Wicked triumphs over Gladiator at the box office

Wicked is raking in the cash at the US box office, with takings for the Universal film coming in on the higher side of projections.

The big screen version of the Broadway musical is looking likely to be the third-biggest US domestic opening of the year.

Now forecasting a $117 million (£93 million) opening weekend, Wicked sits behind Deadpool & Wolverine at $211 million (£168 million) and Inside Out 2 at $151 million (£120 million) of all the 2024 releases to date. Paramount's Gladiator II has landed in second place with a projected opening weekend of $60 million (£48 million).

The staggering amount will earn the movie the title of "the biggest opening weekend for a film based on a Broadway adaption", according to Deadline.

The success comes in the wake of an emotional promotional tour by co-stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.

Wicked tells the story of a green-skinned woman who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West and serves as a prequel to The Wizard Of Oz. Filming took about a year, with principal photography starting in December 2022 in England.

The shoot was paused in July 2023 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, only to pick back up after the winter holidays of that same year and eventually wrap in January 2024.

Director Jon M Chu decided to film the adaptation in two separate movies, so that means the cast and crew will be back on the promo circuit again this time next year.