The first hint that something unusual was happening came not from critics but cash registers. For the first time in nine weekends, the North American box office cracked $100 million—on the back of a PG-rated Broadway musical—with Wicked: For Good opening to an estimated $150 million in the U.S. and Canada and $226 million worldwide. It did more than outpace last year’s first installment; theater trackers estimate it sold roughly two million more tickets on opening weekend than Wicked did in 2024. That’s not just good; for a market mired in a fall slump, it is counter-programming with teeth.

Common Knowledge

There are predictable narratives— and then there is Oz . On the center-left, the tone since the opening has been equal parts relief and delight. The Washington Post celebrated

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