Gladiator II, directed by Ridley Scott, has reached a significant domestic box office milestone despite stiff competition from Wicked and Moana 2. The sequel and Wicked debuted domestically on November 22, with Moana 2 following on November 27. Both Wicked and Moana 2 have broken numerous box office records. Gladiator II has now surpassed $100 million at the domestic box office by its second weekend, earning $111.2 million, with $30.7 million in that weekend and $44 million over Thanksgiving. It has also earned $320 million worldwide. The sequel had a budget of $250 million and $100 million in marketing costs.
Surpassing $100 million domestically in the second weekend is tough as it competes against family-friendly, PG-rated Wicked and Moana 2 while being R-rated. Gladiator II still has to go far to break even with $350 million in costs and make a profit. It needs to perform well through December and January. Gladiator II sets up Gladiator III and Scott has started writing the script, but a third movie depends on its box office success. There are no similar historical epics or action movies releasing in December, which could help Gladiator II keep its momentum.
While Wicked has outearned Gladiator II, the latter is still doing well. If audiences keep coming, it could have a long box office run. The real test is if it’s seen after the initial hype fades. Gladiator II won’t catch Wicked or Moana 2 but has the potential to make a profit and expand the franchise with Gladiator III.
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