Wicked has taken a long time to get to streaming, and with the release still a month away, the reason behind the wait seems confusing at first. It’s only after digging into the streaming trends and Universal Pictures’ history that it all makes sense. Universal released the first of Jon M. Chu’s Wicked movies in theaters on November 22, 2024. The movie was met with great acclaim, earning positive reviews from critics and rave responses from fans of the Broadway musical. The experience of watching Wicked was built for theaters, and audiences flocked to local cinemas to check it out.