Wicked casts a spell on box office with $46M opening, topping Gladiator II

These witches cast a spell over the box office.“Wicked” wowed moviegoers on Friday, its first day in theaters, earning $46.7 million in revenue, according to The Numbers.The musical fantasy, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo as witches Galinda and Elphaba, is based on the Broadway musical “Wicked,” which was loosely adapted from the novel “Wicked, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister.” It purports to tell the “real” story of what happened in Oz before Dorothy arrived.The Post said the film, which is part one of a two-part series, “doesn’t defy gravity without second half,” which is slated to be released next November.The highly-anticipated movie, which had a production budget of $150 million, is slated to enjoy a staggering $117 million-dollar weekend, which could make it the third biggest opening of the year so far.

A second blockbuster also debuted Friday, “Gladiator II,” sparking speculation over whether or not the two films would be the equivalent of 2023’s “Barbenheimer” — the phenomenon that occurred when “Barbie” and Oppenheimer” opened on the same day last year.However, the “Glicked” duo’s combined earnings fell short, Forbes reported.“Barbie” brought in $70.5 million in its opening, while “Oppenheimer” scored $33 million in opening sales.“Gladiator II” nevertheless landed in second place, with sales of $22 million.

The Ridley Scott-directed historical action film, a follow-up to the 2000 original, which won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for its star Russell Crowe, is an “enjoyable enough sequel,” according to The Post.The film, which is expected to earn $60 million this weekend, stars Paul Mescal as Crowe’s heir, Lucius, and Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius.Denzel Washington, whom The Post hailed as “fantastic” for his portrayal, plays Macrinus, a former slave whose “grand purpose is to take over the world,” the Academy Award-winning actor told NB...