Wicked: For Good pulled in massive numbers on Thursday night, officially passing James Gunn’s Superman to claim the biggest Thursday preview box office of the year.
Universal followed a similar rollout strategy to Superman, offering early screenings throughout the week, which helped boost the preview haul. Even with that context, the number is still huge.
Wicked: For Good Scores $30.8 Million in Previews
The musical sequel earned $30.8 million domestically from previews, blasting past Superman’s $22.5 million. The early demand continues the momentum from last year’s Wicked, which was a breakout hit and established a strong fan base.
Tracking now suggests For Good could land anywhere between $112 million and $180 million for the weekend. The spread depends on word of mouth and how front-loaded the turnout is from its large female audience.
Rotten Tomatoes Scores Point to a Split Reaction
Audiences are starting strong with a 97% audience score, while critics sit at 69%. That’s a noticeable drop from last year’s Wicked, which launched with an 88% critics score, but the fan score is similar, with 95%.
The first film opened to $112.5 million, then powered its way to $474.9 million domestic and $758.7 million worldwide. Universal is hoping For Good follows a similar path if the early turnout holds.
2025 Box Office Leaders: Where Wicked Could Land
If the high-end projections are accurate, Wicked: For Good could challenge the top performers of the year. Right now the 2025 global rankings are led by:
- Lilo & Stitch at $1 billion
- A Minecraft Movie at $957.9 million
- Jurassic World: Rebirth at $868.8 million
- How to Train Your Dragon at $636.2 million
- F1: The Movie at $631.3 million
- Superman at $616.6 million
A huge opening for For Good puts it in range to climb into the top tier, depending on legs and overseas turnout.
About Wicked: For Good
Wicked: For Good is directed by Jon M. Chu, returning after last year’s breakout hit. The film stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, and Ethan Slater as Boq.
The sequel continues the story after the fallout between Elphaba and Glinda, pushing the two into a deeper conflict as Oz fractures around them. The movie follows their divergent paths, the rising political tensions in Oz, and the events that set up the final confrontation teased in the first film. Universal positions this chapter as the emotional pay-off of the two-part adaptation, bringing the characters to the point where their fates are sealed.
