'Wicked' soars with $114 million domestic opening, 'Gladiator' snares $55.5 million

The box office was a popular destination this weekend Universal “Bad” and Paramounts “Gladiator II” arrived in theaters.

“Wicked” is expected to gross $114 million in its domestic opening, the highest debut for a Broadway adaptation in movie history, according to estimates Sunday. The film is expected to gross $164.2 million worldwide.

Tracking projections for “Wicked” started around $80 million in late October but rose to a range of $120 million to $140 million. Hollywood has struggled in recent years to market movie musicals and make a profit. However, the industry has also seen fan-favorite IP titles perform better. Because “Wicked” was based on one of Broadway's most popular musicals, box office analysts found it difficult to predict where it would land.

However, with a total of $114 million, the film will have the third-highest domestic opening of 2024, behind Disney and Marvel's “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which grossed $211 million in July, and Disney and Pixar's “Inside Out 2,” which grossed $151 million in June.

Meanwhile, Gladiator II is expected to open with domestic ticket sales of $55.5 million, according to Sunday estimates. This is lower than box office expectations, which called for a gross of between $60 million and $80 million. Globally, the film is set to reach $221 million by the end of the weekend after opening in international locations earlier this month.

“As perhaps the most talked about weekend of 2024, this $200 million-plus pre-Thanksgiving frame delivered big with the one-two punch of 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II,' delivering a perfectly orchestrated, irresistible cinematic combination that appeals in principle. every demographic group in the world,” said Paul Degarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.

While “Glicked” didn't quite reach the same level as last year's “Barbenheimer,” the combination of Universal's “Oppenheimer” and Warner Bros.' “Barbie,” this weekend's tally will help boost its overall annual box office, which remains about 11% behind 2023 levels during the same period. Both films are expected to continue to boost ticket sales at theaters through Thanksgiving and Christmas.

“It's clear once again that when healthy competition and premium experiences come together, the marketplace thrives and consumers win,” said Michael O'Leary, president and CEO of the National Association of Theater Owners. “The success of films like 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II,' not to mention the strong pre-sales for 'Moana 2,' shows how much movie fans of all ages enjoy going to the movies.”

Disney's “Moana 2” is expected to gross $100 million in the five-day Thanksgiving period, according to box office analysts.

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal is the distributor of “Wicked” and “Oppenheimer.”