‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II’ Drive Box Office Revival With Projected $200M+ Weekend

Universal’s musical adaptation and Paramount’s historical epic are poised to deliver one of the year’s biggest box office weekends, fueled by strong previews and positive early reception.

‘Wicked’ has already earned $19.2 million in previews, including Amazon Prime screenings and Thursday night showings, and is projected to open between $120 million and $140 million domestically.
‘Gladiator II’ garnered $6.5 million in Thursday previews and is expected to debut with $60 million to $80 million in its opening weekend, marking a solid return for the sequel 24 years after the original film.
‘Wicked’ is on track to set a record for the highest domestic opening for a Broadway musical adaptation, surpassing Disney’s ‘Into the Woods’ ($31 million in 2014).
The cultural buzz around the ‘Glicked’ pairing is drawing comparisons to 2023’s ‘Barbenheimer,’ though analysts predict the combined weekend gross will fall short of that phenomenon’s $311 million haul.
This weekend’s box office performance is expected to boost overall annual ticket sales, which currently lag 11% behind 2023 levels, as theaters aim to capitalize on holiday season momentum.

The Hollywood Reporter

Variety

NME

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