Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Entertainment
  3. News

Glicked: Can Wicked and Gladiator II pull a Barbenheimer at the box office?

By
Two witches stares up on the left and a Roman solder stands on the right.
Universal/Paramount

In 2023, Barbie and Oppenheimer combined forces to create the pop culture phenomenon known as “Barbenheimer.” In 2024, Wicked and Gladiator II will try to emulate that success with “Glicked.”

This weekend, Wicked and Gladiator II are squaring off at the box office in what should be one of the biggest weekends of the year for theaters. Both films started on the right track thanks to early previews and Thursday night screenings. Per Deadline, Wicked pulled in about $11 million on Thursday night alone, while Gladiator did about $6.5 million.

Recommended Videos

However, Wicked also had the advantage of Amazon promotion previews earlier this week and Thursday premium format showings. Add those numbers to Thursday’s total, and Wicked is looking at a $19.2 million haul for this week’s previews.

Wicked - Official Trailer

Wicked’s domestic opening weekend will be higher than that of Gladiator II. Early tracking pegged Wicked at around $110 million. With the $19.2 million in previews, Deadline believes Wicked could now open north of $120 million. That would be the highest opening for a movie based on a Broadway musical.

Related: 
The 8 best TVs for gaming in 2025, as vetted by our experts

Directed by Jon M. Chu, Wicked is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba, a green-skinned woman who will ultimately turn into the Wicked Witch of the West. Ariana Grande plays Glinda, the popular witch who will become Glinda the Good. Wicked is the first part of a two-part feature film adaptation, with the second movie opening on November 21, 2025.

Gladiator II is the long-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott’s Gladiator, the Oscar-winning epic about one warrior’s quest for revenge. Paul Mescal stars as Lucius, the former heir to the throne who trains to be a gladiator to exact his revenge on the Roman Empire. Gladiator II’s opening weekend projection is between $59 million and $66 million. However, that could increase with strong word of mouth and walk-up business.

Gladiator II | New Trailer (2024 Movie) - Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Ridley Scott

While Glicked will put up an impressive opening weekend, it’s nowhere near what Barbenheimer did in 2023. Barbie and Oppenheimer shattered box office projections with opening weekends of $162 million and $82.4 million, respectively.

Dan Girolamo
Dan Girolamo
Entertainment Writer
Dan is a passionate and multitalented content creator with experience in pop culture, entertainment, and sports. Throughout…
Topics

Editors’ Recommendations

Gladiator 3? Ridley Scott is already ‘toying with the idea’ of a third film
Paul Mescal fights in the middle of a brawl.

After 24 long years, Gladiator II, the long-awaited sequel to the Oscar-winning Gladiator, will finally hit theaters later this year. The film is still two months away yet, Ridley Scott is already contemplating ideas for Gladiator 3.

While speaking with France’s Premiere magazine, Scott expressed his interest in making a third Gladiator film. Scott cited the ending to The Godfather as inspiration for how Gladiator II can ignite a third film.
“I’m already toying with the idea of ​​Gladiator 3. No, seriously! I’ve lit the fuse,” Scott said. “The ending of Gladiator II is reminiscent of The Godfather, with Michael Corleone finding himself with a job he didn’t want, and wondering, ‘Now, Father, what do I do?' So the next [film] will be about a man who doesn’t want to be where he is.”
Like the majority of Hollywood films, if Gladiator II churns a profit, a third film can happen. However, Gladiator II faces an uphill battle due to a budget north of $250 million, with The Hollywood Reporter stating it shot past $300 million.

Read more
Gladiator II trailer: Paul Mescal is out for blood in Ridley Scott’s epic sequel
A soldier stands and stares while in the middle of battle in "Gladiator II."

24 years after Russell Crowe's Maximus became a legend, director Ridley Scott is returning to Ancient Rome in the first trailer for Gladiator II, the long-awaited sequel to the Oscar-winning Gladiator.

The footage opens with Paul Mescal's Lucius reminiscing about the day he witnessed Maximus die while slaying his uncle Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) in the arena. "I never forgot it," Mescal says in the trailer. "That a slave could take revenge against an emperor." Years after the events of Gladiator, Lucius is living in Numidia with his wife and child. However, the Roman army invades Numidia, capturing Lucius and forcing him to fight as a gladiator.

Read more
First look at Gladiator II previews battle between Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal
Paul Mescal stares with a confused look on face.

Paul Mescal heads to the arena to battle Pedro Pascal in the first look at Gladiator II, Ridley Scott's highly anticipated sequel to the Oscar-winning Gladiator.

In the images shared by Vanity Fair, Mescal plays Lucius, the former heir to the Empire and son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), who returns for the sequel. Lucilla sent Lucius to live in Numidia as a young boy. When the film opens, Lucius is peacefully in Numidia with his wife and child when Roman armies infiltrate his home.

Read more