The courtyard of the Chinese Theater, a famous cinema in Los Angeles, transformed into a reproduction of the Colosseum for the film “Gladiator II”, November 19, 2024 (AFP / Chris DELMAS)
After the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, the “Glicked” wave? In the United States, theater operators hope that the release this weekend of two of the most anticipated films of the year, “Gladiator II” and “Wicked”, will ignite the box office like “Barbie” and ” Oppenheimer” in 2023.
“Gladiator II” marks the return of Ridley Scott to ancient Rome, 24 years after his first epic crowned with the Oscar for best film. “Wicked” adapts for the big screen a famous Broadway musical, which chronicles the adventures of the witch from “The Wizard of Oz”.
Produced respectively by the behemoths Paramount and Universal, the two films benefit from enormous marketing campaigns.
The Internet is already full of “Glicked” or “Wickiator” memes while the country's multiplexes and shopping centers are adorned with the green and pink tones associated with the witches of “Wicked”, or mini-Colosseums made of cardboard.
Singer Ariana Grande (left) and actress Cynthia Erivo (right) at the British premiere of “Wicked” in London, November 18, 2024 (AFP / Ben STANSALL)
No one knows if fans will dress in togas or witch hats, as they are invited, but operators are salivating in anticipation.
“I am convinced that this is going to be the biggest Thanksgiving the industry has ever known,” Jordan Hohman, executive at Phoenix Theaters, told AFP.
In this chain of theaters, reservations for “Wicked”, in which pop star Ariana Grande plays, are 63% ahead of those for the global hit “Barbie” before its release last year.
– Thumbs up –
Singer Ariana Grande, during the premiere of the film “Wicked” in Los Angeles, November 9, 2024 (AFP / VALERIE MACON)
American theaters may have rebounded, but they have never regained their pre-pandemic attendance.
They could really use a helping hand in 2024, a year during which programming was cut short by the delays of numerous productions, due to the strike which paralyzed Hollywood for six months in 2023.
Only a few films really stood out, like Pixar's “Vice-versa 2”, or this summer's “Deadpool & Wolverine”. Announced as a sensation, “Joker: Folie à Deux” turned into a commercial flop.
In this context, the record summer of 2023 carried by “Barbie” and her peroxide doll, as well as “Oppenheimer”, portrait of the father of the atomic bomb, is a recipe to follow. In their opening weekend, both films grossed $245 million in North America.
Studios are historically reluctant to release two blockbusters at the same time.
Extras in costume as Roman soldiers, during a preview of “Gladiator II” in Las Vegas, November 16, 2024 (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Greg Doherty)
But like the “Barbenheimer” duo, “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” “aren't likely to step on each other's toes,” observes David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.
“They are aimed at different audiences,” he recalls, with a gender distinction in marketing.
Advertisements for “Gladiator II” are ubiquitous during American football matches, while a makeup line inspired by “Wicked” is already on sale.
– “Unexpected scenario” –
Audiences hold bright pink and green flowers in the colors of “Wicked” during the film's presentation at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, April 10, 2024 (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Gabe Ginsberg)
At Cinema Con, the industry's high mass organized each year in the spring in Las Vegas, Paramount set up shop at the Ceasar's Palace casino and brought one of its managers in in a chariot, flanked by several Roman soldiers.
For its part, Universal distributed thousands of green and pink plastic flowers to light up its conference on the theme of “Wicked”.
But despite this profusion of means, matching the heights reached by “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” will be difficult.
“Barbenheimer was an example of massive outperformance of two films, (…) an unexpected ideal scenario,” warns Daniel Lora, expert for Boxoffice Media.
The first indicators nevertheless remain encouraging.
“Gladiator II” was already released in dozens of other countries last week and has grossed $87 million. Paramount is hoping for similar numbers in the United States this weekend.
Buckets of popcorn in the shape of the Colosseum, for a preview of the film “Gladiator II” in Las Vegas, November 16, 2024 (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Greg Doherty)
For “Wicked”, Universal – which produced “Oppenheimer” – hopes to exceed $100 million at the North American box office this weekend.
Reassuring prospects for theater operators, who are also counting on the Disney cartoon “Moana 2” for the end of the year.
In 2024, “I don't think it's a two-film phenomenon,” says Cory Jacobson, the boss of Phoenix Theaters. “I believe there will be a three-movie phenomenon.”
