A musical fantasy movie is on its way to challenge the box office dominance of movies like The Avengers and Top Gun 2 despite Joker 2’s failure.

Superhero movies and action thrillers are famous for being box office magnates, drawing audiences to the theatres in multitude. Although Barbie was an unexpected (and worthy) hit, films like The Avengers and Top Gun 2 have long dominated the business.

Wicked | Credit: Universal Pictures

However, their dominance might be challenged, and that too by a musical despite the underwhelming performance of Joker 2. Against all odds, Ariana Grande-starrer Wicked seems to be emerging as the next big thing at the box office.

Wicked En-Route to Challenge Films like The Avengers and Top Gun 2

Top Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Now who would have thought that a musical, that too a Broadway adaptation, would one day pose a serious threat to blockbusters like Marvel’s Avengers or Tom Cruise‘s Top Gun: Maverick? Often considered a niche genre, further made infamous by Joker 2‘s terrible box office performance, it might as well be on its way to getting a new lease of life with the release of Wicked.

A musical fantasy movie, Wicked is the first of two movies based on the stage musical of the same name, which is loosely based on Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. Starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, as well as acting powerhouses like Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, and Peter Dinklage.

And now, Wicked, along with Gladiator II might be headed to creating a phenomenon similar to Barbenheimer as it is eyeing a domestic debut of $120 million (via The Hollywood Reporter). Furthermore, in previews alone, the film has made $19.2 million at the domestic box office, which is bigger than The Avengers’ $18.7 million and Top Gun: Maverick’s $19.3 million (via X).

Wicked Might Turn Out to Be a Potential Box Office Blockbuster

Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Yeoh in Wicked | Credit: Universal Pictures

When the plans for Wicked were first announced, not everyone was happy due to the casting of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. But given its success in previews alone, the movie is a potential blockbuster that can spring the box office back to life. Along with Gladiator II, the musical is defying expectations with its potential grossing predictions.

Headed for a $120 million debut domestically, it would be the biggest in the history of a Broadway adaptation, the third biggest opening of this year so far, and the fourth-biggest all-time for a silver-screen musical (via The Hollywood Reporter).

Having made $19.2 million so far, the film also ranks higher than Oppenheimer, which made $10.5 but falls short of Barbie’s $22.3 million (via Variety). Having taken over $150 million to produce, it is only the first part of the musical adaptation, directed by director Jon M. Chu.

Currently having a brilliant 89% score on sites like Rotten Tomatoes, there are chances that Wicked might turn out to be an unexpected blockbuster, shattering expectations and rewriting the rules of box office dominance, especially when it comes to the otherwise underappreciated musical genre.