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Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Gladiator II’ and ‘Wicked’ Garner $270.2 Million Worldwide at the Box Office

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MAIN POINTS
  • The ⁤films “Wicked”‌ and⁤ “Gladiator II” have collectively grossed $270.2 million worldwide, providing a ‌significant ⁣boost to⁤ cinemas.
  • “Wicked” set a new record for the highest⁢ opening ⁣for a ⁢Broadway musical adaptation, ‌grossing ‍$164.2 million.
  • The ‌success of these films brings ‌a ray of hope for theaters in‌ the face of ​stiff competition from streaming platforms ⁢and previous⁢ strikes.

NEW YORK — The ‍weekend saw the musical adaptation “Wicked” and the‍ action-packed sequel “Gladiator II” amass a​ staggering $270.2 million⁢ in⁢ global ticket‌ sales.‌ This comes as ​a much-needed boon for‌ cinemas as they⁤ gear up for what could be a ‌record-breaking‌ holiday season.

The impressive box office ⁣returns have brought a ​sigh of relief to Hollywood, which has been grappling with budget cuts and layoffs amidst predictions of the demise of cinema due to the rising popularity of streaming services.

“This​ weekend was eagerly anticipated by movie enthusiasts and box office experts alike, and ​it‌ did not disappoint,”‌ commented ‍Chris Aronson, ​the president⁢ of ​distribution⁣ for Paramount Pictures.

“Wicked,” the first ⁣of two Universal Pictures films based on a Broadway prequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” dominated both the domestic ⁢and global box ⁤office, receiving ‍high ‍praise from critics. It raked in $114 million at U.S. and Canadian theaters, and⁢ an additional ‍$50.2 million in international ‌markets, totaling a global‌ gross of $164.2 million.

This‌ marked the most successful opening weekend for a film based on a Broadway musical, surpassing the global debut of Universal’s 2012 release “Les Miserables,” as per the studio’s records.

Meanwhile, “Gladiator II,” ​featuring Paul Mescal and ​Denzel Washington, ⁣garnered $106 million worldwide,‍ including ‌$55.5 million from ⁤domestic sales. The Paramount Pictures film is the sequel to a movie that clinched the‌ best​ picture Oscar two⁢ decades​ ago. The film, which ‍premiered last ‍weekend outside the U.S., has so far amassed a total box office collection of $221 ​million.

The two films, ⁣affectionately dubbed “Glicked” by fans, brought in ⁤$169.5 million at domestic theaters,‍ propelling ‍the weekend ‍box office to‍ $201.9 million. ​This marks the highest-grossing weekend‍ in North America ​since ‌the ‍July ⁣premiere ⁤of ⁤”Deadpool & Wolverine,” according to Comscore.

Despite falling short⁢ of the $245 million‍ opening frenzy of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” ‍in July 2023, “Glicked”⁤ has proven that the industry is bouncing back from the pandemic and the strikes⁤ by writers and actors that‍ year.

Moreover, the ​success of⁢ these ‌two films‍ has injected a ‍much-needed boost into movie theaters,⁣ following the ⁣underperformance of anticipated fall films like ‌”Joker: Folie⁣ a​ Deux” and “Venom: The Last Dance” ⁤at the box office.

What’s‍ on‌ the horizon?

The excitement surrounding these releases bodes‍ well for theater chains⁢ such as AMC Entertainment, Cineplex, and Cinemark,⁢ who are eagerly awaiting the release of Walt Disney’s ‌animated sequel “Moana 2” this week.

“This is a significant catalyst for ‍a robust‍ box​ office as we head into December and the New Year,” stated Michael O’Leary, President and​ CEO of the ⁣National Association of⁣ Theatre Owners.

Movie ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada have been struggling to reach pre-pandemic ⁢levels ​as cinemas face stiff competition from streaming platforms and the disruptions caused by last year’s Hollywood strikes.

According​ to Comscore, Sunday’s figures brought the⁢ year-to-date domestic ticket ​sales‌ to $7.3 billion, a decrease⁤ of 10.6% compared to the ⁢same‍ period in ‍2023.

However, studios⁢ and theater owners are optimistic that “Moana 2” will set the stage for the strongest Thanksgiving-period ​sales in history.

Box office analysts predict that ticket sales from ⁢Thanksgiving through⁤ the end of⁢ the year could potentially break all ⁢previous records. The holiday season record of⁤ $2.5 billion was set in 2017, led by the “Star Wars” film ⁤”The Last Jedi.”

“This is the best news that ‌movie theaters could have hoped‌ for, this lineup of films, starting ‌with ‘Glicked’ and ‘Moana 2,” said Paul ⁣Dergarabedian, a media analyst for Comscore.

What’s ‌the plot of​ “Wicked”?

“Wicked” features⁤ Ariana ⁣Grande ​and Cynthia Erivo in the‌ tale ⁣of ​a misunderstood, green-skinned magic student who eventually becomes the Wicked ​Witch of the West.

“While it’s wrapped in a fairy ⁢tale, the essence of‍ it is to uncover the real truth,” director Jon M. Chu told Reuters at the film’s premiere ​in London, when asked about the story’s universal appeal.

Universal, a subsidiary of Comcast, spent⁢ approximately $160 million to produce the first “Wicked” movie,​ a figure that ⁤does⁤ not ⁤include the tens‌ of millions more spent⁢ on marketing efforts, ranging from a Super Bowl ad⁢ to hundreds of “Wicked”⁣ merchandise.

In a marketing campaign reminiscent ‍of ⁣the hype surrounding “Barbie,” “Wicked”‌ tie-ins ​include pink and green ‌drinks at Starbucks,⁤ a fashion ⁣line at Target, and a Betty Crocker cupcake mix.

“This campaign was omnipresent. It⁢ was simply⁢ unavoidable,” said Jim Orr, ⁣Universal Pictures’⁤ president of domestic‍ theatrical ​distribution. “And ⁢on top of all of that, we⁢ had ‌the most dedicated cast you could ask for. From a publicity and marketing perspective, Cynthia and ⁤Ariana were literally everywhere.”

The second “Wicked” film is slated for release in November 2025.

Other films set to release before the⁤ end ‍of the⁤ year include Walt ‌Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King,” Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog ⁣3,” and Searchlight Pictures’ “A Complete ‍Unknown,” featuring Timothee Chalamet​ as musician‌ Bob ⁤Dylan.

The Main Points for ⁤this article were generated with the help⁣ of advanced language models ‌and reviewed‌ by ​our editorial team. The article itself is exclusively human-written.
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