'Wicked' Takes Off with $114 Million, 'Gladiator II' Gains $55.5 Million

Cinemas saw a bustling weekend with the arrivals of 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II.'

The film adaptation of the celebrated Broadway show 'Wicked' is projected to earn $114 million domestically upon its release, marking the most lucrative opening for a Broadway-to-film production, as per Sunday projections. Its worldwide earnings are estimated at $164.2 million.

Initial forecasts for 'Wicked' were around $80 million by late October. Recently, the film industry has faced challenges in turning substantial profits from movie musicals, though certain popular franchises have surprised with their successes. Given 'Wicked's' status as a beloved stage musical, box office experts found predicting its performance difficult.

At the $114 million mark, 'Wicked' achieves the third-largest domestic opening in 2024, following 'Deadpool & Wolverine' from Marvel, which grossed $211 million in July, and 'Inside Out 2' from Disney and Pixar, which collected $151 million in June.

On the other end, 'Gladiator II' anticipates a $55.5 million domestic opening, based on Sunday estimates. Although this figure falls short of initial projections of $60 million to $80 million, its global earnings are expected to accumulate to $221 million by the end of the weekend after early international screenings.

According to Paul Dergarabedian from Comscore, this weekend has been monumental with over $200 million in pre-Thanksgiving box office sales. The release of both 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' provided an impressive double feature with vast demographic appeal worldwide.

Although the pairing of 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' doesn't quite match last year's blockbuster duo 'Oppenheimer' and 'Barbie,' this weekend's revenue still helps increase the annual box office total, currently trailing about 11% behind 2023's figures at this time. Both films are predicted to sustain interest through the Thanksgiving and Christmas periods.

Michael O'Leary, head of the National Association of Theatre Owners, emphasizes that extraordinary cinematic offerings alongside strong competition lead to market vitality and customer satisfaction. The triumphs of 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II,' alongside high pre-sales for 'Moana 2,' underline the enduring enthusiasm for cinema.

Disney's 'Moana 2' is predicted to exceed $100 million in revenue over the Thanksgiving holiday period.