“Wicked” continues to defy gravity, reach new heights at the box office and captivate moviegoers on a journey to the Land of Oz.

The film, an adaptation of the popular Broadway musical based on the book by Gregory Maguire and directed by John M. Chu, is an insightful prequel to “The Wizard of Oz” and the first part of a two-part epic. It’s about Elphaba and Glinda, who “meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastic land of Oz and form an unlikely but deep friendship,” according to the film’s synopsis. Her “extraordinary adventures in Oz” ultimately see her “fulfilling her destiny as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.”

The film made magic at the box office, grossing $114 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters and $50.2 million in international markets, for a total of $164.2 million. This is the biggest opening weekend for a film based on a Broadway musical.

USA TODAY film critic Brian Truitt gave the film ★★★ out of four and wrote, “Even with a few missteps, it’s easy to get drawn into director Jon M. Chu’s colorful spectacle (rated PG).”