This declare, included in Universal’s thorough and spectacular record of box office achievements for 2024, is technically true: “Domestically ‘Wicked‘ is now … the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation of all-time at the domestic office ahead of ‘Grease‘ ($188.62M).”
Also technically true is that “The Grinch” is greater than “Gone with the Wind,” “Sing” is greater than “Jaws,” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is greater than “The Godfather.” Also, the 1977 first “Star Wars” is simply the third largest success of that franchise.
Presenting grosses with out adjusting skews the true image of how they evaluate. It is a major case of film historical past erasure, an all-too widespread prevalence lately. The considerably (however not not possible most often) effort to type out the true success of movies via historical past begins with adjusting field workplace takes to present ticket costs. Normally, that’s pretty easy, since we all know the prices by 12 months and might do the maths. For prime musicals, it will get a bit trickier.
Most of the largest musicals from 1955 (“Oklahoma”) via 1971 (“Fiddler on the Roof”) have been roadshows. That meant their preliminary displays in massive cities have been unique runs, typically for months, at costs a lot increased than the typical ticket worth. That means adjusting their gross based mostly on the typical on the time they performed doesn’t work. For all these movies, a considerable quantity — seemingly even the bulk — of their tickets got here from what was marketed as “popular” costs, the typical on the time.
So, easy methods to calculate the traditionally and mathematically extra correct place of “Wicked” amongst each Broadway musical and play movie diversifications? Even with the fundamental numbers out there, the movie’s efficiency is so spectacular, that it truly could stand out extra than the “highest-grossing” declare Universal is boasting already.
Through seven weeks of launch, “Wicked” will has grossed round $454 million within the U.S./Canada. It seems to finish up near $500 million (it’s out there on PVOD, however Oscar nominations subsequent week ought to increase it). That will make it, at a minimal, one of many prime 5 Broadway diversifications ever. It might presumably go as excessive as third place. To place wherever within the prime 10, not to mention in such a brief interval, is a terrific achievement.
But due to the difficulties in determining the true comparable takes of the opposite movies on that prime 10 record, it isn’t clear whether or not “Wicked” is the third largest Broadway adaptation or maybe the sixth. No matter. The different movies in its league are all thought of to be large successes, and thus, “Wicked” is as properly, by advantage of its firm.
The prime two are simple sufficient to determine. “The Sound of Music,” if adjusted to 2022 costs (they’re increased now), grossed over $1.3 billion within the U.S./Canada per Box Office Mojo. Because it was initially a roadshow presentation — once more: an elevated presentation at increased costs — its early dates had tickets above the typical degree for 1965. That, in flip, reduces the upper adjusted quantity, which is predicated on a decrease degree. It turns into tougher to be exact, however an informed guess is its adjusted complete remains to be over $1 billion. That’s double “Wicked.”
Easier nonetheless is the non-roadshow “Grease” in 1978. It stands at over $700 million for second place, with no roadshow numbers to parse.
Then it turns into difficult. “My Fair Lady” (1964), “West Side Story” (1961), and “Fiddler on the Roof” (1971) all look to be over $500 million. However, all three have been roadshows initially, so it’s potential they fall under the half-billion mark, once more like “The Sound of Music” when adjusted. (“Fiddler on the Roof” oddly doesn’t seem on Box Office Mojo’s adjusted list, nevertheless it was the #1 movie of 1971 by far, and the reported movie rental figures counsel an over $500 million complete adjusted earlier than bearing in mind the roadshow issue.)
Among that group of 5 movies, three of which “Wicked” both outgrossed or got here near, are three Oscar Best Picture winners (“West Side Story,” “My Fair Lady,” and “The Sound of Music”). The different two Broadway musical diversifications to win (“Oliver” and “Chicago”) grossed, adjusted, round $300 million, under “Wicked.”
The different 4 musicals among the many obvious all-time prime 10 are “Funny Girl,” “South Pacific,” “Oklahoma,” and “Guys and Dolls.” In all, that’s a killer’s row of best-known Broadway musicals on movie, and simply coming into the record is a large win. Being as excessive as third can be phenomenal.
Other big-name musicals decrease on the record, although nonetheless hits, embody “Cabaret,” “Les Misérables,” “Mamma Mia,” and “Dreamgirls.” Meantime, different Broadway reveals of notice that flopped as motion pictures embody “Cats,” “The Color Purple,” and “Rent.” “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Sweeney Todd,” at greatest, have been mildly profitable.
The most spectacular achievement of all is that among the many 10 largest, the newest “Grease,” got here out 46 years in the past. Most have been boosted by the status of a roadshow presentation. Broadway musicals misplaced their enchantment by the Nineteen Seventies, with solely intermittent success (normally owed to rock-related components). That “Wicked” has managed this can be a large credit score to all concerned.
Some different findings: Two non-Broadway musicals rank within the prime 10 within the style. “Mary Poppins” can be both second or third. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (on stage in London, however not on Broadway earlier than the film), with its fixed play largely as a midnight present for practically a half-century, additionally seems adjusted to be over $500 million.
Three play diversifications would make the record of 10 largest Broadway diversifications, with “Mr. Roberts” (1955) main the best way, adopted by “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (1967) and “The Odd Couple” (1968). That type of movie is sort of lifeless. In 2024, “The Piano Lesson” was a uncommon exception, and that it was made for Netflix, not theatrical, is telling.
For certain, it’s spectacular — although at some deceptive — to mark “Wicked” as the largest Broadway-to-film hit ever. But a extra nuanced have a look at the place it stands amongst different classics truly makes it seem much more excellent.
The bounty continues: Universal simply introduced that within the first seven days of PVOD play, revenues from digital obtain and leases got here to $70 million. Based on the business understanding of studio share, which means they earned someplace round $50 million from that supply already.
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