‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II’ Ignite Box Office with Blockbuster Openings

Universal’s Wicked and Paramount’s Gladiator II are off to a dazzling start at the box office, with combined ticket sales expected to surpass $200 million over the weekend, marking a strong kickoff to the holiday movie season.

The highly anticipated adaptation of Wicked has already garnered $19.2 million from advance screenings throughout the week. The film’s preview success includes $2.5 million from Amazon Prime-exclusive Monday showings, $5.7 million across North American theaters on Wednesday, and an additional $11 million from Thursday night previews at around 3,300 venues.

Initially projected to debut at $80 million, Wicked’s opening weekend forecasts have surged to an estimated $120 million to $140 million, with some analysts predicting even greater numbers. The musical adaptation currently holds an impressive 92% “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes from over 160 critics and boasts a near-perfect 99% audience satisfaction rating from verified viewers.

Industry experts are optimistic about the films’ impact on the fall box office. Shawn Robbins of Fandango noted, “Wicked and Gladiator II represent the kind of counter-programming audiences have been waiting for, setting the stage for a potentially historic holiday corridor.” With Disney’s Moana 2 slated for release next week, the Thanksgiving movie season is poised to break records.