In the lead-up to the releases ofWickedandGladiator II, their simultaneous theatrical debut was referred to as “Glicked,” which is reminiscent of 2023’s “Barbenheimer” event. In 2023, “Barbenheimer” took over the world, as bothBarbieandOppenheimerfound massive success at the box office. Upon therelease ofWicked, many have compared the new musical toBarbie. BothWickedandBarbieare female-driven, big-budget IP movies with musical elements that opened against more male-driven films (OppenheimerandGladiator II) and performed very well at the box office.
Wickedis based on the critically-acclaimed Broadway musical of the same name, so it was expected to be a very popular movie, butWicked’s box officehas outperformed expectations. The story ofWickedfollows Elphaba and Glinda, portrayed by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera, as they form an unlikely friendship at Shiz University in the world of Oz. In addition to Erivo and Grande-Butera, thecast ofWickedincludes Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum.
Wicked’s Opening Weekend Box Office Compared To Barbie’s
Wicked Made Significantly Less Than Barbie In Its Opening Weekend
Wickedhad the third-biggest opening weekend of 2024, only being beaten byInside Out 2andDeadpool & Wolverine. In its opening weekend,Wickedgrossed $114 million at the domestic box office and just over $50 million in international markets (viaVariety). Therefore,Wickedhad a total opening weekend gross of $164 million. With this release,Wickedactually had the highest-grossing global debut of a Broadway adaptation, beating 2012’sLes Misérables, which made $103 million in its opening weekend.
$114 million (domestic)
$162 million (domestic)
$50 million (international)
$194 million (international)
$164 million (worldwide total)
$356 million (worldwide total)
However,Wickedwas not able to topBarbie’sopening weekend haul. WhileWickedhas been a massively popular film, “Glicked” definitely did not live up to the hype of “Barbenheimer,” and this is evident inBarbie’srecord-breaking opening weekend box office. In its opening weekend,Barbiemade $162 million domestically and $194 million internationally, making for a total gross of over $356 million at the worldwide box office (viaDeadline). Therefore,Barbiemade more than double whatWickedearned during its opening weekend.
Wicked Should Have Great Legs At The Box Office Like Barbie Did
Wicked Is Already A Box Office Success
Wickedis not a failure by any means, however. A $164 million opening weekend is still extremely impressive and is a number that most filmmakers can only dream of reaching with their movies. There are several notable movies playing in theaters at the moment. In addition toWickedandGladiator II, Disney’sMoana 2was just released and is bringing even more people to theaters, including families. Together,the three films made for a $422 million Thanksgiving weekend at the box office, which is thebiggest Thanksgiving box office haul of all time.
Wickedmay also be one of the most talked-about films leading up to the 2025 Academy Awards, which will further convince more people to see the movie.
In addition to breaking numerous records,reviews forWickedhave also been exceptional. Positive word of mouth drew a lot of people to theaters to seeBarbiesince it was widely regarded as a can’t-miss film. Currently,Wickedhas aRotten Tomatoesscore of 89%, which is actually higher than Barbie’s score, which is 88%. Therefore, the hype aroundWickedlikely won’t die down in the coming weeks.Wickedmay also be one of the most talked-about films leading up to the 2025 Academy Awards, which will further convince more people to see the movie.
Will Wicked Catch Barbie At The Box Office?
It Is Very Unlikely Wicked Will Make As Much As Barbie
In total,Barbiegrossed over $1.4 billion at the global box office (viaBox Office Mojo).Wickedearned less than half of whatBarbiemade during its opening weekend, and it is trailing it in its second week, as well, soit is highly unlikely thatThe Wizard of Ozprequel will make as much asBarbieat the box office. Additionally,Barbieled the box office for numerous weeks in the summer of 2023, whereasWickedwas already dethroned byMoana 2in its second week. WhileWickedcould reclaim the top spot, it is clearly not repeating the same level of success asBarbie.
Waiting An Entire Year For Wicked 2 Is Going To Be Excruciating Now
The movie adaptation of Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, exceeded expectations, making the wait for Wicked: Part 2 feel impossible.
Based on the current projections and how it has performed so far,Wickedmay not even reach the $1 billion milestone at the box office. More than likely,Wickedwill earn a total of $700-800 million throughout its theatrical run, so about half of whatBarbiemade. This is still a box office performance worth celebrating for a movie, and it all but confirms that2025’sWicked Part Twowill also be a massive success.
Wicked
Cast
Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Barbie
Barbie is a film adaptation of the generational iconic toy directed by Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote the script with Noah Baumbach. The film centers on Margot Robbie’s Barbie who is expelled from Barbieland and travels with Ken (Ryan Gosling) to the real world in search of happiness. The film also stars Simu Liu, Will Ferrell, and several other famous celebrities in cameo roles.
