The musical adaptation Wicked and action epic Gladiator II delivered a combined $270.2 million in global ticket sales over the weekend, signaling a promising start to what could be a record-breaking holiday season for cinemas.
Hollywood Finds Relief in Box Office Success
The impressive numbers offer reassurance to Hollywood, which has faced budget cuts and layoffs amid fears that streaming services would replace traditional cinema. “Moviegoers and box office pundits have been waiting for this weekend, and no one is disappointed,” said Chris Aronson, president of distribution at Paramount Pictures.
Wicked Leads the Weekend Box Office
Wicked, the first of two Universal Pictures films based on the Broadway prequel to The Wizard of Oz, dominated the box office. It earned $114 million in the US and Canada and $50.2 million internationally, for a global total of $164.2 million. This marks the biggest opening weekend for a Broadway musical adaptation, surpassing Universal’s Les Misérables debut in 2012.
Gladiator II Adds to the Momentum
Paramount Pictures’ Gladiator II, a sequel to the Oscar-winning 2000 epic, brought in $106 million globally, with $55.5 million from domestic sales. The film, which launched internationally a week earlier, has now accumulated $221 million worldwide.
A Weekend to Remember for Cinemas
The combined domestic earnings of Wicked and Gladiator II, nicknamed “Glicked” by fans, reached $169.5 million. This helped push the North American box office total to $201.9 million, marking the highest-grossing weekend since July’s release of Deadpool & Wolverine, according to Comscore.
Comparison with 2023’s Blockbuster Weekend
While impressive, the weekend’s numbers fell short of the $245 million generated by the Barbie and Oppenheimer debut in July 2023, a weekend that symbolized the industry’s recovery from the pandemic and strikes by writers and actors.
The strong start from Wicked and Gladiator II highlights a resurgence in moviegoing enthusiasm, offering hope for cinemas heading into the critical holiday season.
