Wicked: Universal’s Multi-Million Dollar Broadway to Blockbuster Empire
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universal’s ‘Wicked’ Strategy: Building a Blockbuster Franchise
Back in 2024, Universal conjured a pink and green tornado that swept pop culture.
From themed drinks at Starbucks and dolls of Elphaba and Glinda, to joint appearances by stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana grande at the Olympics and throughout a heavily-publicized press tour, “wicked” was everywhere.
As the conclusion of the two-part film franchise heads to theaters at the end of the week, the marketing for “Wicked: For Good” has accelerated.
There are still themed Legos, but now also Gain laundry scent boosters, Swiffers and Pottery Barn bedding. There was a ”Wicked” night on rival network ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” and a “Wicked: one Marvelous Night” musical event broadcast on NBC.
The complete takeover of culture was all part of Universal’s plan to build one of its biggest and most crucial franchises, which has already brought in nearly $759 million in worldwide box office revenue for the first film not to mention the haul from merchandise sales, theme park tie-ins and other categories.
Beyond the immediate revenue,”Wicked” also gives Universal a rare,female-focused franchise,an underserved audience,particularly as so many recent films have been geared toward men.
The success of the Broadway play, which has run for more than two decades, gave Universal the confidence in its potential for the big screen said david O’Connor, president of franchise management and brand strategy at Universal Pictures. He’s also been a fan of the stage production almost from the beginning – he watched a table reading on the Universal lot, saw the musical additions to the script and its run in San Francisco.
“For us, you had this potential to really take the fanship and really make ‘Wicked’ into a cultural imperative,” he said in a call from New York ahead of the film’s premiere. “When you think about the characters, the two leads, the themes of friendship, identity and empowerment, and how that resonates universally, and then, of course, the fantastical worlds of Oz and Shiz and Munchkinland, it just seemed like such a great prospect for us.”
“Wicked” has proved to be a key boost to Universal’s lineup of blockbuster franchises.
Though the studio boasts series like “jurassic Park,” “Despicable Me” and “Fast & Furious,” it has lacked the deep roster of intellectual property that rivals like Walt Disney Co. and Warner Bros. have, said Brandon Katz, director of insights and content strategy at data firm Greenlight Analytics.
The series “has really emerged as a much-needed, fresh tentpole for Universal,” he said. “There’s such a waterfall of value that this two-part franchise creates that Universal will be banking out on this for years to come.”
The two films were shot back-to-back,with a combined production budget of $300 million,reported.