Is Elon's Empire Crumbling?

Jeff Brown - the legend who called Tesla and Nvidia early - says Elon is about to launch a $25T AI revolution. This isn't another chatbot. It's real-world AI that could 14X the impact of ChatGPT. But after July 23rd, it may be too late.

'Wicked' and 'Gladiator' make gravity-defying theater debuts

JAKE COYLE
November 24, 2024

NEW YORK (AP) -- With a combined $270 million in worldwide ticket sales, "Wicked" and "Gladiator II" breathed fresh life into a box office that has struggled lately, leading to one of the busiest moviegoing weekends of the year.

Jon M. Chu's lavish big-budget musical "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. That made it the third-biggest opening weekend of the year, behind only "Deadpool & Wolverine" and "Inside Out 2." It's also a record for a Broadway musical adaptation.

Ridley Scott's "Gladiator II," a sequel to his 2000 best picture-winning original, launched with $55.5 million in ticket sales. With a price tag of around $250 million to produce it, "Gladiator II" was a big bet by Paramount Pictures to return to the Coliseum with a largely new cast, led by Denzel Washington and Paul Mescal. While it opened with a touch less than the $60 million predicted in domestic ticket sales, "Gladiator II" has performed well overseas. It added $50.5 million internationally.

Going into the weekend, box office was down about 11% from last year and some 25% from pre-pandemic times. That meant this week's two headline films led a much-needed resurgence for theaters. With "Moana 2" releasing Wednesday, Hollywood might be looking at historic sales over the Thanksgiving holiday.

"This weekend's two strong openers are invigorating a box office that fell apart after a good summer," said David A. Gross, a film consultant who publishes a newsletter for Franchise Entertainment.

The collision of the two movies led to some echoes of the "Barbenheimer" effect of last year, when "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" launched simultaneously. The nickname this time, "Glicked," wasn't quite as catchy and the cultural imprint was also notably less. Few people sought out a double feature this time. The domestic grosses in 2023 - $162 million for "Barbie" and $82 million for "Oppenheimer" - were also higher.

But the counter-programming effect was still potent for "Wicked" and "Gladiator II," which likewise split broadly along gender lines. And it was again the female-leaning release - "Wicked," like "Barbie" before it - that easily won the weekend. About 72% of ticket buyers for "Wicked" were female, while 61% of those seeing "Gladiator II" were male.

And while "Barbenheimer" benefitted enormously from meme-spread word-of-mouth, both "Wicked" and "Gladiator II" leaned on all-out marketing blitzes.

Both movies pulled out all the stops in global advertising campaigns that spanned everything from "Wicked" Mattel dolls (some of which led to an awkward recall) to an Airbnb cross-promotion with the actual Colosseum in Rome. For "Gladiator II," Paramount even took the unusual step of simultaneously running a one-minute trailer on more than 4,000 TV networks, radio station and digital platforms.

Though "Wicked" will face some direct competition from "Moana 2," it would seem to be better set up for a long and lucrative run in theaters. Even at 2 hours and 40 minutes, the film has had mostly stellar reviews. Audiences gave it an "A" on CinemaScore. The reception for "Wicked" has been strong enough that Oscar prognosticators expect it to be a contender for best picture at the Academy Awards, among other categories.

Producers, perhaps sensing a hit, also took the step of splitting "Wicked" in two. Part two, already filmed, is due out next November. Each "Wicked" installation cost around $150 million to make.

"Gladiator II" has also enjoyed good reviews, particularly for Washington's charismatic performance. Audience scores, though, were weaker, with ticket buyers giving it a "B" on CinemaScore. "Gladiator II" will make up for some of that, however, with robust international sales. It launched in many overseas markets a week ago, earning $87 million before landing in North America.

Continue Reading...

Popular

Elon Musk Has A New Problem: BYD Beats Tesla In Global EV Sales Amid Europe Expansion

BYD has surpassed Tesla in global sales for the first time according to the International Council on Clean Transportation.

The Stock Ticker Notable Investors Are Holding - Ad

They may not be trading on public markets, but Pacaso just reserved the ticker PCSO. Co-founded by the man who took Zillow from seed to IPO, Pacaso brings co-ownership to a $1.3T market. They've earned $110M+ in gross profits already. Well-known firms like Maveron even invested.

Cathie Wood Drops $373 Million On Circle's 168% Rally, Dumps Coinbase And Crypto Holdings — Is Ark Ditching Bitcoin for Stablecoins?

Cathie Wood's Ark Invest made a blockbuster purchase of Circle Internet Group (NYSE:CRCL) shares on Thursday, marking a significant move in the evolving digital assets landscape.

How high will Bitcoin go in 2025? - Ad

A new coin is emerging in the crypto bull market. Investing now could be like buying Bitcoin in 2013. Before it took off. Or scooping up Ethereum in 2017.. before it soared.

Trump tax bill will add $2.4 trillion to deficit and leave 10.9 million uninsured, CBO analysis says

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s big bill will cut taxes by $3.75 trillion but also increase deficits by $2.4 trillion over the next decade, according to an analysis released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

A Bold Pivot Into Solana Is Here - Ad

This quiet NASDAQ company just made a move insiders say could be the next big crypto proxy.

One Tech Tip: How to protect your 23andMe genetic data

Remember 23andMe? The company that gave customers to learn about their ancestry?

Solana-Backed Company Goes All In - Ad

A quiet $100M move could turn this overlooked firm into a blockchain market leader.

Autoliv Boosts Shareholder Returns With 21% Dividend Hike, New $2.5 Billion Buyback Program

Autoliv, Inc. (NYSE: ALV) announces dividend boost and buyback program at CMD, reiterates growth outlook and Q1 earnings beat expectations.

US, Chinese officials to meet in London next week for new round of trade talks

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senior U.S. administration officials will meet with a Chinese delegation on Monday in London for the next round of between Washington and Beijing, President Donald Trump said Friday.

Why BlackRock is Hoarding 6X More Bitcoin Than Miners Produce - Ad

A Bitcoin supply shock is building. Institutions and ETFs are buying faster than miners can keep up - creating a shortage most investors haven't noticed. If Bitcoin hits $300K, altcoins could explode 1,000%+. We wrote Crypto Revolution to help you prepare.

Arrive AI (ARAI) Stock Skyrockets 79% On New Climate-Control Patent

Arrive AI stock is skyrocketing over 114% after the company announced a new patent. Its new patent enables smart mailboxes to heat or cool time-sensitive package deliveries.

Coinbase Crushed Tesla, Amazon And Other Mag 7 Peers In Recent Rally — Here's What Drove The Stunning Comeback

Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase Global Inc. overtook several Wall Street behemoths in a stunning rally last month, driven by its historic inclusion in the S&P 500 and renewed cryptocurrency optimism.

This Move Won't Stay Quiet for Long - Ad

They just made a $100M bet on blockchain. Early insiders are already circling.

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market - Ad

One co-founded Zillow. The other sold his company to Zillow for $120M. Now they're transforming a $1.3T market via co-ownership. Pacaso's already earned $110M+ in gross profit and reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

Trump Administration Enforces Long-Dormant World War II-Era Alien Registration Act

The Trump administration has reactivated the Alien Registration Act, a World War II-era law that requires all non-citizens in the U.S. to register with the government and provide fingerprints.

Private Japanese lunar lander heads toward a touchdown in the moon's far north

A private lunar lander from Japan is , aiming for a touchdown in the unexplored far north with a mini rover.

The Tesla Shock Nobody Sees Coming - Ad

While headlines scream "Tesla is doomed"...Jeff Brown has uncovered a revolutionary AI breakthrough buried inside Tesla's labs. One that is helping AI escape from our computer screens and manifest itself here in the real world all while creating a 25,000% growth market explosion starting as early as July 23rd.

Power bills in California have jumped nearly 50% in four years. Democrats think they have solutions

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers this week advanced several efforts aimed at reining in utility profits and slashing electricity bills as part of their agenda to tackle the sky-high costs of living.

A Better Hedge Than Gold? - Ad

While the whole world is piling into gold as a hedge... White House documents reveal Trump is betting big on a completely under-the-radar resource. This little-known resource is minting 1,600 millionaires every single day... And investors have a rare opportunity to take advantage before everyone else catches on.

Benzinga Bulls And Bears: Eli Lilly, Okto, McDonalds — And Israel-Iran Conflict Sparks Oil Surge

Benzinga examined the prospects for many investors' favorite stocks over the last week — here's a look at some of our top stories.

Will Rising Stars Circle, CoreWeave Perform Like Past IPO Winners Reddit, Astera Labs?

CoreWeave saw a massive rally following its late March debut and Circle I burst onto the scene last week with its successful IPO. 

Is Elon's Empire Crumbling? - Ad

Jeff Brown - the legend who called Tesla and Nvidia early - says Elon is about to launch a $25T AI revolution. This isn't another chatbot. It's real-world AI that could 14X the impact of ChatGPT. But after July 23rd, it may be too late.

Judge puts temporary hold on Trump's latest ban on Harvard's foreign students

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked a proclamation by President Donald Trump that banned incoming foreign students from entering the U.S. to attend Harvard University.

The Stock Ticker Notable Investors Are Holding - Ad

They may not be trading on public markets, but Pacaso just reserved the ticker PCSO. Co-founded by the man who took Zillow from seed to IPO, Pacaso brings co-ownership to a $1.3T market. They've earned $110M+ in gross profits already. Well-known firms like Maveron even invested.

Embed-Chart-China-Critical Minerals, ADVISORY

CHINA-CRITICAL MINERALS — Chart. This AP digital embed chart shows the share of several critical minerals dominated by China in global supply chains. China has spent decades building the world’s main industrial chain for mining and processing such materials, which are used in many industries such as electronics, advanced manufacturing, defense and health care. This chart is current as of June 10, 2025, and will not update. Source: IEA.

How high will Bitcoin go in 2025? - Ad

A new coin is emerging in the crypto bull market. Investing now could be like buying Bitcoin in 2013. Before it took off. Or scooping up Ethereum in 2017.. before it soared.

Cloudflare To Raise $1.75 Billion In Note Offering For Expansion

Cloudflare, Inc. announced pricing of $1.75B convertible senior notes due 2030, option for additional $250M, and intends to use proceeds for corporate purposes.

Which compact pickup is better? Edmunds compares the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz

If you wanted a midsize truck 10 years ago, your choices included an aging Toyota Tacoma or an even older Nissan Frontier design. Today, renewed versions of the Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Ranger and Honda Ridgeline have revitalized the segment enough to have spawned a new compact pickup class, led by the and .

A Bold Pivot Into Solana Is Here - Ad

This quiet NASDAQ company just made a move insiders say could be the next big crypto proxy.

U.S. hiring likely slowed to 130,000 new jobs last month amid uncertainty over Trump's policies

WASHINGTON (AP) — The American job market likely continued to slow last month, hobbled by worries over President Donald Trump’s trade wars, deportations and purges of the federal workforce.

Trending Now

Information, charts or examples are for illustration and educational purposes only and not for individualized investment management This message contains commercial elements, such as advertising. We only send these offers to those who have opted in to our newsletter. Past performance is not indicative of future results. For these reasons we strongly suggest trading in a DEMO/Simulated account. The information provided by us is for educational and informational purposes only. We make no representations or warranties concerning the products, practices or procedures of any company or entity mentioned or recommended and have not determined if the statements and opinions of the advertiser are accurate, correct or truthful. If you use, act upon or make decisions in reliance on information contained or any external source linked within it, you do so at your own peril and agree to hold us, our officers, directors, shareholders, affiliates and agents without fault.

Copyright technicaltrading.org
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service