Dec 2, 2024, 12:00 AM
Dec 2, 2024, 12:00 AM

Women earn more than men in crew pay for Wicked film

Highlights
  • Wicked, an adaptation of the Broadway musical, was filmed in the UK and has earned $359.3 million since its debut.
  • Women on the crew earned an average of 6.6% more than men, though they composed only 31.2% of the top earners.
  • The film's production cost reached $188.5 million, supported by a substantial UK government reimbursement.
Story

In the United Kingdom, Universal Pictures has recently disclosed that during the production of the movie Wicked, women on the crew earned an average of 6.6% more than their male counterparts. This film, an adaptation of the Broadway musical, serves as a prequel to the classic Wizard of Oz story and stars notable actresses Cynthia Erivo as the Wicked Witch of the West and Ariana Grande as Glinda the Good Witch. Filming took place at Sky Studios Elstree and in various locations across the UK, where elaborate sets, including a life-size version of Oz, were constructed to enhance the production's visual appeal. The funding for this ambitious project came in part from the UK government, which reimburses studios up to 25.5% of production costs, thus encouraging film investment in the country. Financial statements have revealed that as of February 28, 2023, Wicked's production expenses reached approximately $188.5 million, with a reimbursement amount of $35.5 million reducing net costs to about $153 million. Despite the favorable earnings of women on the crew overall, there are still disparities in pay according to job level. Although women received equal pay for their work, they represented only 31.2% of those in the highest-paid upper hourly pay quarter. Deeper analysis showed that when considering rankings by hourly pay, women earned about 13.3% less than men when evaluated in the middle range of hourly earnings. These statistics reveal that while there has been progress in closing the gender pay gap at the production level, significant inequalities still persist, particularly in higher-paying positions. The overall positive trend for women in pay equity on Wicked serves as a notable outcome amid ongoing discussions surrounding gender-based pay disparities in the entertainment industry. Moving forward, the revelations from Wicked could influence future practices in hiring and compensation structures within film production, prompting a reflective consideration of how to ensure fair pay for all crew members regardless of gender.

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