Back in 2024, Universal created a pink and green tornado that swept pop culture.
From themed drinks at Starbucks and Elphaba and Glinda dolls to co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande performing at the Olympics and on a highly publicized press tour, “Wicked” has been everywhere.
With the conclusion of the two-part franchise set to hit theaters later this week, marketing for Wicked: For Good has accelerated.
The LEGO themed ones still exist, but now there are also Gain linen scent enhancers, Swiffers bedding and Pottery Barn. There was the “Wicked” night on rival network ABC's “Dancing with the Stars” and the “Wicked: One Wonderful Night” music event airing on NBC.
The complete cultural takeover was part of Universal's plan to create one of the biggest and most important franchises that has already brought in nearly $759 million in worldwide box office receipts for the first filmnot to mention revenue from merchandise sales, theme park tie-ins and other categories.
Beyond the immediate cash flow, “Wicked” also gives Universal a rare, female-centric franchise that has been an underserved audience, especially since many recent films have been male-centric.
The success of the Broadway play, which ran for more than two decades, gave Universal confidence in its abilities. big screen potentialsaid David O'Connor, President of Franchise Management and Brand Strategy, Universal Pictures. He's also been a fan of the production almost from the beginning—seeing a table reading at the Universal lot, seeing the musical additions to the script, and finally its screening in San Francisco.
“For us, you had the potential to really take over and turn Wicked into a cultural imperative,” he said on a call from New York ahead of the film's premiere. “When you think about the characters, the two main characters, the themes of friendship and identity and possibility and how that resonates with everyone, and then of course the fantasy worlds of Oz and Shiz and Munchkinland, it just seemed like such a great opportunity to us.”
“Wicked” proved to be a key moment in Universal's blockbuster lineup.
Although the studio boasts such series as Jurassic Park, “Despicable Me” and “The Fast and the Furious,” it lacks the deep inventory of intellectual property that rivals like Walt Disney Co. have. and Warner Bros., said Brandon Katz, director of analytics and content strategy at data firm Greenlight Analytics.
He said the series “really was a much-needed and fresh shot in the arm for Universal.” “This two-part franchise is creating such a waterfall of value that Universal will be betting on it for years to come.”
Both films were shot back-to-back, with a total production budget of $300 million, which was reportedly split equally between them.
At the moment, interest in the second film is high: As of Thursday, Wicked: For Good was the top ticket seller this year, according to Fandango. It's also the highest-rated PG in advance ticket sales on the Fandango platform, surpassing the 2017 live-action film Beauty and the Beast, the 2019 animated hit Frozen 2 and the first film Wicked.
Industry analysts estimate the film will gross between $150 million and $160 million in its opening weekend.
And the film's appeal to women is crucial, especially in a year that has seen few films aimed at female audiences. Despite the ongoing debate about lack of women's filmsThere have been few big hits lately other than 2023's “Barbie” and last year's “Wicked.”
“Every three or four years, the female audience is rediscovered by some hit,” said Alice Perrin, a professor in the department of radio, television and film at the University of Texas at Austin College of Communications. “It’s amazing how few ordinary women [films] were released.”
To reach a full audience, including those familiar with the play as well as those new to the story, Universal turned to its so-called “Symphony” program to leverage all of the company's divisions to promote the film.
The program has previously been used for films such as “Despicable Me” and has become an important part of the marketing campaign, O'Connor said.
One of the new strategies the company used to support the franchise was the “Wicked” fair, which took place on set in 2023 in London and allowed more than 200 partners to experience the story, see directors and actors, and meet heads of departments such as costumes and props. The studio had visited film sets in the past, but nothing like this.
According to O'Connor, the open house was instrumental in securing partnership agreements and began to contribute to the success of the franchise. One of them was Lego, which signed a deal with “Wicked” after the fair and was a product line partner in both films and the “Lego Masters” episode.
Because not all geographic markets are equally aware of the Broadway play, bringing in corporate brands was key to increasing awareness of “Wicked” around the world, he said.
While Wicked: For Good marks the conclusion of the two-film series, O'Connor was cagey about what's next for the franchise.
“Our focus remains on creating an experience that deepens that connection with Wicked,” he said. “And all I can say is that we're very committed to 'Wicked,' but it's probably too early to share anything more.”
