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Wicked US Box Office Update: Will Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo's movie benefit from 10 Oscar nominations?
Wicked, led by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, hopes its 10 Oscar nominations fuel ticket sales in the US as it chases Frozen 2’s $477M domestic record, with $466.2M already banked.
Wicked, which arrived in theaters in November 2024, has already made a significant impact at the U.S. box office, grossing $466.2 million as of Wednesday, January 22. It is, however, looking to beat the lifetime accumulation of Disney’s Frozen 2 (2019), which earned $477 million domestically.
As of this past Wednesday, Wicked remains $900K behind the Mouse House offering, with a 40.4% decrease in revenue compared to the previous week and a loss of 620 screens by Friday. Wicked’s box office trajectory, however, could boost significantly amid its recent Academy recognition.
On Thursday, January 23, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences acknowledged the Universal offering across 10 categories, making it one of the most nominated films.
Both lead actresses, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, received acting nominations for their performances as Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. The former earned a Best Actress nod, while the latter made it to the Best Supporting Actress list, just like the 2025 Golden Globes.
Wicked’s other nominations came in the Best Picture, Best Production Design, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Costume Design, Best Music (Original Score), Best Editing, and Best Hair and Makeup Styling categories.
The timing of these Oscar nominations could be pivotal for the film, as makers would expect it to reignite interest among moviegoers. If the film ends up benefiting at all from the awards buzz, it might see a surge in ticket sales, assisting it in reaching at least $470 million and, at best, surpassing the aforementioned Frozen 2 record.
Wicked will need to retain its screens, though, to mint more money. It doesn’t seem like a challenging task, as it is common for theater owners to add screens for award-buzz-worthy features. For instance, we saw The Substance expand from 8 screens to 481 across the U.S. following Demi Moore’s Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy win at the 82nd Golden Globes earlier this year.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, who the Academy snubbed, Wicked brings the 2003 Tony-winning Broadway musical to the big screen. The film offers a retelling of the witches of Oz, exploring the deep bond between them. Based on Gregory Maguire’s best-selling 1995 novel, the film adaptation retains the powerful music by Stephen Schwartz and the captivating screenplay penned by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox.
Wicked 2, officially titled Wicked: For Good, is also on the way, set for a November 2025 release. The next few weeks will be crucial in determining how far the first installment can go, with its final box office performance closely tied to its Oscar campaign.
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