Packed theaters across the nation put the future of movie premieres into question

The successful releases of Wicked, Moana 2 and Gladiator II have studios questioning whether the transition into streaming is as welcomed as once predicted.

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Wicked has sold out movie theater seats across the nation, according to box office sales data, defying some major studios’ predictions that the golden age of movie theaters is long gone.

Universal Studios’ Wicked Part One has become the highest-grossing U.S. film based on a Broadway musical according to box office data, earning $112 million domestically and $162 million globally since its sold-out premiere on Nov. 22.

Wicked’s record numbers, paired with the box office successes of Gladiador II and Moana 2, marks a turning point for movie theaters that four years ago faced extinction after the Covid-19 pandemic caused studios to turn to streaming platforms as the preferred release model. 

“Our ticket numbers have been super high with the release of Wicked, Moana 2 and Gladiator II,” said Nana Nazworthy, an AMC supervisor at a theatre in St. Petersburg, Fla. “The days of seeing movies in theatres are back.”

Universal Studios has continued its allegiance to the traditional theatrical release format, a starting point of 60 days in theaters with room for extension based on ticket sales. This model has been the traditional format for decades, but the introduction of streaming studios has become a turning point for studios to maximize views and increase profit. 

Unlike Disney, which has poured money into its streaming platform Disney+, Universal Studios has relied on advertising. Universal Studios spent $987 million in the third quarter of 2024, ending in September, on advertising compared to $960 million, cutting down on video costs, according to Universal Studios financial documents. 

“They wanted Wicked everywhere, a pink and green tsunami,” said a Warner Brothers Discovery executive who asked not to be named due to privacy concerns, referring to the similar way in which the company pushed marketing for its movie Barbie in summer 2023. 

Universal Studios secured over 400 brand deals to promote Wicked according to Variety, instead of relying on its streaming platform, Peacock. 

“Studios underestimated the power of seeing a movie in a theatre, the cultural bond that it creates that streaming just doesn't have,” said Darren Campo, a former media executive for Warner Brothers Discovery.