Box Office: ‘Wicked’ Opens to Record-Setting $114 Million, ‘Gladiator II’ Starts Strong With $55.5 Million

As a seasoned moviegoer who’s witnessed the rise and fall of countless cinematic masterpieces, I must say that this weekend has been nothing short of thrilling! The dual release of “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” has truly brought back the magic of going to the movies.

If you’re interested in watching “Wicked,” it’s currently leading at the box office. The adaptation of Act One from the hit Broadway musical by Universal took the top spot, earning $114 million across 3,888 theaters during the weekend in North America.

In comparison to other releases this year, the astonishing ticket sales of the new movie rank third, trailing only “Deadpool & Wolverine” ($211 million) and “Inside Out 2” ($154 million). It also set several records. For instance, it secured the fourth-highest start for a musical in history, surpassing Disney’s recent remake of “The Little Mermaid” ($95.5 million), with “Frozen II” ($130 million) taking the top spot. Moreover, it achieved the best opening for a Broadway adaptation, breaking the record previously held by 2014’s “Into the Woods” ($31 million).

In international theaters alone, “Wicked” raked in an extra $50.2 million, boosting its total worldwide earnings to a whopping $164.2 million. This sets a new record for the largest global debut of a film based on a Broadway production, surpassing another Universal musical, “Les Miserables,” which earned $103 million in 2012.

According to David A. Gross, who heads Franchise Entertainment Research, it’s an unstoppable force. The audience is personalizing the singing and costume aspects of the production.

Men flocked to theaters for Paramount’s R-rated “Gladiator II,” a sequel that director Ridley Scott has been working on for a quarter of a century. This blood-soaked sword-and-sandal epic debuted strongly, though slightly below expectations, earning $55.5 million from 3,573 theaters over the weekend, while “Wicked” mainly attracted women and families.

It’s uncertain whether “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” influenced each other in a similar way to the 2023 occurrence known as “Barbenheimer,” where audiences chose to watch consecutive screenings instead of deciding between Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.” It could also be that “Glicked” is simply an example of successful counterprogramming. In any case, this weekend saw one of the highest grosses of the year, totaling around $210 million. The box office will continue to thrive leading up to Thanksgiving with Disney’s “Moana 2” set to premiere on November 27. However, despite this, year-to-date ticket sales are still lagging behind 2023 by 10.5% and 2019 by 26.6%, as reported by Comscore.

Michael O’Leary, president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners, states that a healthy competition combined with high-quality experiences in the marketplace leads to its prosperity, benefiting consumers. This combination, he believes, will significantly boost ticket sales as we approach December and the new year.

The movie ‘Wicked,’ produced by Jon M. Chu and featuring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, was finally released in cinemas following over a decade of development and an intense promotional campaign (with approximately 400 brand partnerships), comparable to the omnipresence of ‘Barbie.’ Universal Pictures hoped that this musical-themed movie would resonate with audiences, as ‘Wicked: Part Two,’ which tells the second half of the musical’s story, is set for release in 2025. The two films together required a production budget of $300 million, not including the substantial marketing expenses.

As a devoted theater enthusiast, I’ve always been captivated by the magic of “Wicked” on stage. However, it seems that musical adaptations haven’t quite found their rhythm on the big screen in recent years. The last significant success was “Les Miserables” in 2012, which raked in a staggering $442 million globally, followed by “Into the Woods” in 2014, earning $212 million against a modest budget of $50 million. Since then, ventures like Steven Spielberg’s reimagining of “West Side Story,” “In the Heights,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Cats,” and “The Color Purple” have fallen short in various aspects despite being derived from beloved productions.

The enchanting musical “Wicked” has been highly praised by both critics and spectators. It features timeless Broadway hits like “Defying Gravity” and “Popular,” and tells the story that unfolds before Dorothy arrives in Oz and walks on the famous Yellow Brick Road. The narrative spans events happening before, during, and after “The Wizard of Oz,” focusing on an unusual bond between Elphaba, who later becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, a character who eventually earns the title Glinda the Good. The film received an “A” rating from CinemaScore and a 90% average on Rotten Tomatoes. Critical acclaim, positive buzz, and the catchy tunes in its soundtrack are expected to boost ticket sales throughout Thanksgiving and into December.

The sequel titled “Gladiator II” comes with a substantial financial commitment – approximately $350 million in total production and marketing costs. To be considered profitable, it needs to bring in significant earnings on a global scale. So far, it has surpassed its international counterparts and made an impressive $221 million at the worldwide box office.

In this revamped version of “Gladiator,” we find Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington taking center stage. The story unfolds approximately two decades after the initial film, with Paul Mescal’s character, Lucius, stepping into the spotlight. Lucius is the nephew of Joaquin Phoenix’s emperor Commodus and the son of Connie Nielsen’s character. He enters the Colosseum with a mission to restore Rome’s former grandeur.

[Sequels from established franchises] benefit from existing popularity and anticipation, but they require a compelling justification for their existence to avoid being dismissed by viewers,” Gross explains. “Though critical reception might not match the original film’s level, the box office performance remains strong.

Due to the overwhelming popularity of “Wicked” and “Gladiator II,” other movies playing in cinemas were left with smaller audiences. The latest release, the World War II-based historical thriller “Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Assassin,” debuted in fourth position, earning $5.1 million from 1,900 screens. Angel Studios, who produced last year’s surprise hit “Sound of Freedom,” financed this film about a devout Christian who planned to assassinate Hitler.

In other theaters across the nation, the Christmas-themed action comedy “Red One,” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Santa’s security chief, slid down to the third spot with earnings of $13.3 million from 4,032 screens. This is a significant drop of 59% compared to its opening weekend. The film, produced by Amazon MGM, carries a hefty price tag of $250 million, and has so far made $52 million domestically and $117.1 million globally.

In its fifth weekend run at the box office, Sony’s “Venom: The Last Dance” earned $4 million from 2,558 cinemas across North America, bringing its total domestic earnings to a whopping $133 million.

2024-11-24 19:47

Box Office: ‘Wicked’ Opens to Record-Setting $114 Million, ‘Gladiator II’ Starts Strong With $55.5 Million

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