This week a strong wind, promising a tornado, arrived in Italian cinemas. A wind that comes straight from Oz. On November 19, even earlier than in the United States, Wicked: For Good, one of the most anticipated films of 2025, screened in Italy, with lines of fans dressed in pink and green ready to enter the theater.
Expectations were high: it had long been predicted that the film would quickly end the box office drought that lasted all of October, and that’s exactly what happened. In Italian cinemas, the film debuted in first place: on its first day it grossed more than 319 thousand euros, with a growth of 44% compared to the debut of the first Wicked film. The long-awaited second chapter of Universal’s musical, which concludes the story that began last year, is also showing signs of a record-breaking release worldwide, and the first finds show public enthusiasm that exceeds expectations. In fact, early projections suggest that the film is poised to establish itself as the best debut of 2025 at the US box office, buoyed by a combination of consolidated interest and star power, the two protagonists actually being pop star Ariana Grande and actress Cynthia Erivo.
Wicked: For Good grossed $30.8 million in previews at the box office, marking the biggest pre-opening gross of the year: this places the film in the Top 10 films of all time for highest grossing previews at the box office. It’s also a big step forward for the franchise, as the 2024 release Wicked “only” grossed $19.2 million during Thursday previews. The project debuted with $112.5 million and ultimately rose to $758.7 million worldwide.
Wicked: For Good, on the other hand, maintained a gross of $150 million in its first three days in the United States and $226 million globally.
It seems that Wicked really managed to defy gravity, bringing everyone back to the cinema to see the musical.
