‘Wicked’ Leads Global Box Office With $164 Million, ‘Gladiator II’ Surpasses $220 Million Worldwide

As someone who has always been captivated by the magic of cinema and theater, I must say that the success stories of both “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” are nothing short of astounding! The sheer scale of their productions and the anticipation they have generated among fans is truly awe-inspiring.

As a passionate cinephile, I can’t help but be thrilled by the staggering success of “Wicked” at the box office! This musical juggernaut raked in an astonishing $164.2 million worldwide, with a whopping $50.1 million coming from international ticket sales alone. However, it was North America where Universal’s big-budget adaptation truly shone, bringing in a massive $114 million. This impressive figure not only makes “Wicked” the third-biggest domestic debut of the year but also sets a new record for the best ever box office performance by a Broadway adaptation. The magic and music of this timeless tale have clearly captivated audiences everywhere!

Worldwide, “Wicked” has set a new record for the highest opening weekend for a film adaptation of a Broadway production, surpassing the 2012 release of “Les Miserables,” which earned $103 million. The box office sales for “Wicked” rank as the fifth-largest global debut in movie history for musicals, outperforming Disney’s 2023 reboot of “The Little Mermaid” ($163.6 million) and trailing behind “The Lion King” (2019) ($446 million), the 2017 remake of “Beauty and the Beast” ($358 million), “Frozen 2” ($358 million) and 2019’s “Aladdin” ($213 million).

Jon M. Chu is the director of the musical “Wicked,” featuring Ariana Grande as Glinda, Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, and Jonathan Bailey in their respective roles. The narrative unfolds before, during, and after the events of “The Wizard of Oz,” offering a glimpse into the backstories of Grande’s character (Glinda) and Erivo’s character (Elphaba), who would later become known as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West respectively. Before Dorothy arrived in Oz and walked down the Yellow Brick Road, these characters had their own compelling stories to tell. Despite its lengthy 2-hour, 40-minute runtime, “Wicked” only adapts the first act of the Broadway musical; the second act, titled “Wicked: Part Two,” is set to premiere on the big screen in November 2025.

Universal shelled out a combined $300 million for the production of the first and second films, not counting an extravagant press tour and strategic partnerships with brands like Target, Starbucks, and over 400 others. The studio now needs the movie’s pink and green theme to sustain popularity beyond the current holiday season, extending all the way into next Thanksgiving, in order to recoup those substantial costs. Fortunately, the film has been praised by critics and word of mouth has been overwhelmingly positive. In terms of box office performance, “Wicked” had the strongest debut in the United Kingdom and Ireland with earnings of $17.6 million, followed closely by Australia with $6.7 million, South Korea with $4.7 million, and Mexico with $4 million. It remains to be seen how it will perform in major markets such as France, China, and Japan that have yet to release the film.

The second installment of “Gladiator,” rated R, made a significant impact on the box office by earning $50.5 million abroad and an additional $55.5 million within the U.S. Debuting in the international box office scene last weekend, it raked in $87 million, accumulating $165.5 million overseas and a total of $221 million worldwide.

The sequel of “Gladiator” featuring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington comes with a hefty price tag as well. With over $250 million spent on production and approximately $100 million for marketing, Paramount is counting on viewers to be captivated during Thanksgiving and through the New Year.

2024-11-24 21:48

‘Wicked’ Leads Global Box Office With $164 Million, ‘Gladiator II’ Surpasses $220 Million Worldwide

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