Is ‘Glicked’ the new ‘Barbenheimer’? ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II’ collide in theaters

By LINDSEY BAHR, Associated Press

“Barbenheimer” was a phenomenon intolerable to manufacture. But, much than a twelvemonth later, that hasn’t stopped radical from trying to marque “Glicked” — oregon adjacent “Babyratu” — happen.

The counterprogramming of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” successful July 2023 deed a nervus culturally and had the receipts to backmost it up. Unlike truthful galore things that statesman arsenic memes, it transcended its online beginnings. Instead of an either-or, the 2 movies yet complemented and boosted 1 different astatine the container office.

And ever since, moviegoers, marketers and meme makers person been trying to recreate that moment, searching the movie merchandise docket for unusual mashups and sending candidates disconnected into the societal media void. Most attempts person fizzled (sorry, “Saw Patrol” ).

This representation released by Universal Pictures shows Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande successful a country from the movie “Wicked.” (Universal Pictures via AP)

This play is possibly the closest approximation yet arsenic the Broadway philharmonic adaptation “Wicked” opens Friday against the chest-thumping sword-and-sandals epic “Gladiator II.” Two large workplace releases (Universal and Paramount), with one-name titles, other tones and aesthetics and large blockbuster vigor — it was already halfway determination earlier the sanction crippled began: “Wickiator,” “Wadiator,” “Gladwick” and adjacent the eyebrow raising “Gladicked” person each been suggested.

“’Glicked’ rolls disconnected the lingua a small spot more,” histrion Fred Hechinger said astatine the New York screening of “Gladiator II” this week. “I deliberation we should each set astir ‘Glicked.’ It gets excessively confusing if you person 4 oregon 5 antithetic names for it.”

As with “Barbenheimer,” arsenic reductive arsenic it mightiness seem, “Glicked” besides has the male/female disagreement that marque the instrumentality creation other silly. One is pinkish and agleam and awash successful sparkles, tulle, Broadway bangers and marque tie-ins; The different is each sweat and sand, humor and bulging muscles.

This representation released by Paramount Pictures shows Pedro Pascal, left, and Paul Mescal successful a country from “Gladiator II.” (Aidan Monaghan/Paramount Pictures via AP)

Both films topped Fandango’s astir anticipated vacation movie survey, wherever 65% of respondents said that they were funny successful the “Glicked” treble feature. Theaters large and tiny are besides pulling retired the stops with movie-themed tie-ins. B&B Theaters volition person Roman guards tearing tickets astatine immoderate locations and Maximus popcorn tubs. Marcus Theaters is doing Oz photograph ops and relationship bracelet-making. Alamo Drafthouse is leaning into the singalong facet (beware, though, not each theaters are embracing this) and the punny drinks similar “Defying Gravi-Tea.”

“Rather than it being successful competition, I deliberation they’re successful conversation,” “Gladiator II” prima Paul Mescal said. “This manufacture needs a changeable successful the arm. Those films gave it past year. We anticipation to bash it this year.”

And the anticipation is that audiences volition flock to theaters to beryllium portion of this infinitesimal arsenic well. It’s a sorely needed influx of could-be blockbusters into a marketplace that’s inactive astatine an 11% shortage from past twelvemonth and down 27.2% from 2019, according to information from Comscore.

“Competition is bully for the marketplace. It’s bully for consumers,” said Michael O’Leary, the president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners. “Having 2 large movies coming retired astatine the aforesaid clip is simply a multiplier effect.”

Director Jon M. Chu, from left, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande airs for photographers upon accomplishment astatine the premiere of the movie ‘Wicked’ connected Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, successful London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

“Glicked” is presently tracking for a combined North American debut successful the $165 cardinal range, with “Wicked” forecast to gain astir $100 cardinal (up from the $80 cardinal estimates a fewer weeks ago) and “Gladiator II” pegged for the $65 cardinal range.

“Barbenheimer” shattered its projections past July. Going into that weekend, “Barbie” had been pegged for $90 cardinal and “Oppenheimer” astir $40 million. Ultimately, they brought successful a combined $244 million successful that archetypal outing, and astir $2.4 cardinal by the extremity of their runs.

It’s imaginable “Glicked” volition transcend expectations, too. And it has the vantage of different behemoth coming adjacent behind: “Moana 2,” which opens conscionable 5 days aboriginal connected the Wednesday earlier the Thanksgiving holiday. “Glickedana” triple diagnostic anyone?

“These are 10 important days,” O’Leary said. “It’s going to amusement the moviegoing assemblage that there’s a batch of compelling worldly retired determination for them to see.”

Denzel Washington, from left, manager Ridley Scott, left, and Paul Mescal airs for photographers upon accomplishment astatine the premiere of the movie ‘Gladiator II’ connected Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, successful London. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

There are infinite caveats to the imperfect examination to “Barbenheimer,” arsenic well. “Wicked” is simply a “Part One.” Musicals transportation their ain baggage with moviegoers, adjacent those based connected wildly palmy productions (ahem, “Cats”). “Gladiator II” got a caput commencement and opened internationally past weekend. In fact, successful the U.K. it played alongside “Paddington successful Peru,” wherever that treble was pegged “Gladdington.” “Gladiator” reviews, portion positive, are a small much divided than the others. And neither directors Ridley Scott nor Jon M. Chu has the built-in container bureau cache that Christopher Nolan’s sanction unsocial carries astatine the moment.

The caller films besides outgo much than “Barbie” ($145 million) and “Oppenheimer” ($100 million). According to reports, “Gladiator II” had a $250 cardinal terms tag; “Wicked” reportedly outgo $150 cardinal to nutrient (and that does not see the outgo of the 2nd film, owed adjacent year).

The narrative, though, has shifted distant from “who volition triumph the weekend.” Earlier this year, Chu told The Associated Press that helium loves that this is simply a infinitesimal wherever “we tin basal for each movies each the time.”

Close down are a bevy of Christmas releases with treble diagnostic potential, but those consciousness a small much niche. There’s the remake of “Nosferatu,” the Nicole Kidman kink pic “Babygirl” and the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown.” The net can’t adjacent look to determine connected its space for that batch of contenders, and nary precisely screams blockbuster. Sometimes the joyousness is conscionable successful the game, however. Some are sticking with the one-name mashup (“Babyratu”); others are suggesting that the information that 2 of the movies diagnostic real-life exes (Timothée Chalamet and Lily-Rose Depp) is capable crushed for a treble feature. And getting radical talking is fractional the battle.

When successful doubt, oregon lacking a catchy name, there’s ever the default: “This is my Barbenheimer.”

Associated Press writer John Carucci and Film Writer Jake Coyle contributed reporting.