‘Wicked’ Overtakes ‘Mamma Mia!’ to Become Top-Grossing Stage Musical Adaptation Globally

Universal’s ‘Wicked’ has officially taken the crown as the highest-grossing stage musical adaptation of all time at the global box office. The cinematic adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical has soared past the studio’s own Mamma Mia! to achieve this milestone, with a worldwide cumulative gross of $634.4 million as of Sunday. This total includes $424.2 million from the domestic box office and $210.2 million from international markets.

The Jon M. Chu-directed film, featuring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, continues to resonate strongly across audiences. During the most recent weekend, the film added $13.7 million from 81 overseas markets, cementing its status as the highest-grossing stage musical adaptation ever in 46 of those territories. It had already claimed the title of the biggest Broadway adaptation domestically earlier in its release.

Global Performance Highlights

Overseas, Wicked has outpaced major musical and fantasy hits such as Mamma Mia! 2, Maleficent, The Little Mermaid, and The Greatest Showman (excluding China) at equivalent points in their theatrical runs. Despite holiday closures in some international markets over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the movie maintained steady momentum, even achieving a 1% increase overall across international regions.

• UK & Ireland: The film saw a 2% weekend increase, reaching $67 million in the region. It has already surpassed the lifetime gross of The Greatest Showman and Despicable Me 4, ranking as the third highest-grossing title of the year in the market, in line with Wonka at a comparable stage.
• Australia: A significant 29% surge in its sixth weekend pushed Wicked past the lifetimes of Aladdin and the last two Jurassic World installments. It is now the fifth highest-grossing film of the year in the market, even outdoing Dune: Part Two.
• The Netherlands: The holiday season brought a 32% boost during the fourth weekend, further solidifying the film’s international appeal.

Top International Markets

The top five overseas markets for Wicked to date are:

1. UK & Ireland – $67 million
2. Australia – $24.8 million
3. Korea – $14.2 million
4. Germany – $11.8 million
5. Mexico – $9.9 million

Looking Ahead

The film’s box office journey is far from over, with a highly anticipated release in Japan slated for March 7. Given Japan’s strong affinity for musicals and Broadway adaptations, this market could further bolster Wicked’s already remarkable global performance.

As the film continues to captivate audiences worldwide, it reinforces Universal’s dominance in adapting stage musicals for the big screen. Wicked not only celebrates the enduring appeal of the original Broadway production but also ushers in a new era of success for musical films.