What Will Perform Better at the Box Office: Wickediator or Barbenheimer?
What Will Perform Better at the Box Office: Wickediator or Barbenheimer?
Many of the biggest movies in history have gone up against each other at the box office, such as Ants vs. A Bug’s Life (1998), Armageddon vs. Deep Impact (1998), and The Prestige vs. The Illusionist (2006).
However, few films in recent years have had greater rivalry at the box office than Barbie and Oppenheimer, which were released in movie theaters on July 21, 2023.
The simultaneous release became known as “Barbenheimer,” as the world paid close attention to learn what film would generate the most ticket sales.
The Barbenheimer hype helped both films enjoy phenomenal success at the box office, as many movie fans enjoyed double features to pick a side. As a result, the flicks opened at almost $245 million and earned a combined total of $2,421,787,005 in ticket sales.
Nearly 18 months later, two more movies will battle it out at the box office on November 22, 2024: Wicked: Part One and Gladiator II. Like Barbenheimer, the films have been combined to coin the phrase “Wickediator”.
However, a new competition has begun, as many are now debating what will perform better at the box office, Wickediator or Barbenheimer?
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Who is Likely to Win?
Wickediator has the tall task of beating Barbenheimer at the box office. Both Barbie and Oppenheimer received much critical acclaim upon release, driving more moviegoers to theaters worldwide.
Also, the hype surrounding the rivalry exceeded the box-office expectations for both films. For instance, Barbie was projected to generate between $90 to $120 million during its opening weekend but brought in an incredible $162 million.
Oppenheimer was predicted to earn $45 to $50 million in ticket sales but grossed $82.4 million during its opening weekend.
As a result, it is the fourth largest joint opening weekend at the US box office, with both flicks becoming two of the highest-grossing films of 2023.
In addition to proving a hit with audiences and critics alike, Barbie and Oppenheimer received a combined 21 Academy Award nominations in 2024. Each film was nominated for Best Picture, which Oppenheimer won.
Wicked: Part One and Gladiator II will likely want to replicate – or exceed – Barbenheimer’s box office success.
There are high expectations for Wicked, the movie adaptation of the hit musical, which had a reported $145 million budget that Universal Pictures will be eager to claw back.
Gladiator II has the tall order of earning back $310 million at the box office, too, as the film reportedly ballooned from its original estimate of $165 million.
Despite the high hopes for another successful dual at the box office, the flicks might not manage to generate the sheer level of funny memes, jokes, and general hype that Barbenheimer received in the summer of 2023.