Upon its recent digital release, Jon M. Chu’s Wicked movie adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande has performed remarkably well.
The film, released in theaters on November 22, 2024, was made available to buy or rent via streamers on December 31, 2024.
It continues to be a huge success for Universal Pictures as it now holds the title for biggest first day and first week of Premium Video on Demand (PVOD) sales for a theatrical movie.
It raked in $26 million in its first day of release and pulled in a total of $70 million in its first full week, per THR and Variety.
Previously, The Super Mario Bros. movie held the record for biggest on-demand video launch for the legendary studio after it earned $44 million in its first week of release in 2023.
Wicked will continue to be available to consumers via PVOD through mid-March, before landing on Peacock.
Upon its recent digital release, Jon M. Chu’s Wicked movie adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande has performed remarkably well
From now until spring, fans can rent the blockbuster for a two-day window for about $20 or buy it for $29.99.
Digital retailers offering the beloved picture include Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, among others.
Movie collectors can also preemptively buy the masterpiece on Blu-ray and DVD from Amazon, Walmart, and others ahead of its February 4 release.
Last month Ariana responded to criticism of her casting as Glinda in the movie adaptation of the hit Broadway musical.
The 31-year-old music artist appeared on an episode of the Sentimental Men podcast and discussed her role with hosts Quincy Brown and Kevin Bianchi.
Explaining the audition process, she said she felt pressure to overcome the ‘challenge’ of shedding her pop star image.
‘I felt a little bit of the initial nervousness or the sort of preconceived notions about what I might be able to deliver or not deliver, or why I would be wrong [for the role] or whatever,’ Ariana admitted.
Naming two of her hit songs, she imagined the perspective of a critic: ‘Going off of Side to Side, I probably would’ve said the same thing. I probably would’ve said, “Why the f**k? Kill me. I’ve waited 20 years for this. Kill me.” I would’ve said that as a fan from the outside. Knowing of only 7 Rings, probably I’d say, “Well, that’s bull****.” So, you know, I get it.’
The film, release d in theaters on November 22, 2024, was made available to buy or rent via streamers on December 31, 2024
Erivo and Grande play Elphaba Thropp/The Wicked Witch Of The West and Glinda Upland/Glinda The Good, resepectively, in the blockbuster movie musical; the actresses seen in November 2024
The film also stars Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Yeoh
‘This is something I loved so much about auditioning for Wicked,’ she explained.
‘It has to be earned. Anything on this scale, being a part of anything, it’s not just given because they know you for one thing.
‘So, it’s fun to kind of have the challenge of reframing people’s perception and doing the work to earn your way back into the other spaces,’ Ariana emphasized.
The Florida native studied musical theater from the age of eight and was a longtime fan of the musical, which originally starred Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, before snagging the role.
Wicked follows Elphaba and Glinda as they meet at Shiz University and share a life-changing encounter with Jeff Goldblum’s Wizard of Oz.
Universal enlisted Chu to direct the beloved story in 2021.
Its sequel will premiere on November 21, 2025.