“Wickediator”, the new “Barbenheimer”? Wicked – part 1 is brought forward in front of Gladiator II in the cinema

Universal has just postponed its musical by just a few days, to just before Thanksgiving 2024.

Deadline deciphers a date change in Universal’s calendar: the studio has just brought forward the American release of WickedJon M. Chu’s musical comedy scheduled for two parts, five days. It moves from November 27 to 22, 2024. It may seem anecdotal, but this change of less than a week makes sense, according to the media specialized in Hollywood productions.

Wednesday, November 27, will be the day before Thanksgiving, a very popular holiday in the United States, a day off for many and a great time for family outings. This date has long been reserved by Disney for the release of Vaiana 2. An animated film that should mainly attract a young and female audience to the cinema, just like Wicked.

By moving it forward to the previous Friday, Universal will instead be putting it in competition with a blockbuster aimed at a male audience, and a little older: Gladiator IIby Ridley Scott, distributed by Paramount. This sequel to the cult epic released in theaters 24 years ago is eagerly awaited by all action fans.

“Wickediator”

“A lot can happen at the box office right before Thanksgiving weekend, written like this Deadline. As we saw with “Barbenheimer”viewers could very well go see both. Universal actually experimented with this scenario last July when their film Oppenheimer started at $82.4 million against $162 million Barbie (from Warner Bros., editor’s note).”

At the end of the race, Christopher Nolan’s film had almost reached the billion dollar mark in global box office receipts, while Greta Gerwig’s film easily crossed it.

The parallel with the phenomenon “Barbenheimer”which had carried these two blockbusters presented at opposite ends of the spectrum during the summer of 2024, has obviously not escaped the attention of English-speaking film buffs, who are already enjoying this weekend “Wickediator” on social networks, whether by mixing the two posters or by proposing “a day at the movies with friends” by chaining the two films together with an appropriate outfit each time: a nod to the famous Pepsi advert from “gladiatrices” Pink, Beyoncé and Britney Spears, broadcast 20 years ago, or outfits directly inspired by The Wizard of Ozthe work that gave life to Wicked.

Martin Scorsese found Barbenheimer phenomenon “wonderful”

The American site then recalls how big the stakes are for the firm behind the Jurassic World with Wicked. The director of Crazy Rich AsiansJon M. Chu, having signed on for two installments from the outset, the first part absolutely has to work if the public wants to see the sequel in theaters from November 26, 2026. Universal is counting on the popularity of this musical, which has earned more than $2.5 billion during its multiple stage performances since its creation 21 years ago, as well as on its cast appreciated by the public: the first teaser led by Ariana Grande (Glinda) and Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) has been seen by 230 million curious people since its airing during the last Super Bowl. Then its trailer did almost as well: 216 million views.

Coming out facing Gladiator II rather than Vaiana 2, Wicked – part 1 looks more like “counter-program” rather than competitors, since the two films are not aimed at exactly the same audience. Will female spectators drag their friends to the cinema to discover this musical comedy after the muscular peplum led by Paul Mescal? Or vice versa? This is clearly Universal’s strategy, judged “very clever” by Deadline. Box office pros will check if it was effective at the end of November…

In France, for the moment, their dates do not change: Gladiator II is expected in theaters on November 13, and Wicked for the 27th. Heads up to Vaiana 2at our place…

aul Mescal faces Pedro Pascal in the first images of Gladiator 2