Lead
Universal Pictures’ musical sequel Wicked: For Good earned $30.8 million in preview screenings ahead of its wide release this week, the largest pre-opening total recorded in 2025. The total includes $6.1 million from Monday Amazon Prime-sponsored fan screenings, $6.5 million from additional Wednesday showings and $18.2 million from Thursday preview screenings. That haul surpasses Warner Bros.’ Superman, which made $22.5 million in Thursday previews, and positions Wicked: For Good to contend for the year’s biggest opening. Universal is projecting a $125 million debut while outside estimates place the weekend between $150 million and $180 million.
Key Takeaways
- Wicked: For Good generated $30.8 million in previews, the highest preview total of 2025 to date.
- Preview breakdown: $6.1 million from Monday Amazon Prime fan screenings, $6.5 million from Wednesday showings, and $18.2 million from Thursday previews.
- Warner Bros.’ Superman previously held the year’s preview mark with $22.5 million; Minecraft logged $10.6 million in previews on its way to a $162 million opening.
- Industry estimates put Wicked: For Good’s opening weekend between $150 million and $180 million; Universal projects $125 million.
- Last year’s Wicked opened with $19.2 million in previews and a $112.5 million opening weekend during the pre-Thanksgiving window.
- Other wide openings this weekend include Sony’s Sisu: Road to Revenge (projected $3 million, $575,000 in previews) and Searchlight’s Rental Family (low single-digit projections).
Background
The original Wicked film, directed by Jon M. Chu, arrived last year to strong fan momentum: $19.2 million in previews and a $112.5 million opening during the pre-Thanksgiving weekend. Its success helped power a record Thanksgiving frame in 2024, driven alongside Gladiator II and Moana 2 to a combined $420 million weekend. Wicked: For Good is the concluding chapter of the two-part musical adaptation of the Wizard of Oz backstory and returns a cast that includes Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Yeoh.
Studios increasingly use branded fan events, early-platform tie-ins and multiplex strategies to accelerate opening-weekend demand; this weekend’s Amazon Prime-sponsored screenings are one such example. Previews have become a critical metric for gauging front-loaded bookings and day-one enthusiasm, though counting conventions vary when studios add earlier fan shows beyond a single Thursday window. The holiday calendar — and a family slate including Disney’s Zootopia 2 next week — frames the current box office race and heightens the importance of early grosses.
Main Event
Universal rolled out Wicked: For Good across multiple early showings this week, producing a $30.8 million preview total that industry trackers say is the largest so far in 2025. The studio’s tally includes specialized fan screenings on Monday, additional midweek showings and an expanded set of Thursday previews, with some cinemas running double features of the two Wicked films. The diversified rollout explains why this preview figure is larger than a typical single-day Thursday total.
By contrast, Warner Bros.’ Superman compiled $22.5 million in Thursday-only previews before delivering a $125 million opening weekend. Minecraft’s preview-to-opening trajectory is another benchmark: $10.6 million in Thursday previews preceded a $162 million debut. Universal’s cautious $125 million projection sits well below some external estimates that factor in strong fan demand and holiday crowds.
Other releases sharing the market this weekend include Sony’s Sisu: Road to Revenge, projected at roughly $3 million after $575,000 in previews, and Searchlight’s Rental Family, expected to open in the low single digits. The mix of a major musical spectacle with mid- and lower-tier releases tests both multiplex allocation and audience segmentation over the holiday stretch.
Analysis & Implications
Previews are a leading indicator of front-loaded interest; a high preview number like $30.8 million suggests heavy advance sales and the potential for substantial opening-day revenue. If Wicked: For Good converts preview momentum into ticket sales across Friday and the weekend, it could claim the biggest opening of 2025 and outpace titles that have benefited from broader international rollouts or video-game-adaptation audiences.
Universal’s $125 million projection is intentionally conservative relative to some industry forecasts of $150–$180 million. Studios sometimes under-forecast to manage expectations and retain upside for later reporting; independent trackers often publish higher ranges reflecting real-time ticketing trends. The difference between studio and independent projections can influence exhibitor behavior and marketing cadence in the early days of release.
International performance will be decisive for final tallies: musicals with global brand recognition can add large non-U.S. grosses that alter weekend rankings. The original Wicked’s success during the Thanksgiving frame shows how holiday family traffic and repeat viewings can sustain a film beyond opening weekend, a dynamic that could benefit Wicked: For Good if word-of-mouth and critical reception hold.
Comparison & Data
| Film | Preview Gross | Opening Weekend (actual/projected) |
|---|---|---|
| Wicked: For Good | $30.8 million | $150–$180M (industry range); Universal projects $125M |
| Superman (Warner Bros.) | $22.5 million | $125 million (opening) |
| A Minecraft Movie (Warner Bros.) | $10.6 million | $162 million (opening) |
| Wicked (original, 2024) | $19.2 million | $112.5 million (opening) |
| Sisu: Road to Revenge (Sony) | $575,000 | $3 million (projected) |
The table highlights how Wicked: For Good’s preview gross stands out relative to other recent high-profile releases. Note that preview tallies can reflect different counting windows — single-day Thursday totals versus multi-day fan events — so direct comparisons should consider rollout patterns. The preview-to-opening conversion rate also varies by genre, audience demographics and marketing saturation.
Reactions & Quotes
Universal framed its weekend expectations while emphasizing the film’s strong pre-release demand and franchise momentum.
“Universal is projecting a $125 million opening weekend for Wicked: For Good.”
Universal Pictures (studio projection)
The studio projection is a formal point of reference; external box-office trackers have published higher estimates reflecting advance ticketing patterns and holiday attendance forecasts. Analysts caution that heavy preview totals can amplify both upside and downside risk depending on weekend retention.
“The preview numbers put this among the most anticipated openings this year and make a record debut possible if momentum holds.”
Box-office analyst (industry commentary)
Industry commentary notes that preview strength signals front-loaded demand and could translate into an outsized opening day and weekend. Exhibitors are watching daily ticketing curves closely to adjust showtimes and add capacity where demand is strong.
Unconfirmed
- Whether all exhibitors counted Monday and Wednesday fan events the same way as Thursday previews; reporting conventions vary across trackers.
- The precise weekend opening figure for Wicked: For Good remains an estimate until official box-office tallies are released Monday morning.
- International opening patterns and how much of the preview total is domestic versus early international sales are not yet fully disclosed.
- The long-term hold (weekend-to-weekend drops or legs through the holiday season) is uncertain and will depend on word-of-mouth and reviews.
Bottom Line
Wicked: For Good’s $30.8 million preview performance is a clear signal of elevated fan interest and holiday-market strength, amplified by a multi-day rollout that included Amazon Prime-sponsored screenings. That preview total makes the film a strong contender for the year’s largest opening, but conversion of preview momentum into a sustained box-office run will depend on weekend retention, critical reception and international returns.
Universal’s conservative $125 million projection leaves room for upside relative to independent industry estimates of $150–$180 million; studios often understate near-term forecasts to manage expectations. For observers, the decisive data point will be Monday’s official weekend tallies and the film’s second-week performance as holiday audience patterns and family tentpole competition — including Zootopia 2 next week — play out.