Wicked has overtaken The Phantom of the Opera in sales and is now the second highest grossing musical of all time. The Wizard of Oz-inspired story has taken more than USD1.12bn (€1.05bn) at the box office since it opened in 2003.
It has also reached USD1bn in sales faster than any other musical and is now the fourth longest-running musical on Broadway, with more than 5,700 performances to date. In addition, the show has earned more than USD4.5bn worldwide thanks to touring productions and a West End show staged since 2006.
Wicked tells the story of Elphaba (later to become Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (Glinda the Good Witch), two friends with different outlooks on the life. Based on the 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, it is set in Oz, beginning prior to Dorothy’s arrival from Kansas, and follows the downfall of Elphaba and Galinda’s friendship.
However, Wicked still has some way to go to catch The Lion King, which currently has USD1.38bn in Broadway receipts and more than USD6bn worldwide.