Who Will Win at the Box Office: Wicked or Gladiator II?
Who Will Win at the Box Office: Wicked or Gladiator II?
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II was thrown a curveball in July, as Universal Pictures announced it was moving Wicked: Part 1’s theatrical release date from November 27, 2024, to November 22, 2024.
The hotly anticipated movie, inspired by the hit Broadway musical, will arrive at theaters on the same day as the Gladiator sequel, causing the flicks to battle it out at the box office.
Releasing the movies on the same day could see a silver screen rivalry as big as 2023’s Barbenheimer, as Barbie competed with Oppenheimer for ticket sales last summer.
The friendly competition resulted in much movie success, as the press attention, jokes, and memes resulted in more ticket sales and double features of the critically acclaimed films.
The question on many people’s lips is who will win at the box office, Wicked: Part 1 or Gladiator II?
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Why Did Wicked: Part 1’s Release Date Move?
Wicked: Part 1’s release date has been up in the air for many years. In 2022, it was announced the film would arrive in movie theaters in December 2024.
In March 2023, the flick received a new release date of November 27, only for it to be brought forward by five days to November 22, 2024.
It’s possible the earlier release might be due to fears the flick would go head-to-head with Disney’s Moana 2.
As a result, Wicked: Part 1 will debut alongside the long-awaited Gladiator II, which is a sequel to Gladiator (2000).
The fate of Wicked’s second installment ultimately relies on Part 1’s success at the box office this November, as Wicked: Part II is expected to hit theaters on November 26, 2025.
Who Will Win at the Box Office?
There is no doubt that audiences will head to movie theaters in their droves this November.
There are likely high hopes for Gladiator II, which stars Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Pedro Pascal, as Gladiator (2000) generated an incredible $465.4 million at the box office, won five Academy Awards, and earned much critical acclaim.
However, its fanbase might not compare to Wicked, as it is the 4th longest-running show in Broadway history and the longest-running West End production. The sales speak for themselves, as Wicked surpassed $1 billion in total revenue on Broadway in 2016 and is now the second highest-grossing musical after The Lion King.
Also, it has proven a big hit with international audiences, breaking box office records around the world.
With an army of fans who will be eager to watch the movie adaptation, it might be hard for Gladiator II to compete with Wicked: Part 1 at the box office. However, the Gladiator series may have earned even more fans since the first flick was released in 2000.
Movie fans will, however, need to wait to find out if Gladiator II or Wicked: Part 1 wins at the box office.