It’s no doubt that ‘Barbenheimer’ was a big moment for cinema. To refresh your memory, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer were both released on the same day in 2023. Though these films are vastly different, countless moviegoers saw both films on the same day.
Opening weekend, the Barbie movie earned $337 million, and Oppenheimer earned $174 million worldwide at the box office. Whether it was because of internet memes or the outstanding marketing of Barbie, these movies took the box office by storm and had an impact on pop culture that was larger than life. It was the biggest weekend for the box office since before the 2020 pandemic.
This year, Gladiator II and the movie adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked were both released on Nov. 22. Many were calling it ‘Glicked’ prior to opening weekend, attempting to replicate the pop culture phenomenon, ‘Barbenheimer.’ The question remains, did it?
In terms of box office, Wicked outperformed Gladiator II by over $55 million. However, ‘Glicked’ didn’t measure up to ‘Barbenheimer.’ Barbie and Oppenheimer earned far more money at the box office than ‘Glicked.’ Wicked earned $114 million, and Gladiator II earned $55.5 million on opening weekend.
In terms of pop culture, though Wicked was highly anticipated, ‘Glicked’ might not be as impactful as ‘Barbenheimer.’ When ‘Barbenheimer’ first started circulating the internet, it was popular because many people would see both films on the same day. It also felt new and natural, not like someone was trying to make ‘Barbenheimer’ happen; instead, it just did. Today, the same is not necessarily true about ‘Glicked.’
The Barbie and Wicked movies are also different in terms of their central messages. While Barbie was a female-centered film, it can be considered “light sauce” in comparison to Wicked. Barbie acknowledges there’s a patriarchy, whereas Wicked is focused on the experience of a woman who is judged because of her skin color. The film also contains messages about the dangers of political propaganda.
Additionally, Oppenheimer was about the scientist behind the making of the atomic bomb during World War II, and Gladiator II was the sequel to Gladiator. Oppenheimer is a historical fiction/drama, while Gladiator II is an action/adventure film. These films might appeal to more of a male audience, while Wicked and Barbie might be more likely to appeal to a female audience, but they don’t share much else in common.
Is ‘Glicked’ just ‘Barbenheimer’ 2.0? Though the movies share opening days, I don’t believe they’re similar enough to be compared as much as they are. They hardly have any other similarities.
Further, ‘Barbenheimer’ was the blueprint. The ‘Barbenheimer’ phenomenon wasn’t following a trend but simply became an internet sensation. ‘Glicked’ feels more manufactured, as if the media or the movie companies were attempting to force ‘Glicked’ into becoming popular (if you know, you know). This might be because of how successful ‘Barbenheimer’ was.
At the end of the day, this is my own speculation and opinion. What do you think? Is ‘Glicked’ just as successful as ‘Barbenheimer?’ Is it better? You can see these movies in theatres and decide for yourself!
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