Wickediator: How Much Did Wicked And Gladiator II Make On Opening Night?

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As a long-time theater enthusiast with a soft spot for musicals and epic action films, I must say the simultaneous release of “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” has sent shivers of excitement down my spine! It’s been quite some time since we’ve had such a fascinating box office faceoff.

It’s quite unusual for two significant movies to premiere on the same weekend. We’ve even started naming them when it happens. Last year, it was Barbie and Oppenheimer, and this year we have the double bill of Wicked and Gladiator 2.

The primary cause for studios releasing movies one at a time is their concern about splitting audience attention and losing potential box office revenue. However, it seems that this hasn’t been the case so far, as both “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” have shown strong ticket sales in their Thursday night previews.

How Wicked And Gladiator II Did On Opening Night

Based on Deadline’s report, Wicked garnered an outstanding $19.2 million, with Gladiator II earning a commendable $6.5 million. Notably, the Wicked figure includes earnings from fan screenings held on Monday and Wednesday evenings. In total, this amounts to over $25 million at the box office, which is an exceptional amount. However, it’s worth mentioning that Barbenheimer’s preview total surpassed $30 million, making it the clear leader in this regard.

The figures indicate positive developments for both films and overall box office performance. Wicked is expected to take the weekend crown, a prediction that seemed inevitable. However, this also signifies that Gladiator II is likely to debut with a weekend gross around $60 million, comparable to the opening of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Given its impressive global earnings of almost $400 million afterwards, such an opening is quite admirable. This is even more impressive given the intense competition.

Given the success of films such as Gladiator II, which are expected to rake in substantial earnings, it suggests a significant victory and indicates that simultaneous releases of two big-budget blockbusters may not negatively impact box office performance.

Wicked Is Set For A Massive Box Office Take

Conversely, “Wicked” appears to be gaining momentum, with its impressive $19 million pre-release earnings placing it alongside films such as Disney’s live-action “Beauty and the Beast,” the remake of “The Lion King,” and “Barbie.” All these movies have surpassed the billion-dollar mark at the global box office, suggesting that “Wicked” might join their ranks. Given the widespread appeal of “Wicked” prior to its release, it’s reasonable to anticipate this film will attract audiences eager to see it immediately, and many devoted fans might even choose to watch it multiple times.

The true test of how long “Wicked” will endure may occur in a week’s time. Disney plans to debut “Moana 2” before the Thanksgiving holiday. Given that both films are musicals with wide appeal, they seem to target the same audience. This could be why “Wicked” decided to advance its release date.

It appears highly likely that the movie “Wicked” is heading towards becoming one of the top-earning films on the 2024 film slate. The real question is if it will surpass “Deadpool & Wolverine” or “Inside Out 2” in earnings before its run concludes. With over a month remaining in the year, there’s still ample opportunity for this to happen.

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2024-11-23 00:07