‘Wicked’ Blasts Off at Box Office to $19 Million From Preview Screenings

Universal’s musical is on course for a $100 million-plus opening while “Gladiator II” earns $6.5 million

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Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in "Wicked" (Universal Pictures)

Universal’s “Wicked” is off and flying at the box office, earning $19 million from three days of preview screenings.

Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the hit Broadway musical is on course for a $100 million-plus opening, easily setting a new record for Broadway adaptations. The preview screening total includes $11 million from Thursday night previews, as well as $5.7 million from Wednesday night and $2.5 million from Monday screenings exclusively for Amazon Prime subscribers.

“Wicked” is the first of a two-part series from Chu and Universal, with each film sporting a $150 million production budget before a costly global marketing campaign.

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