Wicked: For Good Sees Steep Box Office Drop as Zootopia Steals Away Family Audiences

Wicked: For Good saw a steep second weekend box office drop amid huge competition during the holiday weekend. The Universal musical stormed into theaters with a stronger debut than the original Wicked, which many saw as a promising start for Universal’s two-part adaptation of the beloved Broadway hit. But as the dust settles on the Thanksgiving frame, a worrying trend is emerging: that second weekend plunge.

While the sequel opened to an impressive $143 million domestically—far exceeding the first film’s $112 million debut—Wicked: For Good’s second weekend box office drop has significantly narrowed the performance gap between the two films.

Ariana Grande sits among propaganda magazines in Wicked: For Good – Universal

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For its second weekend, Wicked: For Good brought in $62 million, a 57.3% drop from its debut. The musical scored $93 million domestically over the full 5-day holiday weekend. That number isn’t disastrous by any means, but it is far below the first film’s second-week achievement. Vulture reports that Wicked actually pulled in $118 million in its second week, proving that the original had stronger staying power than the sequel.

Instead, we’re seeing a classic case of a front-loaded blockbuster. The sequel’s opening weekend soared high, but now the pace is slowing, and the momentum isn’t following the trajectory Universal was hoping for. With the global total standing at $393.3 million after 10 days, For Good is performing well—but not well enough to suggest runaway legs or billion-dollar potential.

And the key question is: Why?

A Rewatchability Problem

One of the biggest factors behind the Wicked: For Good box office drop is tone—and more specifically, rewatchability.

Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in Wicked: For Good – Universal Pictures

The first Wicked wasn’t just a movie; it was an event. A vibrant, upbeat, colorful musical with massive appeal and strong repeat ticket sales. Many fans returned two, three, even four times—so many, in fact, that Universal released a special sing-along version to capitalize on the ongoing hype.

Wicked: For Good does not have that same energy, by design.

This sequel is essentially the second act of the play and the third act of the overarching story—darker, heavier, and far less self-contained. While the first film stood on its own with a satisfying emotional arc, For Good is the bridge to the finale.

Ariana Grande as Glinda in Wicked – Peacock

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It’s moodier, bleaker, and tied deeply to lore established earlier. That kind of storytelling works well for devoted fans, but it doesn’t encourage mass rewatching.

A musical without repeat business is a musical with softening legs.

Zootopia 2 Steals Away the Family Box Office

Disney didn’t just win the weekend — it devoured it. With Zootopia 2 roaring past the half-billion-dollar mark globally in its opening haul, the animated sequel immediately positioned itself as the dominant family film of the holiday corridor. That massive wave of family attendance had a very real effect on Wicked: For Good, which suddenly found itself boxed out of the repeat-viewing demographic that helped propel the original to such strong legs last year.

Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps at the police station in Zootopia 2 – YouTube, Disney

Families who might have split viewings between multiple movies instead overwhelmingly chose Zootopia 2. Its broader four-quadrant appeal, stronger presence in international markets, and brighter, more energetic tone made it the default holiday choice — leaving For Good with a narrower audience pool.

Sequels thrive when competition is soft; this competition was anything but.

Overseas Markets Cool on Wicked: For Good

While the sequel’s domestic numbers have been strong — and remain the backbone of its performance — international markets are not responding at the same level. Only $29.4 million of its recent weekend came from overseas markets, a sharp contrast to the global surges enjoyed by competitors like Zootopia 2.

Elphaba and Glinda on a swing in Wicked: For Good – Universal

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Musicals can be hit-or-miss internationally, and the darker, more serialized nature of For Good may be limiting its appeal outside North America.

The result is a box office haul mostly coming from the U.S. and Canada, not from the global market Universal was counting on. And without robust overseas lift, reaching that elusive billion-dollar mark becomes even more unlikely.

The Billion-Dollar Question

Universal hoped to push this franchise into the billion-dollar megahit club, but with this second weekend Wicked box office drop narrowing any advantage gained by the stronger opening weekend, that goal is looking increasingly unlikely. The first film fell short of that threshold—despite enormous fan passion, rising holiday buzz, and outstanding word-of-mouth.

Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked – Peacock

If Wicked, with its stronger second-weekend performance, missed the mark… For Good, with early signs of steeper drop-off and a darker narrative, may follow the same path.

There’s still time for the film to climb, but the trajectory isn’t pointing toward a magical late-season surge. Instead, it seems the series may land in the same financially respectable—but not record-breaking—range.

Final Takeaway

A strong debut doesn’t tell the full story. As this second weekend Wicked box office drop highlights, legs matter far more than opening-weekend fireworks. And for a musical rooted in fan enthusiasm and repeat viewings, the tone shift of Wicked: For Good may be its biggest obstacle amid tough competition.

And make no mistake, pulling a $750 million run certainly won’t be a disaster for the film. But Universal was likely hoping for a megahit, and to make its first mark on the elusive 2025 billion dollar club. That’s looking less likely now.

Ariana Grande in Wicked – Peacock

Universal wanted to defy gravity. But after the second weekend, it looks like the box office may be pulling this sequel right back down to earth.

Are you surprised by this Wicked: For Good second weekend box office drop? Sound off in the comments and let us know!

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