'Glicked' is out and could be the new 'Barbenheimer.' The films would need to make over $2 billion to match it.
Universal Pictures/Paramount Pictures
- Universal released "Wicked" on the same day as Paramount's "Gladiator II."
- The coincidental release date has seen the movies dubbed "Glicked" — an echo of "Barbenheimer."
- They will have to make over $2 billion to compete with "Oppenheimer" plus "Barbie."
There's a new "Barbenheimer" in town, as two other highly anticipated blockbusters, "Wicked" and "Gladiator 2," have premiered on the same day.
Last year, the polar-opposite movies "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" were coincidentally released on July 21.
This created a cultural moment, dubbed "Barbenheimer," that breathed life into a struggling industry as cinemagoers approached the films as a double bill.
Despite worries about the clash, "Barbenheimer" was a huge success.
"Barbie" became Warner Bros.'s highest-grossing movie, and "Oppenheimer" set a record for the highest-grossing biopic. They made over $2 billion combined.
In July, Universal announced that "Wicked" would be released on November 22 instead of November 27, clashing with Paramount's "Gladiator 2."
The coincidental pairing was promptly dubbed "Glicked."
Others complained that it seemed like an attempt to re-create the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon.
Last year, some fans who noticed that "Saw X" and a "PAW Patrol" movie had the same release date tried to make "Saw Patrol" happen, but it didn't generate a similar buzz.
"Wicked" and "Gladiator II" will likely fare better.
"Gladiator II," directed by Ridley Scott ("Alien," "House of Gucci"), is a sequel to one of the biggest movies of the 2000s, so it already has a fan base.
It stars buzzy actors including Pedro Pascal, Paul Mescal, and Denzel Washington, which could carry it to success.
Meanwhile, "Wicked," directed by Jon M. Chu ("Crazy Rich Asians," "Step Up 2: The Streets"), is the first of a two-part movie adaptation of one of the most famous musicals. Variety reported last year that the musical had made over $5 billion globally since its premiere in 2003.
Non-Disney movie musicals have been a tougher sell in cinemas, but "Wicked" has picked up momentum thanks to the star power of Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Jonathan Bailey.
"Glicked" becoming a cultural moment like "Barbenheimer" would give Paramount, Universal, and movie theatres a welcome boost after a slow summer.
Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst for Comscore, told Business Insider via email that the success of "Barbenheimer" was a "first of its kind scenario" that will likely not be replicated. But he said this trend has likely raised awareness for "Wicked" and "Gladiator 2."
"The studios behind both films should embrace the social media conversation and excitement that this key pre-Thanksgiving multiplex match-up is generating in the movie marketplace," Dergarabedian said. "There's really no downside to something like this."