‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator’ battle for the box office crown while Dwayne Johnson has ‘Black Adam’ flashbacks

It’s been an eventful weekend at the domestic box office with the releases of Wicked and Gladiator 2, but there’s another movie that’s still hanging in the mix: Red One, the holiday action flick starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Despite a positive fan reception, Red One is facing a tough battle at the box office, seeing a massive 59% drop in its second week. While its first-week earnings of $31 million were solid, it’s expected to earn only $13 million in its second week, bringing its total domestic take to around $50 million. With a hefty production budget reportedly over $250 million, it still has a long way to go to break even, though its global total of $117 million provides some relief.

In contrast, Wicked has been a box office hit, grossing an estimated $114 million during its opening weekend, while Gladiator 2 brought in $55 million domestically, adding to its already impressive global haul of over $220 million.

As for Red One, the movie might be facing some struggles at the box office, but its audience reaction is overwhelmingly positive, with a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of over 90%. This word-of-mouth could help the film gain traction over the holiday season.

For those unfamiliar with the premise, Red One is a holiday action movie where Santa’s assistant (played by Johnson) teams up with a “level four naughty lister” (played by Chris Evans) to rescue Santa after he’s kidnapped. With a star-studded cast, including J.K. Simmons, Kiernan Shipka, and Lucy Liu, Red One offers a different take on holiday fare. While critics may not be fully on board, the movie has found an audience that’s eager to embrace it.