Paul Mescal hopes the same-day launch of Gladiator II and Wicked becomes the subsequent Barbenheimer phenomenon.

Barbenheimer was a phenomenon. On paper, Barbie and Oppenheimer had little in frequent, however followers embraced the counter-programming and helped propel each motion pictures to large success, with Barbie taking in $1.4 billion and Oppenheimer grossing $976 million. With Gladiator II and Wicked set to premiere on the identical day later this 12 months, some are hoping we’ve received Barbenheimer 2.0 on our fingers.

It appears that Gladiator II star Paul Mescal can also be a fan of the match-up. “Wickdiator doesn’t really roll off the tongue does it? I think my preference would probably be Glicked if it has a similar effect to what it did for Barbie and Oppenheimer,” Mescal instructed Entertainment Tonight. “It would be amazing ’cause I think 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.” While I’m not sure if that Barbenheimer lightning will strike twice, it could be one thing to see.

The first trailer for Gladiator II was lastly launched yesterday, bringing followers again to Ancient Rome. “From legendary director Ridley Scott, Gladiator II continues the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome,” reads the official synopsis. “Years after witnessing the demise of the revered hero Maximus by the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is pressured to enter the Colosseum after his house is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his coronary heart and the way forward for the Empire at stake, Lucius should look to his previous to seek out energy and honor to return the glory of Rome to its folks.“

The official synopsis for Wicked reads: “[Two students] meet at Shiz University within the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely however profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very completely different paths. Glinda’s unflinching want for recognition sees her seduced by energy, whereas Elphaba’s dedication to stay true to herself, and to these round her, may have surprising and surprising penalties on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will finally see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.“

Both Gladiator II and Wicked are set to hit theaters on November twenty second.