Delivering another huge boost for musicals, Universal’s Wicked took home the award for best cinematic and box office achievement at the 2025 Golden Globes after wowing audiences across the globe over the year-end holidays. It’s only the second time the honor has been handed out in an effort to make sure more populist movies are recognized.
Wickedfrom director Jon M. Chu and veteran Hollywood producer Marc Platt, has smashed numerous records since debuting over Thanksgiving and is a huge win for top Universal and NBCUniversal exec Donna Langley. Through Sunday, it has earned $644 million globally, making it the top-grossing Broadway musical adaptation of all time after passing up Oh mama!. It had previously achieved the same milestone domestically, where it has earned $432 million to date.
In appropriate fashion, Vin Diesel of Fast & Furious Fame was tasked with announcing the winner at Sunday night’s telecast. He noted that while he’s had the privilege of working as a young actor with such auteurs as Steven Spielberg and Sydney Lumet, “I’ve also been blessed to be a part of something else called the blockbuster: The movies that break through borders and unite people globally. When these movies work, they remind us we are all one family sharing a collective experience,” he said. “So when the Golden Globe created this award and asked me to present it, I had one thought: ‘it’s about time.’”
Taking the stage to accept the award with Chu and the film’s stars, Platt said there were hundreds to thank: “We all joyfully journeyed down the yellow brick road with our director, Jon M. Chu.”
Taking the microphone, Chu said his parents “came to this country and they loved The Wizard of Oz.” He said the film’s success shows how important it is to make movies at at time “when pessimism and negativism rule the planet. We can still make art that is a radical art of optimism.”
Wicked was also nominated for best picture for a musical or comedy (the winner of that category will be announced later in the night). Wicked star Ariana Grande was also nominated for best supporting actress, but the top prize went instead to Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez. Grande’s co-star Cynthia Erivo, was nominated for best actress, musical/comedy (Demi Moore of The Substance prevailed). The duo have been lauded by critics and audiences for their performance in Wickedand have been a favorite on the red carpet throughout awards season, including at Sunday’s Globe ceremony. Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum also star in the film and joined Chu, Platt, Grande and Erivo on stage.
Last year, Barbie won the inaugural cinematic achievement and box office award.
Wicked had some serious compeition in the cinematic achievement and box office category, considering that Pixar’s Inside Out 2 and Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverineboth from Disney’s film empire, grossed north of $1 billion at the global box office to rank as the top-grossing animated movie of all time and the top-earning R-rated pic ever, respectively. Inside Out 2 is perched at $1.69 billion, followed by the Deadpool threequel with $1.34 billion.
Other films competing for the award were Disney/20th Century’s Alien: Romulus ($350.9 million), Warner Bros.’ Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ($451.1 million), Paramount’s Gladiator II ($435.2 million to date), Universal’s Twisters ($371 million) and DreamWorks Animation’s The Wild Robot ($324.3 million). All grosses listed are global.
The Golden Globes introduced the new award several years after the Academy Awards proposed a new category that would recognize more commercial fare after years of declining ratings as smaller specialty fare often walked away with the Oscar for best picture. The proposal, however, was dropped almost immediately amid concerns that it would somehow send the message that box office blockbusters were second-class citizens and didn’t deserve consideration for top honors.
Sources say Warners and Legendary didn’t submit Dune: Part IIanother top-grossing 2024 film, for the 2025 Golden Globe’s cinematic and box office achievement award for similar reasons (instead it landed a nomination for best picture, drama).
To qualify for the cinematic and box office achievement award, a feature needed to top $150 million at the global box office, with at least $100 million coming domestically. Alternatively, a streaming movie could be considered if it obtained commensurate digital streaming viewership recognized by trusted industry sources, the Globes said when it first announced the category in fall of 2023. This year, the Globes partnered with data company Luminate, a joint venture between PMC and Eldridge Luminate provided streaming viewership data for all submitted films in the cinematic and box office acheivement category, with analysis done via Luminate’s Streaming Viewership product.
Golden Globes producer Dick Clark Productions is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge that also owns The Hollywood Reporter.
The 2025 Golden Globes, hosted by comedian Nikki Glaser, were held Sunday evening at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Find the full list of winners here.
