On 22 November 2024, Wicked, the long-awaited film adaptation of the stage musical, opened in cinemas and immediately became one of the biggest releases of the year, taking $164 million worldwide in its first weekend. The musical, which had been a Broadway institution for more than two decades, finally had a movie to match its scale.
Starring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, the film retold the story of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good, decades before Dorothy dropped in, from the perspective of the two young women who became adversaries. Directed by Jon M. Chu, it was praised for its performances, its production design and its staging of the beloved songs, from Defying Gravity to Popular.
The film’s opening, paired with Gladiator II in what was dubbed Glicked, gave cinema chains their best weekend in years. Wicked’s success also brought the phenomenon of theatrical musicals back to the centre of the cultural conversation, and the announcement that its second half was already filmed meant the story’s two-part conclusion was assured.