Wicked Series’ Future Officially Confirmed After Record-Setting Box Office

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Universal Pictures is thrilled with the film’s success, as it had a stronger opening weekend than 2024’s Wicked and broke records set by the first movie. This has everyone wondering what might happen in a potential sequel.

Jon M. Chu’s Wicked movies are a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, bringing the beloved story to life on screen. Based on the popular Broadway musical (which itself was inspired by Gregory Maguire’s novel), the films are visually impressive, filled with memorable songs, and deeply moving. Because the musical is presented in two parts, Chu chose to adapt it as a two-part movie to fully develop the characters. Given the films’ success, Universal Pictures is already considering making more Wicked movies, according to Vulture.

The movie Wicked achieved record-breaking success when it was released just before Thanksgiving in November 2024, becoming one of the year’s biggest hits. It earned an impressive $150 million domestically and $226 million worldwide in its opening weekend alone.

Michael Moses, Universal’s marketing chief, explained that due to the huge popularity of Wicked and its dedicated fanbase, they feel obligated to explore ways to expand the story and create more content within that world.

Moses teased, “Have we figured it out yet? No. But there are things underway.”

The executive acknowledged discussions regarding when to release the movie Wicked. Because it came out just a year after the first film, they debated whether to delay it or release it sooner. They considered waiting two years, or releasing it after only six months.

He explained that they naturally started releasing the movie around Thanksgiving each year. It’s a film that appeals to everyone, and doesn’t rely on the summer season or having kids out of school to be successful. It’s become a tradition families can enjoy together.

Universal Pictures heavily promoted both movies through various partnerships, special events, and premieres. This included a two-hour musical event on NBC called Wicked: One Wonderful Night, which showcased Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the leads, performing songs from the original show and offering a sneak peek at music from Wicked: For Good.

The event went very well, according to Moses, who noted a significant increase in both ticket sales and online engagement immediately following it. It became available to stream on Peacock the day after airing on NBC.

Wicked Composer Teased More Stories in the Wicked World

You know, everyone involved with the musical has acknowledged it wraps up exactly where the movie does, which naturally raises the question of whether there’s room for a sequel. Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the music and lyrics, has even said he’d be happy to explore continuing the story… if a genuinely good idea came along. But he’s honest about it – he doesn’t think that idea is out there right now.

He shared that he and Winnie Holzman (who wrote the original Broadway musical Wicked and co-wrote the film adaptation) are currently developing new ideas related to the Wicked universe. However, these ideas aren’t a direct sequel to the story of Glinda and Elphaba, as he feels their journey is complete. He suggested there are other parts of the Wicked world that could be interesting to explore.

Wicked: For Good is playing in theaters.

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2025-11-25 19:22