Universal Pictures is claiming rumors that spread over the weekend of a pay disparity between Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are “completely false.” Troubling reports went viral over the weekend stating Grande received $15 million for her performance in the movie adaptation of one of the 21st-century’s most celebrated musicals, while Erivo only took home $1 million. The issue has now ballooned to the point that the studio feels the need to comment on it.
According to TheWrap, who reportedly spoke with a Universal spokesperson, the two leads received equal pay. They even referred to the reports as “completely false” and “based on Internet fodder.” Despite originating from dubious sources with little to no evidence to back up these claims, several outlets picked up the reports, which helped the rumors gain even more traction.
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Not only is Universal claiming these reports are false, but the studio asserts that both actresses were paid equally for their work in Wicked. Of course, these rumors have done little to slow down the musical juggernaut as Wicked easily won its opening weekend box office face-off with Gladiator II. Not only that, but the film has also become one of the best-reviewed musical adaptations of all time.
What’s Next for ‘Wicked?’
To the dismay of many fans, Universal has decided to split the musical into two films. Wicked (2024) is already roughly ten minutes longer than the original Broadway musical, but there is still an entire act to adapt for the big screen. Still, this doesn’t appear to have hampered the initial film in any meaningful way, as Wicked reviews have been largely stellar.
Movie musicals look to dominate theaters as Moana 2 and Wicked are teaming up for one the biggest Thanksgiving weekends at the box office in years. Not only is Wicked enjoying financial success, but it will also look to collect Academy Award nominations early next year. In fact, Universal is likely to push Wicked for just about every major award, from Best Actress to Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, a ton of technical categories, and even Best Picture.
As both movies were filmed back to back, fans don’t have to wait too long as Wicked: Part Two is scheduled to release on November 21, 2025. For those curious to know what the sequel might have in store, director Jon M. Chu teases that Part Two is all about consequences.
- Release Date
- November 22, 2024
- Cast
- Cynthia Erivo , Ariana Grande , Michelle Yeoh , Jeff Goldblum , Jonathan Bailey , Ethan Slater , Marissa Bode , Bowen Yang , Bronwyn James , Keala Settle , Peter Dinklage , Aaron Teoh , Grecia De la Paz , Colin Michael Carmichael , Adam James , Andy Nyman , Courtney Mae-Briggs , Sharon D. Clarke , Jenna Boyd
- Runtime
- 160 Minutes