Wicked Magic: A Musical Tale That Broke Records

The movie "Wicked: For Good" has made a big splash at the box office. It pulled in $150 million in North America alone during its first weekend. This beat the previous record set by another musical adaptation, "Wicked, " which made $112. 5 million in its debut. Globally, "Wicked: For Good" raked in $226 million, making it the biggest opening ever for a stage musical adaptation. The film's success isn't just about the numbers. It's also about the audience. Over 70% of the viewers were women, showing that the story of Elphaba and Glinda has a strong appeal. The movie got an "A" grade from CinemaScore, just like the first film. This suggests that fans of the musical are happy with how the story continues on the big screen. "Wicked: For Good" is a darker take compared to the first part, but audiences still loved it. The film follows Elphaba, now known as the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda as they face new challenges in the land of Oz. With a catchy soundtrack and a familiar story, it's likely that many people will want to see it more than once. The movie's success is a big deal for the film industry. It's helping to boost the box office during a time when there haven't been many major hits. While other upcoming releases like "Zootopia 2" and "Avatar: Fire and Ash" might help, "Wicked: For Good" is giving the industry a much-needed lift. Not all new releases had the same luck. "Sisu: Road to Revenge" and "Rental Family" didn't do as well. "Rental Family, " starring Brendan Fraser, got good reviews but only made $3. 3 million in its opening weekend. "Sisu 2" did even worse, making just $2. 6 million, which is less than its predecessor. Holdover films like "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" and "Predator: Badlands" are still in the top five. However, they might struggle to make back their huge budgets. "Badlands" has made $159. 6 million globally, but with a $105 million budget, it's not clear if it will be profitable. "The Running Man, " with a $110 million budget, has only made $48. 3 million worldwide, which is even more concerning.