This past weekend, the musical “Wicked” and the action film “Gladiator II” amassed a stunning total of $270.2 million in worldwide ticket sales, marking a promising sign for theaters as the holiday season approaches.

The impressive box office performance offers hope to Hollywood, especially in light of recent cuts and layoffs, as many had speculated about the decline of traditional cinema due to the rise of streaming services.

“Everyone in the industry was eager for this weekend, and it hasn’t disappointed,” remarked Chris Aronson, the distribution president for Paramount Pictures.

Leading the box office charts, “Wicked,” produced by Universal Pictures, brought in $114 million from theaters across the U.S. and Canada, alongside an additional $50.2 million from international markets, culminating in a total of $164.2 million globally.

This impressive showing marks the largest opening weekend ever for a film derived from a Broadway musical, surpassing the global premiere of Universal’s “Les Miserables” from 2012, according to the studio.

The film features stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo and tells the story of a misunderstood magical student who eventually turns into the Wicked Witch of the West. Director Jon M. Chu commented on the film’s broader appeal, stating, “It’s wrapped in a fairy tale, but the point is to explore deeper truths,” during its London premiere.

Meanwhile, “Gladiator II” grossed $106 million globally, which included $55.5 million from domestic audiences. This Paramount Pictures production is a sequel to the Oscar-winning best picture from two decades ago. Released a weekend earlier in markets outside the U.S., it now totals $221 million at the box office.

<p”Gladiator II” features prominent actors such as Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington and is set in a world of political intrigue 16 years after the events of the first film.

The combination of “Wicked” and “Gladiator II,” affectionately referred to as “Glicked” by fans, brought in $169.5 million from domestic theaters alone, driving the overall weekend box office to $201.9 million. This figure represents the highest grossing weekend in North America since the July premiere of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” according to Comscore.

However, “Glicked” did not quite reach the remarkable $245 million earnings seen from the opening weekend of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” in July 2023, which indicated the film industry’s recovery from the previous year’s pandemic and actors’ strikes.

Nonetheless, these two films have provided a much-needed boost to cinemas following the underwhelming performances of this fall’s anticipated releases like “Joker: Folie a Deux” and “Venom: The Last Dance.”

This positive energy bodes well for theater chains such as AMC Entertainment, Cineplex, and Cinemark, who are gearing up for another significant release, Walt Disney’s animated film “Moana 2” debuting this week.

Michael O’Leary, President and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners, expressed optimism, stating, “This is a powerful motivator for a strong box office going into December and the New Year.”

Despite this weekend’s success, U.S. and Canadian movie ticket sales remain under pre-pandemic levels, as theaters continue to face challenges from streaming competition and the fallout from last year’s Hollywood strikes.

The Sunday tally of ticket sales this past weekend brought the total for the year to date for domestic box office revenue to $7.3 billion, reflecting a 10.6% decrease compared to the same period last year, according to Comscore. Studios and theater operators…

Movie executives are optimistic that “Moana 2” will help achieve record-breaking ticket sales during the Thanksgiving weekend.

Industry experts believe that ticket revenue from Thanksgiving until New Year’s could reach unprecedented levels. The current holiday season record stands at $2.5 billion, a mark set in 2017 with the release of “The Last Jedi,” part of the “Star Wars” franchise.

Paul Dergarabedian, a media analyst with Comscore, remarked, “This news is incredibly promising for cinema, particularly with blockbuster films like ‘Glicked’ and ‘Moana 2′ on the slate.”

Universal, which is part of Comcast, invested around $160 million in producing the first “Wicked” film, not counting additional costs for marketing, which includes expenses for a Super Bowl advertisement and numerous “Wicked” merchandise.

Similar to the promotional frenzy for “Barbie,” the “Wicked” marketing campaign features pink and green drinks at Starbucks, a clothing line at Target, and a new cupcake mix from Betty Crocker.

Universal Pictures’ president of domestic theatrical distribution, Jim Orr, stated, “This campaign was omnipresent. It was truly hard to miss. Additionally, we had a dedicated cast that was tirelessly promoting the movie. Cynthia and Ariana were literally everywhere.”

The second installment of “Wicked” is set to hit theaters in November 2025.

Other films slated for release before the year’s end include Disney’s “Mufasa: The Lion King,” Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog 3,” and Searchlight Pictures’ “A Complete Unknown,” featuring Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan.