"Wicked: For Good" Earns $30.8 Million in Previews Amidst Mixed Critical Reception

"Wicked: For Good" has made a strong box office debut, earning $30.8 million from preview showings in the week leading up to its November 21, 2025, U.S. theatrical release. However, the cinematic conclusion to the two-part musical adaptation has opened to a landscape of mixed critical reviews, with some critics questioning its narrative execution.

Directed by Jon M. Chu, "Wicked: For Good" is the highly anticipated second installment of the film series, adapting the beloved Broadway musical which re-imagines L. Frank Baum's "The Wizard of Oz" from the perspective of its witches. Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West, alongside Ariana Grande as Glinda, as their complex relationship unfolds leading to the iconic events in Oz.

Among the early assessments, Justin C. Chang of The New Yorker offered a particularly sharp critique regarding the film's plot development. > "It seems that 'Wicked: For Good' exists to maneuver the events of 'The Wizard of Oz' into position," Justin C. Chang wrote, adding a pointed question: > "But must they be maneuvered so clumsily, and with such a glaring absence of brains or heart?" This sentiment was echoed by Donald Clarke of The Irish Times, who rated the film two out of five stars, criticizing its "brash visual aesthetic."

Despite some harsh critiques, the film's overall reception has been categorized as "mixed or average." On Rotten Tomatoes, 70% of 212 critics gave positive reviews, while Metacritic assigned a score of 59 out of 100 based on 53 critics. Some early reactions, however, lauded the sequel as superior to the first film and praised the performances of Erivo and Grande.

Audience enthusiasm for "Wicked: For Good" appears robust, with its $30.8 million from previews marking the highest preview gross of the year. Fandango reported it as their best first-day ticket pre-seller of 2025, surpassing several other major releases and indicating strong public interest in the conclusion of the Ozian saga. The film is projected to achieve a domestic opening weekend between $112 million and $180 million.