WICKED: ONE WONDERFUL NIGHT Special Attracts 3.6 Million Viewers

Following its debut on November 6, 3.6 million viewers tuned into NBC's Wicked: One Wonderful Night special over a three day period. This makes it the second-best special of the year for the network, coming in after SNL50: The Anniversary Special, which aired in February.

Additionally, the audience viewership for the concert special was up 64% from 2024's Defying Gravity: The Curtain Rises on Wicked, another behind-the-scenes special which aired ahead of Part One last November. In the 18-49 demographic group, One Wonderful Night was up 148%.

Led by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, the one-night-only event featured musical performances from both films, including "The Wizard and I," "What Is This Feeling?" "Defying Gravity," "Thank Goodness,' and more. Check out photos and performance clips from the event here, featuring cast members Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, along with original Wicked stars Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth. The full special is now streaming on Peacock and the soundtrack is available here.

Filmed at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, Wicked: One Wonderful Night transformed the venue into an Emerald City-inspired set, complete with a 37-piece live orchestra led by the award-winning musical director Stephen Oremus, plus jaw-dropping musical numbers and unforgettable performances. The evening also featured captivating dance numbers inspired by the films and reimagined for this special by Christopher Scott, the acclaimed choreographer of both Wicked and Wicked: For Good. The show concluded with a duet mashup performance from Grande and Erivo of Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again.

Wicked: One Wonderful Night also debuted world premiere clips from Wicked: For Good, featuring two new original songs, written for the new film by the stage musical’s legendary Grammy and Oscar-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The special gave fans an exclusive opportunity to hear songs from the upcoming film for the first time.  This event also features appearances from celebrated “Wicked” and “Wicked: For Good” director Jon M. Chu, Stephen Schwartz, and surprise guests.   

Wicked: For Good, the conclusion of the film adaptation, will hit theaters on November 21. The movie stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Ethan Slater as Boq, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose.

Photo Credit: Griffin Nagel/NBC