Apparently this will be released in 2 parts on christmas 2024 and 2025... bizarre

$$$

Considering we got 3 Hobbit movies can't be too surprised!

A 2 part theatrical musical? Someone skipped meds. This will be so bad they have to cancel part 2. Wicked isn’t that good.

They really want to try that after Cats and West Side Story?

Wicked is a far more relevant musical than either of those but still it's not even 3 hr show there's no way this is justified

This will be a catastrophe. Hollywood is so dumb sometimes

Feel like Ariana Grande will deliver 70% of the box office here even if its an existing IP. She's the 4th most followed person in the world on Instagram (300M+). TS in Cats didn't work in her favor but this will work with AG co-anchoring.

Definitely. But I don't think Wicked is a big enough property to justify audience's commitment to two films. It's one thing when it's the last movie of a big franchise like Harry Potter or Twilight, but for a Broadway adaptation? Broadway success doesn't necessarily translate to big screen success as Cats, Jersey Boys, Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story last year, etc etc show, so it needs all the help it can get. Telling audiences "you only get to see half the story" isn't a draw.

I have a feeling this may be a result of Hollywood executives and creatives and such being really invested and reverential towards Wicked, and not realizing that to the average Joe, it's really not a big deal if they have to cut a song to make it a little shorter. Broadway is fairly niche in the first place, Wicked is famous but is it that iconic to the average moviegoer? The way they're going to market this is mainly through Wizard of Oz connection anyway. And if the musical on stage is only 2hrs 30min long, that means they're going to have to make up filler to extend it so why do it in the first place...??

It's really a baffling decision all-around. Practically self-sabotage.

I’m guessing the script pulled a lot more from the book? which was far more in-depth in every department.

Even though one film probably would be better I doubt it'll be a disaster. Hype will be there for the first film to do well. If it's not well received then the 2nd may drop dramatically but it's not like it's gonna be a franchise lol

I’m actually realizing it theoretically could have been (a franchise). I would have MUCH preferred a straight up sociopolitical fantasy series based on the books (of which there are 4). Skip the dumb musical angle, movie musicals suck.

Jeff Goldblum is in talks to play the wizard. Think this is a pretty good get and gives this more buzz.

Trailer looks promising. Smart of them to launch this during Swift's Superbowl.

This is gonna be big.

Being a part 1 is gonna hurt it but I still see 200m easy.

It being marketed as just Wicked will help though. The film abruptly stopping on a cliffhanger May hurt its legs.

Looks way more big budget than I thought it would be. I can see why they're splitting it now, it looks more like a franchise starter. With the Christmas release date it should do well.

Think this looks great.

Curious how going against Moana 2 will stick. If it does I think both could have similar totals.

I think that weekend could be the next Barbenheimer

Doesn't Wicked make more sense in the pre-Christmas Wonka spot? Just let Disney keep Thanksgiving weekend. It's all they have left.

I don't see the Wicked/Moana weekend sticking. A Gladiator/Wicked would be perfect to try to recreate Barbieheimer.

I'm seeing $300M+ possibilities here. Gladiator 2 as well going to be a massive weekend. The November movies are going to mop the floor with December.

Its foundation is based in film, The Wizard of Oz. So I don't think your point there holds up, and thus it won't be a factor in any argument that it will fail.

If it's going to fail it will be because - while it looks epic - there doesn't seem to be a narrative hook. Two hours to reaffirm identity politics isn't what people want. And I'm not sure how conservatives will respond to a black Wicked Witch of the West.

Haing said that, I think it will do fairly well. You can't really bet against CG-heavy spectacles at Christmas.

I think the floor is OZ Great and Powerful or Wonka. So over $200m.

Not sure how the two part thing will help or hinder it though.

I don't think it will hurt the first part, all the most iconic songs ("Popular", "Defying Gravity") are in the first half.

Part 2 has for good, but hopefully part 1 will be good enough people want to come back for part 2