'Wicked' becomes highest-grossing stage musical adaptation
Wicked! Ariana Grande's musical fantasy film just made box office history...
The 2024 'Wicked' movie starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo has become the highest-grossing stage musical adaptation in history.
The film has earned $634.4-million (R11.8-billion) worldwide since its November release date. 'Mamma Mia!', released in 2008, held the previous record, grossing $611.4-million.
'Wicked' is based on the hit Broadway musical of the same name. The original Broadway musical debuted in 2003 and won three Tony Awards.
The 2024 'Wicked' movie, part one of a two-part film series, has a stellar cast. Grammy Award-winner Ariana Grande plays the good witch Galinda/Glinda, while Tony Award-winner Cynthia plays Elphaba, who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West.
Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth played the characters in the Broadway version.
Both the Broadway and film adaptations are loosely based on Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel, 'Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West'.
They also take inspiration from 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz', a 1990 book written by L. Frank Baum.
Part two of the film, 'Wicked: For Good', will premiere in November 2025. Ariana and Cynthia will reprise the roles of Glinda and Elphaba.
Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero Tigelaar), Ethan Slater (Boq Woodsman), Michelle Yeoh (Madame Morrible), Peter Dinklage (Dr. Dillamond), and Jeff Goldblum (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) also return.
Cynthia revealed in a December interview with Variety that she co-wrote one of the songs for the film's second instalment. She says it is a tearjerker.
"I collaborated on one of the new songs, and it’s so special to me. When we filmed it, the entire crew was in tears. I hope audiences are ready — it’s a song that speaks to the heart of who Elphaba is," she said.
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Main image credit: Instagram/ Wicked Movie (Marc Platt Productions, Universal Pictures)