The cinematic adaptation of the second half of "Wicked," titled "Wicked: For Good," has revitalized a languishing box office, achieving a dazzling $226 million globally in its opening weekend. This impressive figure includes $150 million domestically and $76 million overseas. The film's success marks a significant boon for theaters, which have experienced lagging attendance since the summer, and represents a major win for Universal's bold gamble in splitting the popular stage show into two parts.

"Wicked: For Good" has shattered several records, claiming the title for the biggest worldwide, international, and North American debut for a Broadway adaptation, significantly surpassing the benchmark set by its predecessor, 2024’s "Wicked." Globally, it ranks as the fourth-biggest Hollywood debut of 2025, following Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” remake, “Jurassic World Rebirth,” and “A Minecraft Movie.” Domestically, it secured the second-highest grossing opening weekend of 2025, just behind “A Minecraft Movie” and ahead of “Lilo & Stitch.” Furthermore, it is Universal Pictures' second-largest start, trailing only 2015’s “Jurassic World,” and the biggest international opening for a stage musical adaptation, outperforming the first "Wicked" film.

A notable aspect of "For Good's" performance is its improved international appeal. While the first "Wicked" film saw a domestic skew, accounting for 62% of revenues, the sequel successfully grew its fanbase overseas, opening in 78 markets. Top-earning territories included the United Kingdom and Ireland ($24.4 million), Australia ($8.6 million), and Germany ($4.1 million). David A. Gross, head of Franchise Entertainment Research, praised the "sensational opening" but acknowledged the inherent "domestic skew" of "The Wizard of Oz" as a classic American story.

Directed by Jon M. Chu, "Wicked: For Good" earned an "A" grade on CinemaScore exit polls, mirroring the first installment and indicating strong audience reception and positive word-of-mouth. This critical approval is expected to drive business throughout the holiday season, further boosting the film's staying power.

Following the film's release, stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who portray Glinda and Elphaba respectively, shared emotional tributes on social media, bidding farewell to their beloved characters. Grande posted unseen moments from the set, including her transformation into Glinda and examining her pink gowns, expressing, "Thank you, my sweet Glinda, for everything. I will love you always… 'Wicked: For Good' is out now." Erivo celebrated her character Elphaba in a lengthy Instagram post filled with behind-the-scenes images, such as her on Elphaba’s broomstick and walking the Yellow Brick Road, stating that words and numbers were insufficient to describe her journey and simply inviting her followers to "walk with me to the end of this road paved with gold." The official "Wicked" account also honored their friendship with a video montage captioned, "A friendship that changed us for good."

The story of "Wicked: For Good" picks up as Elphaba has been demonized as the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda has embraced her public persona as Glinda the Good. The narrative explores the consequences of their divergent paths, with familiar faces like Dorothy Gale, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion making appearances as the story overlaps with "The Wizard of Oz."

A pivotal scene in the film is Glinda's grand Ozian wedding to Fiyero, which takes place in the Wizard's Hall of Grandiosity within the Emerald City. Costume designer Paul Tazewell meticulously crafted Glinda's multi-layered dress from organza and silk tulle, embellished with dimensional butterflies, and a 25-meter-long veil. Her crystallized tiara also featured interlocking butterflies, creating a theatrical moment where golden butterflies fluttered along the aisle and became part of the wedding's atmosphere, as envisioned by production designer Nathan Crowley's transformation of the Emerald City's tapestry.

However, the joyous nuptials are dramatically interrupted when, simultaneously, Elphaba discovers the Wizard has been secretly imprisoning the animals of Oz beneath the grand hall. Enraged, Elphaba unleashes her powers, freeing the animals and causing a stampede that abruptly ends the wedding festivities.

The filmmaking team made a deliberate choice to intercut Glinda's wedding with Elphaba's dark discovery. Cinematographer Alice Brooks explained this as a metaphor for the characters' descent into the consequences of their lives: Glinda in her fairy tale moment, symbolized by yellow and intuition, contrasted with Elphaba's descent into darkness and misunderstanding. Editors Myron Kerstein and Tatiana S. Riegel extensively experimented with this sequence, debating how to balance Glinda’s wish fulfillment with the revelation of the secret prison, aiming to honor Glinda's desire for the wedding while confronting the grim reality of Oz.

Director Jon M. Chu regarded the decision to intercut as "one of the best discoveries in editorial," despite initial studio suggestions to let the wedding play out as a rare light moment. Chu and Kerstein worked to juxtapose the scenes, creating a powerful cinematic contrast where "the truth is in the dark; the lies are the light." The riotous climax culminates in a close-up of Glinda, capturing her pivotal decision. Producer Marc Platt praised this editorial choice, noting, "What you guys did, that’s cinema."

Overall, "Wicked: For Good" provides a much-needed lift to the struggling box office. Industry analysts like Comscore's Paul Dergarabedian noted that the film's "overperformance" sets up a strong finish for the industry through the holidays, with upcoming releases like Disney’s “Zootopia 2” and “Avatar: Fire and Ash” expected to continue this momentum. This success stands in contrast to other new releases, such as "Sisu: Road to Revenge" and "Rental Family," which had modest debuts.