Wicked has conjured up the biggest opening weekend of 2024 at Vue International, eclipsing hits Gladiator II and Paddington In Peru. Oscar-nominated sensation Cynthia Erivo and Grammy winner Ariana Grande worked their magic as Elphaba and Glinda, taking the musical favorite to new heights with the most successful film debut for a stage adaptation in Vue history.
With a dramatic 60 per cent increase on Les Miserable’s opening weekend back in 2012 and a tripling of Matilda’s launch last year, the two-part spectacle dazzled audiences at its Friday UK premiere. Executive director Tim Richards expressed his enthusiasm to the PA news agency, commenting, “Vue has seen a sea of pink and green during the opening weekend of Wicked, demonstrating continued high demand for the big-screen experience.”
He also revealed: “We saw record pre-sales for Wicked, followed by a chart-topping opening weekend – the biggest for 2024.” The film looks behind the curtain at the complex friendship between Elphaba and Glinda from their early days before they became arch-enemies in L Frank Baum’s much-loved stories, where they are known as the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the South.
Helmed by Jon M Chu of Crazy Rich Asians fame, the star-studded cast includes Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey flirting with danger as Fiyero Tigelaar and Jeff Goldblum pulling the strings as The Wizard of Oz. Fans can anticipate the enchanting finale to be released in November 2025.
After Sir Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II starring Irish actor Paul Mescal, which was released on November 15 and Paddington In Peru on November 3, UK cinemas are packed. The upcoming release of Disney’s highly anticipated Moana sequel, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Auliʻi Cravalho, is slated for November 29th, closely followed by Mufasa: The Lion King hitting screens on December 20th.
As reported by the Associated Press (AP), Wicked and Gladiator II have combined to gross an impressive $270m (£215m) globally since their debut at the US box office last Friday. Wicked opened to a spectacular $114m (£91m) in North America alone, and collected $164m (£131m) internationally; Meanwhile, Gladiator II has collected around $55.5m (£44m) in sales in North America and $50.5m (£40m) from international markets, according to studio estimates on Sunday.
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