The pre-Thanksgiving box office got off to a sizzling start, with Wicked and Gladiator II bringing big crowds to theaters.
Wicked conjured up an estimated $117 million debut this weekend to open in first place, box office tracking company Comscore reported Sunday.
The movie musical played in 3,888 locations in the U.S. and Canada, for a stunning per theater average of $29,321.
Related: Ariana Grande Shed Tears Over Role of a Lifetime in ‘Wicked’
Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian called the performances of Wicked and Gladiator II a “dream scenario” for theater owners.
“The best possible news for movie theaters is having this perfectly conceived and executed holiday movie mashup that brought two box office heavyweights together on the same weekend,” Dergarabedian told Urban Hollywood 411 on Sunday.
Powered by a massive marketing campaign and fans of the beloved Broadway production by the same name, Wicked is currently the No. 1 movie worldwide, per Comscore.
Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians and Step Up 3D) directed the big-screen version. Chu’s adaptation of Wicked is told in two parts, with the part 2 set to debut in November 2025.
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo lead the star-studded cast. Grammy and Tony winner Erivo plays Elphaba, a witch who is ostracized for her green skin and has yet to discover her true power. Grammy winner Grande portrays Glinda, a popular young woman who has yet to discover her true heart.
Variety reported nearly 75 percent of the film’s audience was women and families, while men showed up in force for Gladiator II.
Related: Denzel Washington Calls ‘Gladiator II’ Next Level Filmmaking
Gladiator II opened in second place with $55.5 million. The sword-and-sandal epic set a record as the biggest November debut ever for an R-rated film, Comscore reported.
After debuting abroad before launching in the U.S., the film has a worldwide total of $221 million as of Sunday. The film carries a reported production budget of at least $210 million.
The sequel outpaced the opening tally of the Oscar-winning Gladiator, which debuted domestically in 2000 with $34.8 million.
This weekend Gladiator II played in 3,573 theaters for a solid per theater average of $15,533.
On the red carpet at the film’s Los Angeles premiere last week, Ridley Scott — who directed both films — talked about what it means to continue the story two decades later.
“The great thing about it, from my point of view, is that I’m kind of amazed and delighted that we’re able to make a sequel,” Scott said.
The sequel stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, who is forced into slavery following an invasion led by a Roman general played by Pedro Pascal.
Two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington plays Macrinus, keeper of the gladiators, who buys Lucius at auction. Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, and Derek Jacobi also have roles. Connie Nielsen returns from the original film.
Elsewhere this weekend, Dwayne Johnson’s Christmas-themed action comedy Red One slipped to third place with $13.2 million, after debuting in the top spot last weekend.
The historical drama Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin opened in fourth place with $5.1 million, and Venom: The Last Dance rounded out the top five with $4 million.
