Ankler Agenda How ‘Wicked’ Women Saved the Movies
Nov 25, 2025
Katie Rich, host of the Prestige Junkie podcast and awards-season expert, dives into the surprising success of *Wicked*, noting it drew an audience that was 70% women. She highlights how female-led films are thriving while male-targeted movies struggle. Rich also discusses the current Oscar race, revealing many voters haven't seen enough contenders. Additionally, she provides insights on Warner Bros. strong position with their best picture frontrunners, while addressing the challenges and perceptions of films released on streaming platforms.
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Women Are Driving Recent Box-Office Wins
- Wicked: For Good opened to a $150M domestic weekend and $226M globally, showing huge commercial power for a female-skewing event film.
- The film's success highlights how women are currently driving big box-office moments this season.
Many Oscar Voters Haven't Watched Everything
- Katie Rich says many Academy voters still haven't seen all the films because they have real jobs and limited time.
- She uses that observation to reassure listeners who haven't watched every contender yet.
Warner Bros. Titles Leading Best Picture Chatter
- Warner Bros. films Sinners and One Battle After Another dominated chatter at the Governor's Awards and look like Best Picture frontrunners.
- Big stars and accessible narratives helped these films sustain early awards-season momentum.
