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As Hollywood approaches the end of 2024, two major blockbusters remain on the release calendar: Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” and Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator II.” The highly anticipated films have the potential to add a final burst of much-needed life to the 2024 box office or shake up an Oscar race that will begin to solidify after the holidays. Both films are releasing on November 22, which has turned into a box office event that many movie lovers have dubbed “Glicked.”
The rollout has echoes of the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon from 2023, when both Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” and Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” were released on the same date. What began as a series of silly memes about two wildly different films coming out at once soon turned into one of the most positive box office developments in recent memory, with many viewers making a point to see both films. Even if the two films were originally viewed as competitors, they both ended up benefiting from the other’s presence.
Jeff Goldblum is crossing his fingers for a comparable experience when “Wicked,” in which he plays the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, hits theaters next week. Speaking to Deadline at the Los Angeles premiere, Goldblum expressed hope that the two films would both lift each other up at the box office.
”Nobody’s in competition — it’s an abundance mentality world with enough to go around,” Goldblum said when asked about the two films sharing a release date. He went on to add that competitors learning to peacefully coexist is a major element of “Wicked,” as demonstrated by the rivalry between Glinda (Ariana Grande) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo). “That’s part of the theme of our show!”
Goldblum went on to express his utter joy about being part of the “Wicked” movie, explaining that his casting was the culmination of 20 years of obsession with the source material.
“When I found out about it, I jumped up and down about it like a child of 10,” he said. “I had been a fan of the show. I had met Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel backstage after crying my eyes out. I followed it for 20 years. I heard they were going to make a movie, so I was very excited.”