Will Fans Go See Both Wicked And Gladiator II? What Paul Mescal Has To Say About Wickediator

Will Fans Go See Both Wicked And Gladiator II? What Paul Mescal Has To Say About Wickediator

As a cinephile with over two decades of movie-watching under my belt, I must say that the confluence of “Wicked: Part One” and “Gladiator II” on the same weekend is an exhilarating spectacle! The last time we had such a duel was with the Barbenheimer saga, and it’s fascinating to see another pairing like Wickiator (or Glicked, if you prefer) gracing our screens.


It’s uncommon for two significant films to debut on the same Saturday, as studios aim to avoid sharing the box office earnings by strategically scheduling releases. Typically, each weekend features only one major premiere, with no weekend hosting more than one. However, exceptions do occur, such as this weekend where we have Wicked: Part One and Gladiator II.

In the previous year, the highly anticipated films, Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer“, were simultaneously released, creating a buzz. This year, we have another pair of movies that go by the names Wickediator or Glicked, depending on your choice. The star of “Gladiator II“, Paul Mescal, believes, as with “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer“, both films can achieve success due to their distinct target audiences. In an interview with Variety, Mescal stated…

“They work wonderfully together since they’re so distinct. If you’re a movie enthusiast, don’t hesitate to go out and back them. Don’t just wait for it to appear on a streaming platform because we’re at a crucial point. We’ve been here for some time now with theatrical films. If cinema matters to you, make sure to catch both movies in theaters.

Both Barbie and Oppenheimer were big successes at the box office, and it’s quite plausible that Wicked and Gladiator II will follow suit. One explanation as to why the studios haven’t released one of these films yet might be because of what Mescal mentions here. Given their distinct themes, there likely isn’t much worry about one film competing with the other for audiences.

Absolutely, one movie is a vibrant and melodious musical adaptation from a Broadway play, while another is a gritty and violent action/drama. Though some viewers might be interested in both movies at some point, it’s probable that one genre resonates more strongly with most people.

Originally, “Wicked” had planned to debut on the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving, alongside “Moana 2”, another upcoming Disney musical. However, “Wicked” decided to bring its release date forward, thereby challenging “Gladiator II”. This change in schedule seems more strategic as it reduces the potential for both movies to negatively impact each other’s box office earnings due to their shared musical genre.

Absolutely, there might be individuals who decide to make this movie a double feature and watch both films. It’s entirely possible in this situation. Mescal encourages viewers to consider watching both movies if only to lend their support to theatrical distribution, which is still struggling to recover from its pre-pandemic levels.

Between the two films, there’s a lot of anticipation to see which one outperforms the other, not just in terms of ticket sales (at the box office), but also during award ceremonies. Interestingly, the last time was when ‘Barbie’ reigned at the box office, it was ‘Oppenheimer’ that received the accolades.

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2024-11-21 20:37