Wicked: For Good vs. Wicked – Which Film Delivered The Superior Earnings-to-Budget Performance?

Comparing the budgets and worldwide grosses of the two Wicked films to find out which installment has delivered the better returns relative to its budget

- December 12, 2025 | 1:36 PM IST

Wicked: For Good vs. Wicked - Box Office Performance — Wicked: For Good vs. Wicked – Box Office Performance (Photo Credit –Facebook)

John M. Chu’s critically acclaimed musical fantasy film, Wicked, was released in 2024 and eventually became the fifth-highest-grossing movie of the year with its $758.8 million global haul (as per Box Office Mojo). In comparison, the 2025 sequel, Wicked: For Good, has collected $445.6 million worldwide and currently ranks as the 13th highest-grossing title of this year. Now, the question is: which one of these films has delivered a higher return compared to its budget? Let’s break down the numbers.

Wicked vs. Wicked: For Good – Box Office Comparison

Here’s how the two films performed at the global box office, according to Box Office Mojo data:

Wicked – Box Office Summary

Domestic: $475 million
International: $283.8 million
Worldwide: $758.8 million

Wicked: For Good – Box Office Summary

Domestic: $302.3 million
International: $143.3 million
Worldwide: $445.6 million

As the above numbers indicate, the first Wicked film grossed $758.8 million globally, significantly ahead of Wicked: For Good, which currently stands at $445.6 million worldwide. That’s a sizable gap of approximately $313.2 million, one that the 2025 sequel is unlikely to close at this stage.

However, raw box office totals don’t always tell the full story. To understand how each film performed financially, it’s essential to examine its earnings-to-budget ratios.

Here’s how the two Wicked films compare when production costs are taken into account.

Wicked vs. Wicked: For Good – Earnings-to-Budget Calculation

According to an earlier report by Variety, both Wicked and Wicked: For Good were produced on an estimated budget of $150 million each. Based on these figures, the first film delivered an impressive earnings-to-budget ratio of approximately 5.1, while the sequel generated returns equal to about 3 times its budget.

This indicates that the original Wicked not only achieved a significantly higher global box office total but also delivered a more efficient earnings-to-budget performance, especially since both installments were made at the same estimated cost.

Interestingly, when viewed together, the two films earned a combined $1.2 billion worldwide against a cumulative budget of $300 million, meaning the franchise as a whole delivered returns of roughly 4 times its total production cost.

What’s Wicked & Wicked: For Good All About

The two Wicked films follow Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) from their early days as classmates to their rise in a divided Oz. Their friendship grows but is tested by politics, public opinion, and their own beliefs. In the end, the choices they make shape their futures and change the fate of Oz forever.