Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star as Elphaba and Glinda in Universal Pictures’ Wicked.
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Box office is a popular destination this weekend Universal “evil” and Paramount “Gladiator 2” hits theaters.
“Wicked” is expected to gross $114 million during its domestic debut, the highest-grossing opening for a Broadway adaptation in film history, according to Sunday estimates. The film’s global box office is expected to be $164.2 million.
“Wicked” has box office forecasts starting at the end of October of about $80 million, but rose to between $120 million and $140 million. Hollywood has struggled in recent years to market and monetize movie musicals. However, the industry has also seen fan-favorite IP games perform well. Since “Wicked” is based on one of Broadway’s most popular musicals, box office analysts are finding it difficult to predict where it will open.
However, the film will gross $114 million, making it the third-highest domestic debut of 2024, behind only ” disney Marvel’s “Deadpool and Wolverine” took in $211 million at the box office in July, and Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out” took in $151 million in June.
Meanwhile, “Gladiator II” is expected to gross $55.5 million domestically, according to Sunday estimates. That was lower than box office expectations, which were expected to take in $60 million to $80 million. After being released in multiple countries and regions earlier this month, the film’s global box office is expected to reach $221 million over the weekend.
“Arguably the most talked-about weekend of 2024, this $200 million-plus pre-Thanksgiving blockbuster rides on the one-two punch of Wicked and Gladiator II to create a perfectly choreographed, irresistible The movie-watching combination is attractive to basic audiences.
While “Glicked” doesn’t quite reach the level of last year’s “Bappenheimer,” the combination of Universal’s “Oppenheimer” and “Bappenheimer” Warner Brothers’ “Barbie’s” box office receipts this weekend will help boost the overall box office for the year, which is about 11% behind the same period in 2023. The two films are expected to continue to drive theater box office sales during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.
“It’s clear that when healthy competition meets a great experience, markets thrive and consumers win,” said Michael O’Leary, president and CEO of the National Association of Theater Owners. ” The success of movies like Wicked and Gladiator II, not to mention that pre-orders for Moana 2 are already going strong, show that moviegoers of all ages enjoy going to the movies.”
Disney’s “Moana 2” is expected to take in $100 million during the five-day Thanksgiving period, according to box office analysts.
Revealed: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal is the distributor of “Wicked” and “Oppenheimer.”
