Box Office showdown: Wicked eyes $100M opening weekend debut. Can Ariana Grande's film spell trouble for Gladiator II?

Attention, movie buffs! After the phenomenon of Barbenheimer, we now have Glicked! This Friday, Universal Pictures¡¯ Wicked and Paramount Pictures¡¯ Gladiator II (affectionately referred to online as Glicked) both open in theatres. As the box office reception has been lukewarm this fall with no major releases, Hollywood is counting on Glicked to draw crowds and regain momentum before the Thanksgiving holiday.

The intense promotional press for both Wicked and Gladiator II has the internet buzzing with palpable excitement. With just a day to release, the stage is set for an ultimate showdown. Will Wicked cast a magical, rather musical, spell on the audience, or can Gladiator II retain its original charm? Let's take a look at box office predictions:

Wicked box office prediction

Jon M. Chu's Wicked is poised to pull up some astronomical figures at the box office, eyeing $100-110 million from 3,880 North American theatres in the opening weekend. Initially projected to mint $80-85 million in the first three days, a Variety report reveals the numbers have surged in recent weeks.

Riding the wave of its beloved stage show, universal marketing, and lead cast members Ariana Grande and Cynthia Avaro's stardom, Wicked has every shot at becoming the highest opening musical film of all time. The current record is held by Into the Woods, which made $31 million in its opening weekend in 2014.

Gladiator II box office prediction

Ridley Scott-directed Gladiator II expects a $65 million opening from 3,500 cinemas over the weekend. Notably, the film has already earned $87 million from 63 markets globally since its November 12 premiere, marking Scott's biggest overseas opening.

Starring Paul Mescal as Lucius, the son of Russell Crowe¡¯s Maximus, the epic sequel's strong box office reception worldwide prompted the third part's announcement from Scott. ¡°Given the performance we¡¯ve seen worldwide, there¡¯s certainly going to be a Gladiator III,¡± he said at the US premiere in Los Angeles on Monday.

Wicked vs Gladiator II: Who is winning this box office battle?

The early predictions have a verdict: Wicked is winning in the US. Projected to easily hit over $100 million, the film could dwarf Gladiator II, potentially raking in twice as much.

Wicked or Gladiator II, which movie do you plan on watching this weekend? Do let us know!

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.