History was happening in Manhattan — and Madonna was on her iPad.

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It's official: _Wicked_ is now the highest-grossing live-action movie of all time featuring an out LGBTQ+ lead actor through its casting of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp — a historic box office record that's just been broken by a Black queer performer as the protagonist of the 2024 musical film. > **Sign up for the _Out_ Newsletter to keep up with what's new in LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment — delivered three times a week straight (well…) to your inbox!** As of Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, _Wicked_ has grossed over $424 million in domestic box office sales, making it the 36th highest-grossing movie of all time in domestic markets (via _Box Office Mojo_). The only film above _Wicked_ to feature an out LGBTQ+ lead is _Finding Dory_ , a 2016 animated sequel from Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures centered on the titular character voiced by out comedian Ellen DeGeneres. Trailing behind _Wicked_ is _Moana 2_ , another Disney animated sequel that also has an LGBTQ+ lead (Auliʻi Cravalho) voicing the titular character. As a non-sequel, live-action feature film, 2024's _Wicked_ can officially celebrate this historic milestone not only for the film industry in general, but also as a gravity-defying leap forward for LGBTQ+ representation, as well as Black talent, getting more opportunities in lead roles of mainstream projects. ### While the historic nature of this milestone has to do with Erivo's lead role in this live-action film, one would be remiss not to mention how incredibly queer-inclusive the overall cast of _Wicked_ was — with performers like Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero Tigelaar), Marissa Bode (Nessarose Thropp), and Bowen Yang (Pfannee) all identifying as out queer actors and bringing their talents to this cinematic triumph. Erivo was recently named the 2024 Out100 Icon of the Year, and her queer costars from _Wicked_ also appeared as honorees on the same list. As the film continues to play in theaters and starts its VOD rollout, _Wicked_ is a critically acclaimed project that achieved commercial success while also breaking box office records and making progress for LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media. A truly unlimited phenomenon. **_Wicked_ is still playing in theaters — and it's also available for digital purchases or rentals on all digital stores and marketplaces. _Wicked: For Good_ is scheduled to premiere on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025.** ###

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"Moana 2" easily toppled Thanksgiving box office records while "Wicked" enjoyed a massive second weekend.

2025 Oscar Predictions in every category which include "Anora," "Emilia Perez," "Dune 2," "Gladiator 2," "Conclave," "Saturday Night" and "Wicked."

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