“Glicked” kicks off Hollywood’s Thanksgiving festivities

Gladiator II and Wicked both hit theaters today, ahead of the five-day Thanksgiving weekend, kicking off an important stretch at the US box office for the movie industry.

• Gladiator II: The Ridley Scott-directed sequel is projected to make between $65 million–$75 million domestically in its opening weekend.
• Wicked: Part 1 of Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the Broadway musical is expected to open to the tune of $120 million–$140 million domestically.

Each film is packed with star power and has a dedicated two-decade-long fan base. Both have also been aggressively marketed; Wicked partnered with 400+ brands worldwide for promo purposes, while Gladiator II staged the biggest “roadblock” promo in history and also signed a controversial deal with Airbnb to bring gladiator battles to the actual Colosseum in Rome (seriously).

Can Glicked recapture the Barbenheimer magic? Some theaters are offering themed concessions menus for double-feature movie-goers. But critics are skeptical of it taking off due to the films appealing to such opposing audiences – though early tracking data indicates there could be more overlap than previously thought.

👀 Looking ahead… Projections indicate the five-day Thanksgiving weekend will bring in $300+ million at the domestic box office, a feat that’s only been done once before in 2018. But it hinges on the initial success of Glicked. Per The Hollywood Reporter: Movies opening the weekend before Thanksgiving, rather than midweek on Wednesday, can often come close to repeating their opening number during the official five-day holiday weekend – but only if audiences like them.