After the Barbenheimer phenomenon, is a Glicked wave on the horizon? In the United States, theater operators are hopeful that this weekend's release of two highly anticipated films, Gladiator II and Wicked, will ignite the box office, reminiscent of the success of Barbie and Oppenheimer in 2023.
Gladiator II marks Ridley Scott's return to ancient Rome, 24 years after his first epic, which won the Oscar for Best Picture. Wicked brings to the big screen the renowned Broadway musical, chronicling the adventures of the witch from The Wizard of Oz. Produced by industry giants Paramount and Universal respectively, both films are backed by massive marketing campaigns.
The internet is already buzzing with Glicked or Wickiator memes, while multiplexes and shopping centers across the country are adorned in the green and pink hues associated with the witches of Wicked, or feature miniature cardboard Colosseums. Whether fans will don togas or witch hats, as encouraged, remains to be seen, but theater operators are eagerly anticipating the outcome.
"I'm convinced this will be the biggest Thanksgiving the industry has ever seen," Jordan Hohman, an executive at Phoenix Theaters, told AFP. At this theater chain, pre-sales for Wicked, starring pop icon Ariana Grande, are 63% ahead of last year's global hit Barbie at the same point before its release.
A Much-Needed Boost
While American theaters have rebounded, they have yet to return to pre-pandemic attendance levels. A boost is sorely needed in 2024, a year in which many releases were delayed due to the six-month strike that paralyzed Hollywood in 2023. Only a few films have truly stood out, such as Pixar's Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine this summer. Touted as a sensation, Joker: Folie à Deux turned out to be a commercial flop.
In this context, the record-breaking summer of 2023, driven by Barbie and its blonde doll, as well as Oppenheimer, a portrait of the father of the atomic bomb, serves as a model to emulate. During their opening weekend, the two films grossed $245 million in North America.
Studios have historically been reluctant to release two blockbusters simultaneously. However, like the Barbenheimer duo, Wicked and Gladiator II "are unlikely to cannibalize each other," notes David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. "They are targeted at different audiences," he adds, highlighting a gender distinction in their marketing strategies.
Advertisements for Gladiator II are ubiquitous during football games, while a makeup line inspired by Wicked is already on sale.
An Unexpected Scenario
At CinemaCon, the industry's annual spring gathering in Las Vegas, Paramount set up shop at Caesars Palace casino, introducing one of its executives in a chariot, flanked by Roman soldiers. Meanwhile, Universal distributed thousands of green and pink plastic flowers to illuminate its Wicked - themed conference.
Despite these lavish efforts, matching the heights reached by Barbie and Oppenheimer will be challenging. Barbenheimer was an example of massive overperformance by two films...an unexpected ideal scenario," warns Daniel Lora, an expert at Boxoffice Media.
Nonetheless, early indicators are encouraging. Gladiator II has already been released in dozens of other countries last week, grossing $87 million. Paramount hopes for similar figures in the U.S. this weekend.
For Wicked, Universal—also the producer of Oppenheimer—aims to surpass $100 million at the North American box office this weekend.
These prospects are reassuring for theater operators, who are also counting on Disney's animated film Moana 2 for the year's end.
In 2024, "I don't think it's a two-film phenomenon," says Cory Jacobson, head of Phoenix Theaters. "I believe there will be a three-film phenomenon."
With AFP
Comments