The highly anticipated “Wicked” movie will fly into theaters on November 22, 2024. “Moana 2” will go from the sea to the screen five days later on November 27, 2024. Both franchises have a large fan base and a history of success both on the stage and silver screen. So as these two movies share the spotlight next month, will they compete or widen their audiences for both films?
Wicked
“Wicked” is an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical “Wicked” that premiered in 2003. Originally featuring Idina Menzel as Elphaba and Kristen Chenoweth as Glinda, Wicked is a prequel to 1939 “The Wizard of Oz” and is based on Gregory Macguire’s 1995 novel “Wicked: The Life and Time of the Wicked Witch of the West.” “Wicked” follows the story of the Wicked Witch of the West and her unlikely friendship with Glinda as she begins to discover her powers. In the film, these two beloved characters will be portrayed by Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Glinda). Directed by John M. Chu, this story will be split into two parts with the second part released next year! From the stage performances alone, Wicked is estimated to have grossed over 3.7 billion dollars worldwide reaching over 47 million audience members (Playbill). It is one of the longest-running Broadway shows and has been on numerous tours across the globe. Now, with a budget of approximately 145 million dollars from Universal Pictures this production will hit the silver screen for the first time and potentially reach new audiences of all generations.
Moana 2
“Moana 2” is a sequel to Disney’s 2016 film “Moana” which follows the voyage of a young islander Moana as she travels across the sea in search of the demigod Maui to save her island and the world. Voiced by Auli’l Cravalho (Moana) and Dwayne Johnson (Maui), this film brings Polynesian culture to life through their livelihood, clothing, myths, and customs. This story had a huge impact, inspiring girls of all cultures and generations to be bold and adventurous.
“Moana 2” was originally intended to be a television series for Disney+, however, through the delays of the writing strike and “Disney’s excitement for the big screen”, the project developed into a film (Variety). “Moana 2” takes place three years after the original film as Moana and Maui set off on another voyage after a call from her ancestors (Disney). According to Screen Rant, “Moana 2” is projected to be the most successful Disney film in the past five years. After an overwhelming 178 million views on the first day of the trailer, this beloved franchise hopes to regain Disney’s audience and pave the way for other announced sequels including “Incredibles 3” and “Zootopia 2.”
Barbenheimer…?
Both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” had the same release date, July 21, when it came out last year. Additionally, these two films appealed to entirely different audiences. “Barbie” was a PG-13 film that brought a classic children’s doll to life whereas “Oppenheimer” was an R-rated film about the historical events of the atomic bomb in World War II. Overall, “Barbie” had more monetary success but “Oppenheimer” won seven Academy Awards (Quartz).
According to Variety, “Wicked” and “Moana 2” were originally set for release on the same day, November 27, 2024. However, to avoid box office competition and to appeal to similar audiences, “Wicked’s” release date was moved five days ahead of schedule. Both films are movie musicals featuring a female lead with pre-existing popularity, so their appeal to similar audiences may bring success to both films while simultaneously allowing each film to shine on separate release days. So, although these two films may not be the Barbenheimer of 2024, they will certainly be the two of the most popular during the Thanksgiving season bringing hundreds of families into theaters!
Here at Her Campus at UFL, 63.2% of us are most excited for “Wicked”! However, no matter if you’re team green or a voyager at heart, check out both films in theaters, premiering November 22 and November 27!!!