Wicked” and “Gladiator II” didn’t outperform “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” but that doesn’t mean it was a bad weekend at the box office.

The ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator 2’ double-bill may not have lived up to 2023’s Barbenheimer hype, but it still managed to breathe life back into a struggling box office

Moviegoers soared from Oz to the Colosseum over the weekend as millions around the world flocked to see “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” in theaters.

Wicked” and “Gladiator II” — which some have called “Glicked” following the success of the 2023 summer blockbusters “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” — combined to gross an estimated $169.5 million in their domestic debut.

The ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator 2’ double-bill may not have lived up to 2023’s Barbenheimer hype, but it still managed to breathe life back into a struggling box office