Wicked: For Good came out of the gate with a huge start, pulling in $68.6 million on Friday and another $30.8 million from early preview screenings. That early turnout puts it near the top of this year’s biggest openings and sets it up for a weekend that could land between $150 million and $180 million across roughly 4,000 theaters.

A big part of the energy behind this sequel comes from how strongly audiences connected with the first film. Fans showed up early, bought out preview nights, and treated the release like an event. The return of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda also helped drive a lot of the excitement. Grande reflected on the experience at the New York premiere, saying the sequel has been “an incredible ride and an incredible experience to create with people we love so much and respect so much creatively, but also who just have such great hearts.” That sense of camaraderie carried into the fan response, which helped fuel the strong opening day.

Director Jon M. Chu, along with producers Marc Platt and David Stone, leaned into the world building and emotional beats that resonated the first time. The sequel delivers bigger set pieces, larger musical moments, and a clearer emotional payoff that appears to be landing well with early audiences. Strong word-of-mouth is already starting to build, which could help the film maintain momentum past opening weekend.

This launch also reflects something broader about moviegoing right now. Musicals don’t always pull numbers at this level, but when a franchise has a loyal fan base and cultural reach, audiences are still willing to show up. Wicked: For Good arrived at the right moment with the right cast and seems to be turning all that anticipation into real results.

If these numbers hold through Sunday, the film will secure one of the biggest openings of the year and solidify the Wicked franchise as one of the strongest movie musicals to hit theaters in years.