What Was the ‘Wicked’ Budget? How Much Money It Cost to Make the Musical Movie

As it turns out, magic is quite expensive. With the film adaptation of the Broadway show Wicked hitting theaters on November 22, 2024, fans are more than ready to be wowed by the story of how the Wicked Witch of the West got so wicked. But what did it cost to bring the story to life on the silver screen and what was Wicked’s budget?

What Was the ‘Wicked’ Budget?

When it comes to Wicked’s budget, it topped out at around $300 million, but it’s a two-part film. Each part averaged a budget of $150 million dollars, according to Variety.

What Is ‘Wicked’ Expected to Make at the Box Office?

Early reports coming in on the day of the movie’s premiere stated that the film had made $19 million from preview screenings, and Wicked is expected to make between $100 million and $110 million during its opening weekend alone. It easily surpassed Into the Woods as the biggest debut for a Broadway adaptation which brought in $31 million.

What Were the Salaries for the Cast of ‘Wicked?’

There was a large range of salaries reported for the cast of Wicked. Showbiz Galore reported that Ariana Grande, who stars in the movie as Glinda Upland, earned the most at $15 million. Cynthia Erivo received $1 million for her part as Elphaba Thropp, while Michelle Yeoh, who plays Madame Morrible earned $2 million. Other stars like Jeff Goldblum made $2 million and Ethan Slater earned $350,000.

What Have Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivos Said About Filming ‘Wicked?’

Ariana, who has been a longtime fan of the musical, joked that if she hadn’t landed the role of Glinda, she might have “ended up in an insane asylum.” However, thanks to her vocal range and singing talents, the Scream Queens alum had no issues nabbing the part.

“Vocally, it’s very different for me than what I usually sing, so I started training every single day with my vocal coach for two-and-a-half, three months before my first audition, and my acting coach. I just wanted to be prepared to use any tool needed whatever was asked, I wanted to be able to drop in and do it and really become her,” Ariana said during a panel following a screening of Wicked on November 10, 2024. “I gave my everything to it and paused everything else.”

Both Ariana and Cynthia have been open about how much they enjoyed filming Wicked together, as well as how much the film meant to them.

“From the moment we were cast, Cynthia invited me over and we hung out for five hours and we laughed and we cried and got to know each other,” the “Seven Rings” artist said in an interview with BBC published on November 20, 2024. “We had a real conversation right off the bat about creating a safe space for each other and being honest with each other.”

Cynthia described being cast in the movie as “a real honor.”

“We’ve been handed something really special and it’s a dream come true and truly big shoes to fill,” the Harriet star concluded.