Variety reports that, “Wicked” still knows about popular. Universal Pictures‘ musical sequel “For Good” swept up a spectacular $68.6 million across Friday and preview screenings from 4,115 locations in North America. That puts it on pace for a $151.5 million opening weekend through Sunday.
It’d be the biggest bow ever for a Broadway adaptation and the second-biggest ever for a Universal release, only behind “Jurassic World.”.
It’s also well ahead of the $112 million haul that the first “Wicked” debuted to in the same pre-Thanksgiving frame last year.
If the Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande film hits its current projections, it’ll rank among the biggest domestic openings of the year, currently led by “A Minecraft Movie” ($162 million) and the “Lilo & Stitch” remake ($146 million).
Regardless, it’s still a spectacular start for the PG-rated musical and a shot in the arm for North American theaters, which were starved of a true blockbuster for several months now.
The last film to open in the nine-digits was “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” all the way back in July. The biggest since was “The Conjuring: Last Rites” ($84 million) in early September.
Source: Variety
