- Universal has moved the release date of “Wicked” to the same day as “Gladiator 2.”
- Fans say both films are the new “Barbenheimers.”
- They would need to make more than $2 billion to compete with the latest double-billed blockbuster.
There might be a new “Barbenheimer” in town, as two other highly anticipated blockbusters, “Wicked” and “Gladiator 2,” are set to premiere the same day.
Last year, films at the antipodes “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” coincidentally came out on July 21. It created a cultural moment, dubbed the “Barbenheimer,” that breathed life into a struggling industry as moviegoers approached the films as a double bill.
Sources told Business Insider’s Jason Guerrasio last July that Christopher Nolan, who directed “Oppenheimer,” was upset about the scheduling conflict. “Barbie” actress and producer Margot Robbie told Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series last December that an “Oppenheimer” producer called her to suggest moving the date, but she declined.
Despite fears over the conflict, “Barbenheimer” was a huge success. “Barbie” became Warner Bros.’ highest-grossing film, and “Oppenheimer” set a record for the highest-grossing biopic. The two films grossed more than $2 billion combined.
On Monday, Universal announced that the release date of “Wicked” would be moved from Nov. 27 to Nov. 22, along with Paramount’s “Gladiator 2.” Fans of the film are calling the films the new “Barbenheimers.”
Others complained that it was an attempt to recreate the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon.
Last year, some fans who noticed that “Saw X” and a “PAW Patrol” movie had the same release date tried to make “Saw Patrol” happen, but it didn’t generate the same buzz as “Barbenheimer.”
“Wicked” and “Gladiator 2” would probably fare better.
“Gladiator 2,” directed by Ridley Scott (“Alien,” “House of Gucci”), is the sequel to one of the biggest films of the 2000s, and thus already has a fan base. “Gladiator” won five Oscars and grossed $465 million at the box office in 2000, according to Box Office Mojo.
With popular actors including With Pedro Pascal, Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington, “Gladiator 2” could be an even bigger hit.
Meanwhile, “Wicked,” directed by Jon M. Chu (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “Step Up 2: The Streets”), is the first installment in a two-part film adaptation of one of the most famous musicals. Variety reported last year that the musical has grossed more than $5 billion worldwide since its 2003 premiere.
Non-Disney musicals have been harder to sell in theaters, but “Wicked” could attract fans with the star power of Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum and Jonathan Bailey.
If “Wickiator” (“Gladicked”? “Glicked”?) becomes a cultural moment like “Barbenheimer,” it would give Paramount, Universal and movie theaters a welcome boost after a slow summer so far.
Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at Comscore, told Business Insider via email that the success of “Barbenheimer” was a “first-of-its-kind scenario” that is unlikely to be repeated. But he added that the trend likely helped raise awareness for “Wicked” and “Gladiator 2.”
“The studios behind both films should benefit from the social media chatter and excitement that this multiplex showdown generates before Thanksgiving in the movie theater market,” Dergarabedian said. “There’s really no downside to that.”
Marketing the films as a double feature could also help them compete with “Moana 2,” another highly anticipated film slated for release on Nov. 27.
In any case, the doubleheader has the $2 billion mark to cross to repeat the success of “Barbenheimer.”
