wicked gladiator

Source: Universal / Paramount

‘Wicked’, ‘Gladiator II’

Worldwide box office November 22-24

Rank Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l)  Cume (int’l) Territories
 1. Wicked (Universal)  $164.2m  $164.2m  $50.2m  $50.2m  62
 2. Gladiator II (Paramount)  $106m  $221m  $50.5m  $165.5m  65
 3.  Red One (Warner Bros)  $22m  $117.1m  $8.7m  $64.2m  76
 4.  Her Story (TAOP)  $16.6m  $20.8m  $16.6m  $20.8m  1
 5.  Venom: The Last Dance (Sony)  $11.8m  $456.4m  $7.8m  $322.6m  67
 6.  Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Our Dinosaur Diary (China)  $8.4m  $29.8m  $8.4m  $29.8m  1
 7.  The Wild Robot (Universal)  $5.8m  $317.4m  $3.8m  $176.7m  81
 8.  To Gather Around (various)  $5.4m  $21.2m  $5.4m  $21.2m  3
 9.  Paddington In Peru (Studiocanal)  $5.4m  $30.8m  $5.4m  $30.8m  1
 10.  Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin (various)  $5.1m  $5.1m  $260  $260  2

Credit: Comscore. All figures are estimates.

Wicked makes magic for Universal

UPDATE: Wicked soared on its opening weekend around the world for Universal, with a confirmed $163m start composed of $50m internationally and $112.5m in North America.

The $163m total from 62 territories is the biggest opening weekend for a film based on a Broadway adaptation, ahead of Les Misérables ($103m), and the fifth-biggest opening weekend of all time at the global box office for a musical, ahead of The Little Mermaid ($163.6m).

Internationally it is Universal’s biggest live-action opening of the year in 46 markets (including previews), the biggest ever opening for a stage musical adaptation in 42 markets (including previews), and director John M. Chu’s biggest opening in 34 markets (excluding previews).

From international territories, the UK and Ireland led the way with a huge $17.2m (£14m) – Universal’s biggest three-day opening since the $26.4m of No Time To Die in October 2021. Screen’s UK-Ireland box office report will provide further details later on Monday.

Wicked made a strong $6.7m start in Australia, with a 59% share of the top 10 titles and the second biggest opening of 2024 including previews. It was above key comparisons including Wonka, Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Jungle Book and Mamma Mia 2.

South Korea brought in $4.6m with a 45% market share, more than three times the opening of Barbie and the biggest non-sequel opening of 2024; while $3.9m in Mexico surpassed the lifetime totals of Les Misérables, Mamma Mia 2 and Mary Poppins Returns.

Key markets still to come are France on December 4, China on December 6, Germany on December 12 and Japan on March 7, 2025.

Also for Universal, The Wild Robot dropped to seventh place in the global chart with $6.1m, for a $317.7m total to date, playing in 81 territories.

Gladiator II rises to challenge

On its second weekend of global release Gladiator II took $106m – a 22% increase on its $87m opening session, with over half of that coming from its $55.5m US bow. Its international takings dropped 42% but at $50.5m stayed just ahead of Wicked ($50.2m), with Gladiator II now up to $165.5m internationally and $221m worldwide.

It opened to $3m in China for fourth spot in the charts. The UK and Ireland remained its leading international market, with a further $6m for a $23.1m cume; while it took $5.2m in France, and stayed ahead of Wicked in territories including Spain, Italy, the UAE, Argentina, Sweden, Colombia, Chile, Norway and Turkey.

Ridley Scott’s Roman epic is now playing in 65 territories.

Story teller

Comedy-drama Her Story scored fourth place on the global chart with $16.6m, all from its China release, where it topped the local standings. Shao Yihui’s film focuses on the relationship challenges of two women – a recently unemployed single mother, and a new neighbour with troubled secrets.

It comfortably held off the $3m of Gladiator II; as did the Chinese opening of Japanese anime Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Our Dinosaur Diary, with $8.4m. The film – the 32nd feature film in the Crayon Shin-chan series about a young family in Tokyo – is up to $29.8m internationally, having opened in Japan on August 9, Vietnam on August 17 and Hong Kong on September 8.

Red One, Venom 3 pass milestones

UPDATE: Dwayne Johnson Christmas action-comedy Red One has passed $100m at the global box office, adding $22m on its latest session from 76 markets to reach $118.1m. This latest weekend included $9.3m from international territories, with Germany, UK-Ireland and Mexico leading the way.

Across its run, UK-Ireland is the top-grosser with $7.6m, followed by Mexico with $6.2m and Germany with $4.4m.

Sony’s Venom: The Last Dance added $11.8m worldwide, to pass the $450m mark with a $456m total. Sony also has Walter Salles’ awards-contending I’m Still Here, which reclaimed the number one spot in its local market of Brazil this weekend, with a $1.5m session. It is now Brazil’s highest-grossing local film this year, as well as Salles’ biggest and Sony’s highest-grossing local production in the territory, up to $6.6m total.

A Sony title from earlier this year, It Ends With Us starring Blake Lively, topped $350m worldwide this weekend, tipped over by a $58,000 opening in Japan, its final market.

Outside of the top 10, Edward Berger’s awards contender Conclave added $1.6m, including a $1m opening in Berger’s home territory of Germany, for second place behind Gladiator II.

The film, starring Ralph Fiennes, is up to $4.3m internationally with many key markets still to come, including UK-Ireland (November 29, Black Bear), France (December 4, SND), Italy (December 19, Eagle), Spain (December 20, Dea Planeta) and Australia-New Zealand (January 9, 2025, Roadshow).