‘Wicked’ Has Become The Highest Grossing Broadway Adaption, Beating ‘Mamma Mia!’

Wicked, Universal’s beloved musical fantasy film, has achieved the extraordinary by becoming the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation of all time. The record was previously held by Mamma Mia!, a 2008 feel-good romance film directed by Phyllida Lloyd, which earned $610 million at the global box office. Wicked has surpassed this benchmark, amassing an astonishing $634 million worldwide after only six weeks of release.

Directed by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians), the film marks the first installment of a two-part series, which is loosely based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, and the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. The first musical act has surprised many fans globally, including those who typically dislike musicals.

A month prior, Wicked broke the all-time domestic box office record by becoming the highest-grossing Broadway musical adaptation, earning $214.3 million by its second weekend—surpassing Paramount’s 1978 classic Grease, which previously held the record at $190 million. Four weeks later, Wicked doubled its domestic revenue and set a new standard for these musicals.

It is, in truth, a significant and underrated achievement for Broadway musicals, since stage-to-screen remakes have recently fallen off in terms of both quality and quantity, making it difficult for more adaptations to come through. However, the monumental success of Wicked lends Universal confidence to move forward with the sequel, Wicked: For Good, in the coming year.

Currently, Wicked stands at #6 in the 2024 global box office rankings, trailing Dune: Part Two, which grossed $714 million worldwide. Domestically, however, the fantasy musical ranks third, only behind Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine, each earning over a billion dollars worldwide and $600 million domestically. Having said that, Wicked‘s shockingly high domestic box office numbers highlight the fact that it did not fare well outside the United States and Canada. Nonetheless, Wicked set a high bar for future Broadway productions, including its own sequel, Wicked: For Good.

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‘Wicked: For Good’ Must be Better to Outshine its Predecessor

It goes without saying that Wicked: For Good is one of the most highly anticipated films of 2025, but the success of its predecessor has raised expectations for the second musical act. While Part I depicts Glinda (Ariana Grande) and Elphaba’s (Cynthia Erivo) journey to become close friends at Shiz University, prior to Dorothy Gale’s arrival from Kansas, Part II puts the duo’s friendship at stake as they assume new identities as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. This demonstrates how their actions will influence the future of the Land of Oz.

To properly cater to its audience and replicate the first film’s success, the second part must be as intense and emotional, if not more so, while also enhancing the musical aspects. Hopefully Chu, who has shown outstanding directorial skills in the G. I. Joe and Now You See Me franchises, can continue to mesmerize moviegoers in Wicked: For Good.