There’s a huge buzz around Wicked: For Good, and the numbers show it. Universal shared that the first trailer for the sequel was watched 113 million times online in its first day. That’s 38 million more than the first Wicked trailer got in the same time.
It also outperformed the trailers for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Mufasa: The Lion King, and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, all of which were aimed at broad audiences.
The current record for most trailer views in 24 hours still belongs to Deadpool & Wolverine with 365 million views. While trailer views don’t always predict how a movie will perform at the box office, this is definitely a strong start.
Also Read: ‘Wicked’ Soundtrack Vinyl Tops Amazon Charts Following Cynthia Erivo Oscars Performance
The Wicked films are based on the popular Broadway musical, which itself is inspired by Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel—a twist on The Wizard of Oz. The 2024 Wicked movie covered the first part of the musical. It told the story of Elphaba Thropp (played by Cynthia Erivo) and how she began to turn into the Wicked Witch of the West. It also focused on her surprising friendship with her classmate Galinda Upland (Ariana Grande), who becomes Glinda the Good, during their time at Shiz University.
The upcoming sequel will finish the story, following how Elphaba and Glinda grow apart as they accept their roles—Elphaba as the Wicked Witch and Glinda as the Good Witch. The movie will also show how their actions affect all of Oz and will tie in with Dorothy’s journey in the classic Oz story. Director Jon M. Chu returns for the sequel, with the script written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox.
Although the trailer garnered over 100 million views, the movie still needs to perform well in theaters to match the success of the first film. That first Wicked movie was a big hit with both critics and fans, earning 87% and 95% approval scores on Rotten Tomatoes. It also generated over $755 million globally, making it the highest-earning Broadway adaptation ever. It won two Oscars out of ten nominations, making it a strong act to follow.
Source: Variety