'Gladiator II', 'Wicked' battle for N. American box office honors
Published: 02:11 PM,Nov 26,2024 | EDITED : 06:11 PM,Nov 26,2024
Hollywood got respite from a slack few months as two much-anticipated new films -- Universal's 'Wicked: Part I' and 'Gladiator II' from Paramount -- roared to the top of the North American box office this weekend.
'Wicked,' the latest take on 1939's beloved 'Wizard of Oz,' took in an estimated $114 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, said industry watcher Exhibitor Relations.
'This is a sensational opening for the start of a new adventure fantasy series,' said analyst David A. Gross, who cited 'superb' reviews and audience scores.
'Wicked' scored one of the biggest openings ever for a big-screen musical, according to The Hollywood Reporter -- good news for the film's investors, with 'Wicked: Part 2' set to be released next year.
Critics say Cynthia Erivo has a showstopping turn as green-skinned heroine Elphaba, while pop music star Ariana Grande, another vocal powerhouse, plays fellow witch Glinda.
'Gladiator II,' the long-awaited sequel to 2000's Oscar-winning 'Gladiator,' put up big enough weekend numbers -- $55.5 million -- that fans are linking it to 'Wicked' with portmanteaus like 'Glicked' and 'Wickiator.'
Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen and a delightfully evil Denzel Washington star in a story set in ancient Rome years after the original 'Gladiator.'
Durable director Ridley Scott (he turns 87 next week), weaves a tale of ruthless ambition and retribution, spicing up the original by bringing sharks, baboons and a rhinoceros into the blood-soaked arena.
Last weekend's box-office leader, Christmas comedy 'Red One' from Amazon and MGM, earned $13.3 million for third place. Dwayne ('The Rock') Johnson plays a North Pole security officer trying to find a kidnapped Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons) on Christmas Eve.
Fourth place went to Angel Studios' new historical drama 'Bonhoeffer,' at $5.1 million. It tells the story of German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who preached a message of love, detested the Nazi dictatorship and was accused of involvement in a plot to assassinate Hitler. German actor Jonas Dassler stars. —AFP
'Wicked,' the latest take on 1939's beloved 'Wizard of Oz,' took in an estimated $114 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, said industry watcher Exhibitor Relations.
'This is a sensational opening for the start of a new adventure fantasy series,' said analyst David A. Gross, who cited 'superb' reviews and audience scores.
'Wicked' scored one of the biggest openings ever for a big-screen musical, according to The Hollywood Reporter -- good news for the film's investors, with 'Wicked: Part 2' set to be released next year.
Critics say Cynthia Erivo has a showstopping turn as green-skinned heroine Elphaba, while pop music star Ariana Grande, another vocal powerhouse, plays fellow witch Glinda.
'Gladiator II,' the long-awaited sequel to 2000's Oscar-winning 'Gladiator,' put up big enough weekend numbers -- $55.5 million -- that fans are linking it to 'Wicked' with portmanteaus like 'Glicked' and 'Wickiator.'
Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen and a delightfully evil Denzel Washington star in a story set in ancient Rome years after the original 'Gladiator.'
Durable director Ridley Scott (he turns 87 next week), weaves a tale of ruthless ambition and retribution, spicing up the original by bringing sharks, baboons and a rhinoceros into the blood-soaked arena.
Last weekend's box-office leader, Christmas comedy 'Red One' from Amazon and MGM, earned $13.3 million for third place. Dwayne ('The Rock') Johnson plays a North Pole security officer trying to find a kidnapped Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons) on Christmas Eve.
Fourth place went to Angel Studios' new historical drama 'Bonhoeffer,' at $5.1 million. It tells the story of German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who preached a message of love, detested the Nazi dictatorship and was accused of involvement in a plot to assassinate Hitler. German actor Jonas Dassler stars. —AFP