CELEBRITY
There might be a new “Barbenheimer” in town, as two other highly anticipated blockbusters, “Wicked” and “Gladiator 2,” are scheduled to premiere on the same day..Details below
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.
Sources told Business Insider’s Jason Guerrasio last July that Christopher Nolan, who directed “Oppenheimer,” was upset about the date clash. The “Barbie” actor and producer Margot Robbie told Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series last December that an “Oppenheimer” producer had called her to suggest she move the date, but she declined.
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. The films made over $2 billion combined. On Monday, Universal announced that the release date of “Wicked” would move from November 27 to November 22, clashing with
Paramount’s “Gladiator 2.” Film fans are dubbing the movies the new “Barbenheimer.” “Gladiator 2,” 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. “Gladiator” won five Oscars and made $465 million at the box office in 2000, according to Box Office Mojo.
Starring buzzy actors includingPedro Pascal, Paul Mescal, and Denzel Washington, “Gladiator 2” could be an even bigger 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”could attract fans with the star power of Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, and Jonathan Bailey.