Wicked casts $117M spell while Gladiator II fights its way to $60M at box office
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Record-Breaking Opening for Wicked
Wicked, a cinematic adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical directed by Jon M. Chu, captured audiences with a stunning $46.7 million Friday, including previews, and is on track for a $117 million three-day opening. Universal now projects a $165 million global debut, making it the tenth largest November opening in U.S. history and the highest for a Broadway-based film, surpassing Into the Woods ($31 million).
The film received an “A” CinemaScore, matching previous Broadway hits like Les Misérables and Chicago, and boasts a 90% positive rating and an 80% “definite recommend” score on Rotten Tomatoes. Universal attributed its success partly to generational appeal: “The moms who saw Wicked on Broadway in 2003 as kids are now bringing their own children to the cinema.”
Solid Debut for Gladiator II
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, starring Denzel Washington and Paul Mescal, garnered $22 million on Friday and is set for a $60 million domestic opening weekend. The film, which cost $250 million to produce, has already crossed $130 million overseas, with its worldwide earnings likely to approach $200 million by the weekend’s close.
“This is shaping up to be Ridley Scott’s biggest opening at the domestic box office,” said one industry analyst. Gladiator II scored a “B” CinemaScore compared to the original film’s “A”, but audience feedback remains strong with an 84% positive
