So how does Wicked have a chance with how West Side tanked?

I'm not saying it doesn't but people weigh in-

What's gonna make that success different?

West Side Story's box office is really REALLY a bad bad sign for the future of these Hollywood funded movie musicals.

This feels like the Hello Dolly.

Updated On: 12/13/21 at 04:11 PM

Unless it's a superhero movie, people (myself included) aren't flocking to movie theaters anymore post lockdown.

It's been like 5 days.

Well it’s not really a fair comparison. Aside from them both being musicals, they don’t really have that much in common. Wicked is more contemporary, less dramatic, appeals to a younger crowd, has a pop superstar in one of the leads, doesn’t already have have a beloved film version to compare it to, has the Oz thing going for it, etc. Plus Wicked probably won’t be out for another 2 years, so the the Covid situation and the moviegoing experience will likely be very different.

On the other hand, I can’t see Wicked getting the kind of critical love West Side is getting. So apples and oranges, really.

NOWaWarning said: "Well it’s not really a fair comparison. Aside from them both being musicals, they don’t really have that much in common. Wicked is more contemporary, less dramatic, appeals to a younger crowd, has a pop superstar in one of the leads, doesn’t already have have a beloved film version to compare it to, has the Oz thing going for it, etc. Plus Wicked probably won’t be out for another 2 years, so the the Covid situation and the moviegoing experience will likely be very different.

On the other hand, I can’t see Wicked getting the kind of critical love West Side is getting. So apples and oranges, really."

I think maybe this is what I've never fully understood about Wicked's fan base and people can help me out. Is it actually large or is the ability to see it live as a spectacle what makes it?

There's no question it's a money making juggernaut. But I had always wondered is that because as an event its so thrilling for people.

Consider Phantom of the Opera the movie. Why wasn't that as big of a hit as the broadway show was? Yeah it's not a good movie but shouldn't it have an enormous baked in audience based on the success of the live show?

From a producing standpoint there was a bunch of chances for movie musicals this year that tried different tactics:

In the Heights- Lin Manuel Miranda's musical, Best Musical hit, attract the Hamilton fans

Flopped.

Dear Evan Hansen- Winner of Best Musical, kids are super into it.

Flopped.

West Side Story- Gorgeous re imagining of a classic musical everyone knows with an acclaimed director.

Flopped.

And CERTAINLY the pandemic had lots to do with it. No question. But that fact is still not going to make Producers hungry to drop 100 million on another movie musical meant for movie theaters.

rattleNwoolypenguin said: “I think maybe this is what I've never fully understood about Wicked's fan base and people can help me out. Is it actually large or is the ability to see it live as a spectacle what makes it?

There's no question it's a money making juggernaut. But I had always wondered is that because as an event its so thrilling for people.

Consider Phantom of the Opera the movie. Why wasn't that as big of a hit as the broadway show was? Yeah it's not a good movie but shouldn't it have an enormous baked in audience based on the success of the live show?"

Wicked does have a big fan base, but the Wizard of Oz is an internationally recognized cultural touchstone. I once heard someone describe Wicked as the perfect show because it’s both something that audiences already know and a new story. And then there’s the visual spectacle for people to admire, like you mentioned.

Phantom probably would have been a much bigger hit had it come out 10 years earlier. I think audiences had at least somewhat moved on by 2004. Plus the film wasn’t good, so word of mouth killed it.

That's definitely a good point about the Wizard of Oz thing.

Bizarrely a known fairy tale related property still has a fighting chance in a movie theater proven by Disney's Live action fairy tale remakes (as soulless as they are)

I actually think this fact helped Into the Woods do pretty solidly in movie theaters. No one ever talks about how well it recouped. It wasn't clear enough to the masses that it's a contemplative Sondheim musical, and they marketed it more as a great cast plays all your favorite fairy tale characters. It got enough butts in seats on that premise alone for Christmas day. It didn't have great word of mouth but they made bank on Christmas time family movie goers.

So by that logic Wicked could do great.

Updated On: 12/13/21 at 04:50 PM

This is premature. I'm certain that WSS would have done much better had the pandemic not happened. Wicked will most likely be dealing with a different world. It doesn't start shooting until summer of 2022 and won't be released for at least another year or two. There's little comparison to be made.

One thing I will say is that WSS should have had the cast go out and sing, especially Rachel.

I think on some level Christmas would've helped-



but it's also known how sad it ultimately is. I could easily see families saying "No let's not see that. It's too sad for Christmas."

I think West Side Story is not only being hurt at the box office due to it being released during a global pandemic, but also because it doesn't have a super starry cast, it's over two and a half hours long, and it's about to go up against some bigger tentpole films like Spider-Man: No Way Home and The Matrix Resurrections.

It 100% matters.

We still do have rom coms.

The film will never have the success of the stage show, it's decades old, please. Lower your expectations.