'Wicked' & 'Gladiator II' Revitalize Global Box Office with $270M Weekend

Global box office returns saw a significant boost with 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' earning $270.2 million collectively. Bollywood's Aamir Khan nearly retired during the pandemic but is promoting India's Academy Awards entry now. Artist Maurizio Cattelan's duct-taped banana sold for $6.2 million, highlighting art's value.

In a triumphant weekend for cinemas globally, 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' secured a remarkable $270.2 million in ticket sales. This financial uplift arrives as Hollywood grapples with streaming service competition, cost reductions, and layoffs.

Acclaimed Bollywood actor Aamir Khan revealed that he contemplated retirement during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, encouraged by his former wife, Khan is presently in the USA promoting 'Lost Ladies', an Oscar contender in the foreign language film category.

Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan's controversial artwork, a banana duct-taped to a wall, fetched $6.2 million at Sotheby's. Describing it as a 'provocation', Cattelan invites audiences to reconsider the intrinsic value of art.

(With inputs from agencies.)