The Unexpected Twists: NPR’s Film Critic Reflects on the Surprising Streaming Debut of ‘Wicked’

MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo have been defying gravity since just prior to Thanksgiving.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “DEFYING GRAVITY”)

ARIANA GRANDE AND CYNTHIA ERIVO: (As Galinda and Elphaba, singing) You and I defying gravity.

KELLY: Well, particularly at the box office – “Wicked” ranks as the third-largest success of 2024, with $430 million in ticket sales. In financial terms, it stands as the most triumphant film adaptation of a Broadway musical in history. Today, Universal Pictures is releasing it for home viewing following just 40 days in cinemas. That caught me off guard and seemed to astonish our film reviewer Bob Mondello as well. Hey, Bob.

BOB MONDELLO, BYLINE: It truly did (laughter).

KELLY: Indeed. So, obviously, many viewers are relishing watching “Wicked.” Why hasn’t the studio decided to make it available for everyone to enjoy from their couches?

MONDELLO: Because it would severely impact ticket revenues – the nature of the industry dictates that the film’s creators retain the bulk of ticket earnings in the initial weeks. Cinemas enjoy a larger share subsequently, which generally maintains a fair equilibrium. However, if the audience vanishes just as cinemas are beginning to capture a larger portion of the earnings, theaters might not survive. Studios depend on their health. Box office prosperity fosters additional revenue sources such as home video sales and rentals, along with cable and broadcasting. A blockbuster in cinemas enhances all other financial avenues.

KELLY: Alright, so how is this meant to function? Is there a set guideline for how long a film ought to be shown in theaters before we can watch it at home?

MONDELLO: Yes, but it is in constant flux. In the 1960s and ’70s, the wait was literally years. “The Sound Of Music” premiered in theaters in 1965, while its first TV airing didn’t occur until 11 years later in 1976.

KELLY: Amazing.

MONDELLO: That was prior to when VCRs became popular. Once cable TV and pay-per-view gained traction, the theatrical window began to shorten. By the 2000s, cinema chains were accustomed to a 90-day exclusivity period. When studios attempted to truncate that, the predominant theater chains threatened to boycott their films. The pandemic altered all of that. With theaters closed for extended periods, studios were compelled to provide their films via streaming and video-on-demand immediately. There’s now a flexible system. Major films typically have a two-month window, while smaller ones are released much faster.

KELLY: Although “Wicked,” as previously mentioned, is anything but a minor film. It is – how does the song go?

MONDELLO: (Singing) Popular (laughter).

KELLY: (Singing) Popular. So why the urgency?

MONDELLO: Well, the Christmas season is always advantageous for family films – not only “Wicked” this year, but also “Mufasa,” “Sonic The Hedgehog,” and “Moana.” However, studios are aware that once the kids return to school, the midweek attendance for all these films will likely plummet. Last year, that’s precisely what happened with “Wonka.” A week post-holidays, it was a ghost town in the theaters.

KELLY: Although today, I don’t need to inform you, is New Year’s Eve, hence no one is back in school. Are they proceeding too swiftly, jeopardizing their golden goose?

MONDELLO: They are actually attempting to hatch a new golden goose.

KELLY: (Laughter) Okay.

MONDELLO: “Wicked” is only the first segment of the narrative, remember. Its complete title is “Wicked: Part I.” While families are still together during the holidays, they’re aiming to initiate the home viewing cycle and lay the groundwork for the second part, “Wicked: For Good,” which is set to premiere next Thanksgiving. We will find ourselves having this very same discussion then.

KELLY: That is the remarkably cheeky Bob Mondello.

MONDELLO: (Laughter) Thank you kindly.

KELLY: Wishing you a Happy New Year, Bob.

MONDELLO: Happy New Year to you as well.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “DEFYING GRAVITY”)

CYNTHIA ERIVO: (As Elphaba, singing) So if you care to find me, look to the western sky.

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