The ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator 2’ double-bill may not have lived up to 2023’s Barbenheimer hype, but it still managed to breathe life back into a struggling box office

Wicked” and “Gladiator II” — which some have called “Glicked” following the success of the 2023 summer blockbusters “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” — combined to gross an estimated $169.5 million in their domestic debut.

Wicked” and “Gladiator II” didn’t outperform “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” but that doesn’t mean it was a bad weekend at the box office.

Moviegoers soared from Oz to the Colosseum over the weekend as millions around the world flocked to see “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” in theaters.

The sequel to the Oscar-winning hit 2000 film, “Gladiator II” brings back the original director Ridley Scott, along with stars Connie Nielsen, Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington.

The ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator 2’ double-bill may not have lived up to 2023’s Barbenheimer hype, but it still managed to breathe life back into a struggling box office

Hollywood’s two holiday movie blockbusters, Wicked and Gladiator II, brought in nearly $170 million in domestic box office sales for their opening weekends, according to estimates from Comscore. Wicked,