Jeff Goldblum, from left, Jonathan Bailey, Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and Michelle Yeoh pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Wicked’ on Monday, Nov 18, 2024, in London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP Photo)
NEW YORK (AP) — The box office experienced a major boost this weekend thanks to the release of Wicked and Gladiator II, which together earned $270 million globally, helping to revive a struggling market.
Jon M. Chu’s visually stunning adaptation of the musical Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, had an impressive debut. The film brought in $114 million domestically and $164.2 million worldwide, making it the third-largest opening of the year, following Deadpool & Wolverine and Inside Out 2. It also set a new record for a Broadway musical adaptation.
Meanwhile, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, a long-awaited sequel to his 2000 Oscar-winning film, earned $55.5 million in the U.S. and $50.5 million internationally. Though it didn’t quite meet the expected $60 million in domestic sales, its strong overseas performance helped offset that shortfall. With a production budget of around $250 million, the film features a fresh cast, including Denzel Washington and Paul Mescal.
The release of these two films at the same time sparked comparisons to the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon of last year, where Barbie and Oppenheimer debuted together. Although the combined impact wasn’t as culturally significant, the weekend’s ticket sales were still strong. Despite a slightly less catchy nickname, “Glicked,” the films managed to attract large audiences. However, Wicked was clearly the standout, drawing a predominantly female crowd (72%), while Gladiator II was more popular among men (61%).
Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at Comscore, noted that while both films may have performed similarly regardless of the overlap, the awareness generated by their simultaneous release helped drive ticket sales. The two films’ distinct target audiences also allowed them to coexist without directly competing.
In terms of marketing, both films had massive campaigns. Gladiator II used creative tactics like a partnership with Airbnb and a trailer shown across thousands of TV networks, while Wicked flooded the market with themed products, celebrity appearances, and cross-promotions with global brands. Universal Pictures, which also distributed Oppenheimer last year, saw Wicked as the true victory of the weekend. Jim Orr, head of distribution at Universal, expressed confidence that the film would continue to perform well through the holiday season.
This successful weekend was a much-needed boost for the box office, which had been lagging. After a lackluster fall, Wicked and Gladiator II sparked a resurgence, with the upcoming release of Moana 2 expected to continue the trend.
While Wicked has received mostly positive reviews, including an “A” grade from audiences on CinemaScore, its long runtime of 2 hours and 40 minutes might limit its appeal to some viewers. However, early Oscar buzz suggests that it could be a contender for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The decision to split the film into two parts, with the second set for release next year, further indicates the studio’s confidence in the film’s success.
Gladiator II, on the other hand, has also been praised, especially for Denzel Washington’s performance. However, audience ratings were slightly lower, with a “B” grade from CinemaScore. Its strong international sales will help it recover, especially since it has already earned $165.5 million abroad.
In third place for the weekend was Red One, the holiday action film starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, which grossed $13.3 million in its second week, bringing its total global earnings to $117 million. Despite its massive $250 million production cost, the film has struggled to live up to expectations and may only recoup some of its value when it hits streaming platforms.
The final domestic box office figures will be released on Monday, but here are the estimated ticket sales for U.S. and Canadian theaters from Friday to Sunday:
- Wicked - $114 million
- Gladiator II - $55.5 million
- Red One - $13.3 million
- Bonhoeffer: Pastor Spy Assassin - $5.1 million
- Venom: The Last Dance - $4 million
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - $3.5 million
- Heretic - $2.2 million
- The Wild Robot - $2 million
- Smile 2 - $1.1 million
- A Real Pain - $1.1 million
