The simultaneous release of both Evil and Gladiator II at the box office in November 2024 proved to be the cinematic event of the year. “Glicked” is rivaling last year’s “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, with two wildly different projects finding immense success in different ways. The two films have been compared endlessly thanks to their same-day release, even though the projects themselves couldn’t be more different. However, box office numbers for Evil and Gladiator II have already proven themselves to be something of a “winner”.
Both Evil and Gladiator II were highly anticipated releases, the former because of how beloved the original Broadway production is, the latter because of how critically acclaimed its Oscar-winning predecessor was. Both had precedents to follow, and while one was more commercially successful than the other, it’s hard to deny that either project didn’t live up to the huge expectations placed upon it. It was a box office battle to rival Barbenheimer, and the result is quite surprising.
Wicked vs. Gladiator 2: Opening Weekend Box Office Numbers Compared
Wicked made more money domestically in its opening weekend
The first metric to compare between Evil and Gladiator II are the opening weekend box office numbers, which clearly show that Evil was the most profitable property in the days following its release. In the USA, Evilthe opening weekend grossed US$114 million for theaters, while Gladiator II raised US$55.5 on the domestic market (via Mojo Box Office). While both are strong numbers that reflect the projects’ respective popularity, the former’s numbers are on track to be some of the highest earnings of the year.
Naturally, this is only in the US Gladiator II opened a week before Evil in other parts of the world, and their worldwide box office generally shows a different trend. Evil raised an extra $50 million internationally, while Gladiator II it earned US$165 million in twice the time. This brings its worldwide numbers to $164 million for Evil and US$221 million for Gladiator II. However, this comparison is not so clear given the scattered releases.
Wicked’s reviews and audience reception were much better than Gladiator 2
Rotten Tomatoes crowned Wicked the weekend’s winner
In addition to commercial success, both films must be measured by their critical success, both from professional critics and the general public. On Rotten tomatoesEvil holds an audience score of 97% and a critic score of 90%, which is the highest in a long time for a mainstream musical film. EvilThe Rotten Tomatoes score is extremely impressive, proving that audiences immediately fell in love with the adaptation. The 97% audience score is even stronger than the classic The Wizard of Oz’rating, even if critics don’t agree.
To compare, Gladiator II currently has an audience score of 84%, with critics giving the film an even lower 72%. This clearly does not correspond EvilThe film’s numbers, suggesting that while the film has performed well commercially, people haven’t been enjoying the project as much as the John M. Chu musical. But Rotten Tomatoes isn’t everything: the films were also rated on CinemaScore, with Evil receiving a resounding A and Gladiator II being demoted to B.
Wicked became more of an “event” than Gladiator 2
Wicked’s marketing team caused a social media storm
Evil‘s superior performance is partially a result of its busier launch and marketing strategy. There are countless theatrical events that encourage audiences to dress up, sing along to the music and share their ideas on social media with friends. It was a great cinematic event, which is not something that can be said about Gladiator II. A lot of this comes down to Evilmore universal appeal, which includes children and younger families, while Gladiator II is a more serious drama aimed at an older audience.
Deadline reported that Evilthe company’s social media statistics have reached more than 960 million, even before release of the film, which is almost three times what Gladiator II managed.
Evil is also filled with Easter eggs to The Wizard of Ozwhich appeals to the audience’s nostalgia and makes it easier to enjoy. The original film is an undeniable classic, so it’s no surprise that audiences have discussed its prequel so extensively and given it so many impressions on social media. Deadline reported that Evilthe company’s social media statistics have reached more than 960 million, even before release of the film, which is almost three times what Gladiator II managed.
Wicked targeted a larger audience than Gladiator 2
The Wicked Musical is a more accessible film
A big reason to EvilThe film’s box office success is that it is aimed at a more universal audience. This factor is very reminiscent BarbieThe success of The Battle of Barbenheimer in 2023: There aren’t many films that clearly market themselves to female audiences, so when a film comes along that is unapologetically pink and stereotypically feminine, it tends to be a bigger hit.
Additionally, Gladiator II is cursed by its R rating, which has prevented many younger audiences from watching it.
Gladiator II It is a much less accessible film and will only please those who have already seen (and liked) the original film. It’s a clear sequel that requires some knowledge of the first film to appreciate, while Evil is an extremely accessible project that requires no prior knowledge, and whose music can please anyone. Additionally, Gladiator II is cursed by its R rating, which has prevented many younger audiences from watching it.
Wicked will likely have a longer box office run than Gladiator 2
The success of film musicals tends to last longer
Judging by typical trends in how musicals perform at the box office, EvilThe opening weekend will only make up a small part of your commercial intake. Musical films tend to have much longer legs than regular releasessince the audience can come back to listen Evilreplay the iconic songs or experience the huge musical numbers that don’t have the same impact on a small screen. There is plenty of precedent for this trend in the past, with films like The greatest showman exhibiting enormous longevity that continued for months after its release.
However, this does not mean that Evil There’s no competition coming. While the impending holiday season could be beneficial for Evilbox officeIt’s also one of the busiest times of the year for new releases, which can easily hamper audiences’ return to the experience Evil again. The film will have to rely heavily on its social media marketing strategy and existing word of mouth to continue thriving at the box office.
Wicked and Gladiator 2 are on track to be box office hits
Despite the competition, both “Glicked” films are performing excellently
Ultimately, excluding competition, both Evil and Gladiator II are destined to be a huge box office success. Both are on track to exceed their budget by several orders of magnitude and perform better than either project could have predicted. While It’s easy to leave Evil obfuscate Gladiator II, the latter’s numbers would have been a huge success on any other weekend.
Gladiator IIThe box office broke records internationally, and much of its success can actually be credited to the ongoing rivalry with Evil. It’s the same phenomenon that was seen with Barbenheimer in 2024: having two popular films released on the same weekend can actually help create an event of sorts that increases the commercial intake of both. Competition drives audiences to theaters and makes people interested in films they might not otherwise enjoy.
Source: Mojo Box Office, Rotten tomatoes, Deadline