Wicked’s Solo Golden Globes Win Isn’t Enough

Twists in Wicked’s Golden Globe Journey

When the Golden Globe nominations rolled out, Wicked basked in the limelight. It snagged four nods as movie aficionados anticipated its sequel, Wicked: For Good. Cynthia Erivo received a Best Actress nomination, while Ariana Grande contended for Best Supporting Actress. Yet, amid the celebratory buzz, Wicked walked away with just one award: Cinematic And Box Office Achievement.

Unexpected Results at the Golden Globes

Erivo and Grande, despite their acclaimed performances, left empty-handed. Instead, Demi Moore, for The Substance, and Zoe Saldana, in Emilia Perez, claimed the titles. Wicked, with its high hopes, faltered in the Best Musical or Comedy Motion Picture category, overtaken by Emilia Perez. The single victory in the Cinematic And Box Office Achievement seemed peculiar. Was it merely a nod to its box office success?

Assessing Wicked’s Win

Wicked’s triumph was perplexing. The movie’s merits were not limited to its financial success. Critics and viewers appreciated Grande and Erivo. Thus, a win in acting or best picture categories seemed probable. The film featured a stellar 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, outperforming the 76% of its rival, Emilia Perez. The latter film, given its Netflix release, didn’t possess the same widespread acclaim or visibility.

What Wicked brought to the table was a compelling mix of mainstream appeal and artistic merit. This successful blend seemed underrecognized at the awards. Paying tribute to it merely through box office achievement neglected its broader acclaim.

Box Office Standings and Controversies

Wicked wasn’t even the reigning box office champion. It grossed an impressive $680 million, the sixth-largest amount of 2024. Yet, movies like Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine amassed greater numbers, $1.7 billion and $1.1 billion respectively. And still, the award eluded them.

Among top earners were films like Despicable Me 4 and Moana 2, all doing better than Wicked, yet ignored by the awards. The debate arises whether sequels of animated features were just overlooked due to their genre. But if numbers are pivotal, then Inside Out 2 undeniably deserved the prize.

A Shifting Base for Awards

At face value, Wicked’s critical and audience rapport seemingly earned it the Golden Globe for Cinematic And Box Office Achievement. However, dig deeper, and its award-winning logic appears murky. Film festival trends tend towards popularity as much as numerical giants. Yet, notably, Barbie’s 2023 win had both elements comprehensively covered.

For Wicked, the juxtaposition between multiple nominations and one win is puzzling. Its defeat in Best Musical or Comedy to a divisive Netflix film is telling. While its Golden Globe nod for popularity struck a chord, the box office win seems a hollow acknowledgment. As Hollywood continues its dance with blockbusters and artistic flicks, the industry might need to re-evaluate how achievements are measured and celebrated, ensuring critical acclaim holds its rightful place on the awards stage.