Is ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator 2’ the New ‘Barbenheimer’?
Moviegoers (and, of course, Universal Pictures) were still reeling from the incredible pop culture phenomenon “Barbenheimer,” when Barbie and Oppenheimer drew people to the movie theaters and became box office successes. Now, with Wicked and Gladiator II opening at the same time, many are wondering if “Glicked” is the new “Barbenheimer.”
Wicked Movie
Directed by Jon Chu and starring Ariana Grande as Galinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, the movie adaptation of Wicked has already been the talk of the town even before its release, for several reasons. First, the love affair between Grande and Ethan Slater, which started while both were still married to other people. Second, when Erivo made a fuss over a fan-made poster that edited the movie’s official poster to resemble the musical’s original poster. And third, when they held a private screening for the Kardashian-Jenner clan, with Grande and Erivo in attendance.
It seemed, however, that this negative publicity did not affect the movie’s sales. According to NBC News, Wicked, which opened in more than 3,800 locations, made an estimated $114 million in North America. Clearly, it’s not just Broadway theatergoers who spent their weekend belting out “Defying Gravity.”
Gladiator II
Gladiator II is the sequel to Russell Crowe’s Gladiator, released in 2000. The film stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington. It’s a sequel that asks important questions, such as: “Can you follow up a movie that won 5 Academy Awards and was the highest-grossing film of 2000?” and “Can it really be a Gladiator movie without Russell Crowe, since his character died in the first film?”
Turns out it can. The sequel earned $55.5 million during its opening weekend in the US from more than 3,500 locations. Its predecessor raked in $34.8 million during its opening weekend, per Box Office Mojo.
The Verdict
So, did “Glicked” overthrow “Barbenheimer”? Not quite. Despite the combined earnings of Wicked and Gladiator II, they still fell short of what Barbie and Oppenheimer achieved. “Glicked” brought in $169.5 million from its domestic release compared to “Barbenheimer’s” $245 million. Still, it’s an amazing feat, and it’s great news for movie theaters and the entertainment industry after the pandemic and the writers’ and actors’ strike.
With the success of “Glicked” bringing fans back to the theaters, there’s hope that this momentum will influence fans to come again and watch future theatrical releases especially during the holiday season and before the year ends. If audiences continue to flock to theaters for big, star-studded films like Wicked and Gladiator II, it could set the stage for even bigger releases next year.
