It's not easy to defy gravity as a musical movie, particularly one that's been adapted from a Broadway play. But with the record-breaking premiere of Universal Pictures' 'Wicked' last weekend, there may be more reason to try. The Jon M. Chu-directed adaptation topped the box office with a worldwide gross of $164.2 million, marking the biggest opening weekend for a movie based on a Broadway play, surpassing 2012’s “Les Misérables” .
Successful Broadway-to-Hollywood productions typically have a relatable story for audiences, memorable music and are well-known enough to bring out loyal fans of the stage show as well as people who had always heard about the play but never went. 'The studios are very wary of losing money.