At the 2025 Golden Globe Awards, the film version of the popular Broadway musical “Wicked” won the cinematic and box office achievement award, marking a major milestone. The film broke box office records worldwide and has been recognized for it.
Director Jon M. Chu, born and raised in the Bay Area, gave an emotional victory speech. He linked the American dream of his immigrant parents and the film’s themes of hope and strength. Chu talked about his family’s trip and their Los Altos restaurant, Chef Chu’s. “My parents came to this country and loved ‘Wizard of Oz.'” He said, “They tell us about the yellow brick road and the place over the rainbow where your dreams come true if you dare to dream it.”
Since its opening in November, “Wicked” has broken box office records. With $681.3 million in worldwide sales, it recently passed “Mamma Mia!” to become the highest-grossing Broadway musical version ever. The film did very well in its first weekend, making $114 million in ticket sales in the United States.
Chu praised the film’s loyal fans in his speech. “This is for you, the fans who came to the movie theaters to bring your friends and families,” he told us. He said he was excited about their videos, sing-alongs, and themed goods. According to Chu, the film is “a radical act of optimism,” emphasizing the significance of producing upbeat art during difficult times.
“Wicked,” starring Ariana Grande as Galinda/Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, had four nods going into the Golden Globes. One of them was for best picture in the musical or comedy category. The film was still a highlight of the night even though it lost this award to “Emilia Pérez.” The host, Nikki Glaser, talked about it several times in her monologue, leading to several popular moments.
Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum had a memorable conversation when giving an award. They joked about how famous they were on the internet. As part of Glaser’s opening comments, the ceremony references a famous “holding space” interview with the film’s leads.
The success of Wicked has already made people excited for Wicked: For Good, which comes out on November 21. Chu says the second book will be about identity and belonging, asking questions like “Why would you want to defend a place that doesn’t want you?” and exploring the idea of home.