A colorful musical fantasy premiering on the same day as a grand historical epic. No, I’m not talking about Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer last summer, but Wicked and Gladiator II, set to clash on November 22, 2024.
This counterprogramming feels like a blatant attempt to replicate the Barbenheimer magic, but can it be done?
A TRIUMPH FOR CINEMA
We all remember where we were during Barbenheimer summer, when Barbie and Oppenheimer ruled the box office together. Yes, of course a lot of their success was owed to marketing, but it wasn’t always intended to be like this.
Originally, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer was set to be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. When WB decided to prioritize their streaming service HBO Max during the pandemic, a disgruntled Nolan, as a firm believer of the theatrical experience, took his film to Universal Pictures instead.
Universal soon set July 21, 2023 for Oppenheimer, but months later, WB announced Barbie will be releasing on the same date, in an apparent move to spite Nolan. The internet quickly picked up on this seemingly genius counterprogramming, especially because of how the films are polar opposites in their visuals and premises.
As the bright pink whimsy of Barbie was pitted against the somber jet black tones of Oppenheimer, the memes quickly ensued.
More than just digital edits, fans were creating shirts, mugs, and all sorts of merchandise for this event. Instead of having to choose sides, the conversation began shifting toward celebrating both films and turning the feud into a double feature instead. There were even heated online debates on which film to see first.
“I love that there’s solidarity though where people tried to pit us against one another but now it’s turned into like a double-feature situation. Obviously you should see Oppenheimer first and then cleanse your palate with Barbie,” says Gerwig.
Meanwhile, Nolan says: “I think for those of us who care about movies, we’ve been really waiting to have a crowded marketplace again, and now it’s here and that’s terrific.”
Naturally, the studios leaned into the phenomenon, turning this organic rivalry into marketing gold. Watching both films became the social norm, and the FOMO was real if you have not watched both films by the end of opening weekend. This helped broaden each movie’s appeal and reach—I’d imagine some filmbros gave Barbie a chance when they wouldn’t have otherwise, and vice versa.
The result is two billion-dollar grossing films, and a combined 21 Oscar nominations between them.
WITCHES VS. GLADIATORS
Flash forward to 2024, it’s the battle of Wicked and Gladiator II.
As much as I want to believe in the magic of another Barbenheimer, it doesn’t quite have the same energy. In my opinion, what people seem to forget is that with Barbie and Oppenheimer, there was already loads of genuine excitement to watch both films individually, even before the same-day release.
Both Greta Gerwig and Christopher Nolan are acclaimed directors in their own right; the former known for her intimate women-centered stories, the latter for his mind-bending cinematic spectacles. Both auteurs have a significant in-built fanbase, thus any new offerings are sure to be widely anticipated. And of course, both Barbie and Oppenheimer turned out to be great films with original stories.
In contrast, while Wicked is a beloved musical adaptation, musicals aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, especially amongst film audiences. Recent musical-to-film adaptations like Dear Evan Hansen and The Color Purple have underperformed, and Wicked could easily end up with the same fate, especially given director Jon M. Chu’s flimsy track record.
And while Gladiator II is the sequel to the iconic Best Picture-winning Gladiator, it is still a legacy sequel at the end of the day. They often rely on exploiting the nostalgia of older fans but failing to capture the essence of the OGs. Director Ridley Scott returns to helm the project, but as much as he has made many great films, his recent output also includes mixed efforts like House of Gucci Hand Napoleon.
With all that said, the Wicked and Gladiator II event still exists without an official name. Chu is in favor of “Wickediator,” while Gladiator II lead actor Paul Mescal likes the name “Glicked.” "
“Fingers crossed people come out and see both films on opening weekend,” Mescal adds. Clearly, both camps seem excited to recreate Barbenheimer, and I’m sure the marketing from both sides will ramp up as the opening weekend inches closer.
As for the name, let it be known that I prefer the secret third option: “Gladicked.”
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?
Maybe Gladicked won’t be the sensation that Barbenheimer was, but I do think it’ll still make waves in its own way. Pre-sales for both films are already off to a promising start, and let’s be honest: people love an excuse to dress up and make a splash at the theaters. This year, we could see witches and gladiators mingling in line for popcorn, and that sounds like fun to me.
Barbenheimer worked so well because it simultaneously leaned into and subverted gender norms at once. Barbie is undoubtedly feminine, and Oppenheimer completely radiates male energy. Yet, at the same time, girls were wearing suits and watching their favorite babygirl Cillian Murphy do physics, and boys embraced their inner Kenergy and danced the night away with Barbie and Ken.
Wicked and Gladiator II might not have the same cultural cache, but who’s to say men wouldn’t be showing up for Ariana Grande as a ditzy blonde witch, or that women wouldn’t enjoy watching sword fights between Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal? Or perhaps in a post-Barbenheimer world, we can just like whatever we want?
While I’m not particularly excited for either film, my stance is certain. Any plan to keep movie theaters bustling with life and camaraderie is one I’ll happily support!