Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo at a 'Wicked' special presentation

'Wicked: Part 1' and Ariana Grande break all manner of box office records

Ariana Grande became the pop star to star in a film with the biggest box opening in the US.

Senior Writer

NOVEMBER 25, 2024 4:52 PM ESTNOV 25, 2024, 4:52 PM EST

Wicked: Part 1 is one of the biggest films of the year. Starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the film is based on the beloved Broadway musical and showed the world that audiences are still interested in these types of stories provided they're packaged well and feature the right talent.

Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande at the "Wicked" Los Angeles Premiere at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on November 9, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images) — Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande at the premiere of 'Wicked'

The film, which debuted this past Friday, broke all manner of box office records, including the biggest opening for a movie based on a Broadway musical and the biggest opening of a film starring a pop star. This latter achievement puts Grande above other pop stars who have starred in films, including Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Madonna, and Michael Jackson.

As of this writing, "Wicked: Part 1" has had the third biggest opening weekend for 2024, trailing behind "Deadpool & Wolverine," and "Inside Out 2."

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According to The New York Times, the "Wicked" premiere was attended by a large percentage of women. The publication reports that women made up 72 percent of theater-goers.

"Wicked" debuted alongside "Gladiator 2," with the films delivering this year's best box office performance. The moment was reminiscent of "Barbenheimer," the pop culture event that took place last year on the opening weekend of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer."

“This weekend’s two strong openers are invigorating a box office that fell apart after a good summer,” said film consultant David A. Gross.

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"Barbenheimer" ended up playing an important part in the ensuing Awards Season. The duo of films ended up with 21 Academy Award nominations and eight wins, including a Best Picture for "Oppenheimer."

While we're still months away from the Oscars, "Wicked" might receive some recognition from the Academy, with many predicting that Ariana Grande might get nominated for Best Supporting Actress, especially this year when the category seems undetermined. Other nominations that are expected include Costume Design and Production Design.