Battling a 27 percent decline in domestic ticket sales compared with before the pandemic, studios left no marketing drum unthumped in releasing the movies.

“Wicked” collected an additional $50.2 million at the international box office, bringing its global tally to $164.2 million. It marks the biggest worldwide opening for a film based on a Broadway show, supplanting another Universal musical, “Les Miserables,” with $103 million in 2012.

The arrival of the two buzzworthy films, dubbed "Glicked," was poised to be the sequel to the "Barbenheimer" double feature phenomenon. Did it live up to expectations?

"Wicked" and "Gladiator II" debuted in theaters with a combined $270 million in ticket sales "Wicked," starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, debuted with $114 million domestically and $164.2 million globally for Universal Pictures, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s "Wicked" dominates Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington’s “Gladiator II” this weekend at the domestic box office.

"Wicked," which was by far the highest grossing film in the world this weekend, failed to give the South Korea box office market a much-needed jolt. The Jon M. Chu-directed fantasy claimed a strong 45% share of the box office in Korea with $3.

Wicked” and “Gladiator II” had a combined $270 million in worldwide ticket sales.

But song-and-dance films may be enjoying — as Glinda sings — a newfound popularity with “Wicked,” Universal’s adaptation of Act One of the beloved Broadway show. The film collected $114 million in North America and