Sunday Special: Wicked, Good?

What It Covers

The New York Times reviews Wicked For Good, examining why the two-film adaptation succeeded where other musicals failed, the viral marketing campaign, and Hollywood's struggle to attract audiences beyond young women.

Key Questions Answered

• •Young women as repeat viewers: Female audiences drive box office success by watching films multiple times and creating fan content, making them the most loyal demographic while studios continue targeting underperforming male and older audiences with insufficient product.
• •Event filmmaking strategy: Films succeed by creating urgency through premium formats like IMAX 70mm and cultural conversation momentum, making audiences feel they must participate immediately or miss out on the shared experience and discussion.
• •Act two adaptation challenges: Wicked For Good stretches forty-five minutes of stage material into two hours eighteen minutes, resulting in repetitive political messaging and thin plot despite strong performances from Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo in intimate character moments.
• •IP chain evolution: Wicked represents a century-long intellectual property chain from 1900 book to 1939 film to 2003 musical to current movies, with younger audiences potentially experiencing Wizard of Oz primarily through Wicked rather than the original.