‘Gladiator II’ and ‘Wicked’ both release in theaters on Nov. 22
Paul Mescal is excited for what he calls ‘Glicked,’ as ‘Gladiator II’ and ‘Wicked’ are set to be released on the same day, November 22. Talking to Entertainment Tonight, he mentioned, “Wickdiator doesn’t really roll off the tongue, does it? I think my preference would probably be Glicked.”
Mescal, 28, compared the anticipation for these films to the hype surrounding the dual release of ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ on July 21, 2023, which turned out to be a massive box office success.
“If it has a similar effect to what it did for Barbie and Oppenheimer, it would be amazing,” Mescal said. “The films couldn’t be more polar opposites, and it worked in that context previously. So fingers crossed people come out and see both films on opening weekend.”
The simultaneous release was facilitated after Universal Pictures moved ‘Wicked’ up a week from its original November 27 date to avoid clashing with Disney’s ‘Moana 2,’ The Hollywood Reporter noted.
Mescal, who gained attention and his first Oscar nomination in 2023 for ‘Aftersun,’ is stepping into the role of Lucius in ‘Gladiator II,’ a movie directed by Ridley Scott. The original ‘Gladiator,’ also directed by Scott, won the Academy Award for Best Picture and earned Russell Crowe a Best Actor award in 2001.
In his conversation with ET, Mescal acknowledged the legacy of Scott’s original movie. “It’s a film that lots of men my age and dads can quote religiously. It’s been in the cultural zeitgeist for 20 years, and not many films have managed that, especially in this genre,” he said.
He added, “There’s a healthy amount of pressure but also confidence from the people who made the film.”
In ‘Gladiator II,’ Mescal plays Lucius, the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) from the first film, who finds himself in the gladiator rings of the Roman Empire. The movie also features Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, and Joseph Quinn in its cast.
“It’s an immense honor,” Mescal said about joining the cast. “It’s not lost on me that that film is hugely important to a lot of people worldwide, and for the great Ridley Scott to pass the baton to me is something that my younger self could never have imagined.”
Mark your calendars for November 22. ‘Gladiator II’ and ‘Wicked’ hit theaters on that day and are expected to create a cinematic event reminiscent of ‘Barbenheimer.’
