Ariana Grande's starring role in "Wicked" has delivered a record-breaking opening weekend, generating $114 million at the box office - the highest debut ever for a Broadway film adaptation.

The film's success was largely driven by its star power, with PostTrack data showing 39% of viewers attended specifically to see Grande and co-star Cynthia Erivo, while 29% were drawn by their connection to the original musical.

Combined with "Gladiator II's" $55.5 million opening, the pre-Thanksgiving weekend matched 2019's performance levels when "Frozen 2" dominated theaters. This marks the strongest showing since 2013's "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire."

The strategic Thanksgiving release timing positions "Wicked" for continued success, though it has yet to surpass Disney's "Frozen" record of $93.5 million for the five-day holiday weekend.

The film currently ranks as:

• 10th biggest November opening domestically
• 3rd biggest opening of the year
• Highest-grossing Broadway musical adaptation debut
• Ahead of "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" ($111 million)

Michael O'Leary, National Association of Theatre Owners President & CEO, noted that this success, along with strong pre-sales for upcoming releases like "Moana 2," signals a robust box office outlook heading into December and the new year.

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