Wicked: For Good’s Budget, Box Office Projections & How Much It Needs To Be a Success Explained

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The box office has seen its share of successes and disappointments this year, but things are looking up for 2025, especially with the exciting films planned for the holidays. Disney is expected to bounce back with the release of Zootopia 2, and James Cameron aims to continue his box office success with Avatar: Fire and Ash. However, before those films arrive, theaters should get a boost from Wicked: For Good, the sequel to last year’s Wicked. Given how popular the original story is, Wicked: For Good has the potential to be one of the year’s biggest hits.

Before Universal Pictures can make money from the new movie Wicked: For Good, it needs to cover its production costs. Creating a large-scale musical like this—with its detailed sets, costumes, special effects, and marketing—is a significant investment. However, early signs suggest the studio might be able to earn back most of that investment soon after the film’s release this weekend.

What Is Wicked: For Good‘s Production Budget?

The new movie Wicked: For Good reportedly cost $150 million to make, the same amount as the first Wicked film. This brings Universal’s total investment in the two movies to $300 million. While $150 million is a significant sum, Wicked: For Good is actually less expensive than many other big movies from the studio. For comparison, Captain America: Brave New World cost $180 million, and Superman cost $225 million. Before Wicked: For Good, the last major franchise movie released was Tron: Ares, which also cost $180 million.

Remember, the numbers we’ve discussed only cover the cost of making the movie itself. They don’t include marketing or advertising. Big studio films require massive promotional campaigns, which can significantly increase the overall cost. Because studios want these films to be huge hits, they spend a lot on advertising to create excitement and awareness. This means the two Wicked movies actually cost more than the $300 million figure we mentioned.

Wicked: For Good Is Projected for One of the Year’s Biggest Box Office Openings

Universal Pictures executives were confident in investing heavily in the Wicked films because they expected a strong return. While the popularity of superhero movies may be declining (with 2025 often seen as the turning point), Wicked remains a proven success. Early estimates in late October suggested Wicked: For Good would earn between $112 and $115 million domestically during its opening weekend – similar to the $112.5 million earned by the first Wicked film. As the release date approaches, it now appears the final installment could even exceed those initial expectations.

Okay, so I’m really hyped for Wicked: For Good, and the latest numbers from Deadline are looking amazing. They’re now predicting it could pull in over $200 million worldwide, with somewhere between $125 and $150 million of that coming from the US alone! Apparently, it broke Fandango’s record for pre-sales, which just shows how much everyone wants to see it. Now, will it actually hit those numbers opening weekend? That’s the big question. Those pre-sales are throwing off the usual tracking. The first Wicked movie was predicted to make around $120 million domestically, but didn’t quite get there. So, it’s possible this one could face the same issue, especially with the reviews being a little mixed. Still, I’m cautiously optimistic!

How Much Wicked: For Good Needs to Make to Be a Success

Generally, a movie needs to make twice its production cost to cover all expenses, including marketing. That means Wicked: For Good needs to earn around $300 million worldwide to break even. Early estimates show it’s already expected to make $200 million in its opening weekend, so it’s likely to easily reach that goal. Even with Zootopia 2 coming out soon, Wicked: For Good is expected to remain popular through the Thanksgiving holiday, similar to how well Moana 2 and the first Wicked film did last year.

By the time it finishes in theaters, Wicked: For Good is expected to earn over $300 million. The original Wicked movie made $758.8 million worldwide, and this new film is predicted to perform just as well, or even better. It’s one of the few movies scheduled for 2025 with a real chance of reaching $1 billion. As we recently saw with The Conjuring: Last Rites, final installments in popular series often surpass expectations because audiences want to see the story conclude on the big screen. However, even if For Good doesn’t hit $1 billion, Universal Pictures will still consider the holiday season a success.

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2025-11-20 00:40