The 'Wicked' box office sales keep soaring & breaking all-time records (updated)

The latest updates from a 'Wicked' month of breaking records!

The Wicked movie is a certified pop culture juggernaut that has broken several box office records, maintained a Popcornmeter (a.k.a. Audience Score) of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, and earned four nominations at the 2025 Golden Globe Awards in the lead-up to its Oscars buzz for actors like Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba), Ariana Grande (Glinda), and Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero) — as well as director Jon M. Chu, cowriters Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, and composer Stephen Schwartz.

From its grand premiere in theaters on Friday, Nov. 22 to the latest Wicked box office updates from Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, this critically acclaimed and universally beloved musical film has reached several milestones in just over a month. Between the movie's sing-along screenings, video-on-demand (VOD) release, streaming availability, and even a possible re-release during awards season, the future of the Wicked cinematic saga feels truly unlimited.

UPDATE: This article, originally published on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, was updated on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, with up-to-date information about Wicked box office sales and this historic release in cinema history.

1. 'Wicked' is the highest-grossing live-action movie of all time featuring an LGBTQ+ lead actor (domestic).

The newly-updated Wicked box office sales have grossed a total of $432 million, making it the 33rd highest-grossing live-action movie of all time (domestically, per Box Office Mojo). Given that queer performer Cynthia Erivo was cast as the protagonist Elphaba Thropp in this cinematic adaptation, Wicked is now the highest-grossing live-action movie of all time featuring an out LGBTQ+ lead actor.

It is also noteworthy that this historic box office record for LGBTQ+ representation in film has been broken by a Black queer performer like Erivo, who was honored as Icon of the Year in the 2024 Out100 list.

Currently, the only movie featuring an LGBTQ+ lead that has a higher domestic box office gross than Wicked is 2016's Finding Dory, the animated sequel to Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo, voiced by out comedian and former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres. Nonetheless, as a live-action feature film starring Erivo in the lead role, Wicked stands out as a beacon of hope for more big-budget blockbusters led by LGBTQ+ actors.

2. 'Wicked' is the 3rd highest-grossing movie of all time released by Universal Pictures (domestic).

Wicked has also been a jaw-dropping success for Universal Pictures. With just over a month in theaters, the 2024 musical film is now the third highest-grossing movie ever released by this Hollywood studio in terms of domestic box office.

The updated list of highest-grossing movies of all time released by Universal Pictures includes (via Box Office Mojo):

1. Jurassic World (2015) — $652 million
2. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) — $574 million
3. Wicked (2024) — $432 million
4. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) — $417 million
5. Jurassic World: Dominion (2022) — $376 million
6. Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) — $370 million
7. The Secret Life of Pets (2016) —$368.6 million
8. Despicable Me 2 (2013) — $368 million
9. Despicable Me 4 (2024) — $361 million
10. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) — $359 million
(Data as of Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024)

3. 'Wicked' is the highest-grossing movie of all time based on a Broadway musical (domestic & worldwide).

The Wicked film has officially surpassed the Mamma Mia! box office sales as well, becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time based on a Broadway musical.

2008's Mamma Mia! starring Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep held the no. 1 spot in that category for 15 years with a lifetime box office gross of $611 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). That impressive milestone has now been beaten by the worldwide box office gross of Wicked — a total of $643 million as of Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024.

Domestically, 1978's Grease with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John reigned supreme with $190 million in total box office earnings, also according to Box Office Mojo. But on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, the Wicked box office sales reached a domestic total of $432 million, which comfortably surpassed Grease's lifetime domestic earnings.

Variety was first to report that Wicked is now the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation film in box office history both domestically and worldwide.

Even though the total box office gross of Wicked continues to increase on a daily basis, a Billboard report from Dec. 29, 2024 listed the global box office ranking for movies based on Broadway musicals as the following:

1. Wicked — $634 million
2. Mamma Mia! — $611 million
3. Les Misérables — $442 million
4. Grease — $396 million
5. Chicago — $306 million
6. Into the Woods — $212 million
7. Hairspray — $203 million
(Data as of Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024)

4. 'Wicked' is the highest-grossing movie of all time based on a play (domestic).

Wicked has also solidified itself as the highest-grossing movie of all time based on a play (musical or otherwise!). And with updated numbers from Box Office Mojo, it's clear that Wicked keeps increasing its lead even further.

A lifetime box office gross of $141 million (domestic) kept A Few Good Men as the highest-grossing movie based on a play for two decades. However, the 1992 drama about U.S. Marines starring Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, and Jack Nicholson is now a very distant second place to Wicked's box office performance.

The highest-grossing movies of all time based on a play (ranked by domestic box office sales) are:

1. Wicked — $432 million
2. A Few Good Men — $141 million
3. Fences — $57 million
4. Biloxi Blues — $43 million
5. Closer — $33 million
6. Romy and Michele's High School Reunion — $29 million
7. Cats — $27 million
8. Other People's Money — $25 million
9. Judy — $24 million
10. Oscar — $23 million
(Data as of Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024)

5. 'Wicked' is the 3rd highest-grossing film of 2024 (domestic).

Wicked's strong performing at the box office is particularly evident when comparing it to other movies released within the same calendar year. Despite having a late release toward the end of 2024, the Erivo-starring musical film continues to be a fierce competitor against blockbuster sequels released much earlier in the year.

Specifically, Wicked has become the third highest-grossing film released in 2024 when ranked by domestic box office results — trailing behind Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine (via Box Office Mojo).

The highest-grossing films released in 2024 based on domestic box office sales are:

1. Inside Out 2 — $652 million
2. Deadpool & Wolverine — $636 million
3. Wicked — $432 million
4. Moana 2 — $404 million
5. Despicable Me 4 — $361 million
6. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice — $294 million
7. Dune: Part Two — $282 million
8. Twisters — $267 million
9. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire — $196 million
10. Kung Fu Panda 4 — $193 million
(Data as of Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024)

6. 'Wicked' is the 6th highest-grossing film of 2024 (worldwide).

The global impact of Wicked can also be evidenced by its worldwide box office sales for films released in 2024. According to Box Office Mojo, the Wicked movie is currently in sixth place within that ranking.

The highest-grossing movies released in 2024 based on worldwide box office sales are:

1. Inside Out 2 — $1.6 billion
2. Deadpool & Wolverine — $1.3 billion
3. Despicable Me 4 — $969 million
4. Moana 2 — $900 million
5. Dune: Part Two — $714 million
6. Wicked — $643 million
7. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire — $571 million
8. Kung Fu Panda 4 —$547 million
9. Venom: The Last Dance — $476 million
10. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice — $451 million
(Data as of Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024)

Wicked is still playing in theaters. Its sequel, Wicked: For Good, is set to premiere on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025.

The first movie is now also available for purchases or rentals on all digital stores and marketplaces.