoming releases like Zootopia 2, with both expected to remain dominant in theaters over the next several weeks. However, all eyes remain on Avatar: Fire and Ash, releasing on December 19, 2025, as it may challenge the new records set for both the domestic and potential worldwide box office top ten.
Key Cast Members Bring the Musical to Life
Wicked: For Good features Cynthia Erivo in the leading role of Elphaba. Ariana Grande stars as Glinda, both reprising iconic characters for an audience that continues to celebrate Broadway’s legacy on the silver screen.
The box office results for Wicked: For Good signal an intense race at the end of 2025. As James Cameron’s next sequel prepares to launch and other anticipated titles like Zootopia 2 approach, both Universal Pictures and the broader Hollywood community will watch closely to see which films maintain their momentum and ultimately set the next industry benchmarks.
