impossible to manufacture. But, more than a year later, that hasn鈥檛 stopped people from trying to make 鈥淕licked鈥� 鈥� or even 鈥淏abyratu鈥� 鈥� happen.

The counterprogramming of and in July 2023 hit a nerve culturally and had the receipts to back it up. Unlike so many things that begin as memes, it transcended its online beginnings. Instead of an either-or, the two movies ultimately complemented and boosted one another at the box office.

And ever since, moviegoers, marketers and meme makers have been trying to recreate that moment, searching the movie release schedule for odd mashups and sending candidates off into the social media void. Most attempts have fizzled (sorry, ).

This weekend is perhaps the closest approximation yet as the opens Friday against the chest-thumping Two big studio releases (Universal and Paramount), with one-name titles, opposite tones and aesthetics and big blockbuster energy 鈥� it was already halfway there before the name game began: 鈥淲ickiator,鈥� 鈥淲adiator,鈥� 鈥淕ladwick鈥� and even the eyebrow raising 鈥淕ladicked鈥� have all been suggested.

鈥溾�橤licked鈥� rolls off the tongue a little bit more,鈥� actor Fred Hechinger said at the New York screening this week. 鈥淚 think we should all band around 鈥楪licked.鈥� It gets too confusing if you have four or five different names for it.鈥�

As with 鈥淏arbenheimer,鈥� as reductive as it might seem, 鈥淕licked鈥� also has the male/female divide that make the fan art extra silly. One is pink and bright and awash in sparkles, tulle, Broadway bangers and brand tie-ins; The other is all sweat and sand, blood and bulging muscles.

Both films topped Fandango鈥檚 most anticipated holiday movie survey, where 65% of respondents said that they were interested in the 鈥淕licked鈥� double feature. Theaters big and small are also pulling out the stops with movie-themed tie-ins. B&B Theaters will have Roman guards tearing tickets at some locations and Maximus popcorn tubs. Marcus Theaters is doing Oz photo ops and friendship bracelet-making. Alamo Drafthouse is leaning into the singalong aspect (beware, though, not all theaters are embracing this) and the punny drinks like 鈥淒efying Gravi-Tea.鈥�

鈥淩ather than it being in competition, I think they鈥檙e in conversation,鈥� 鈥淕ladiator II鈥� star Paul Mescal said. 鈥淭his industry needs a shot in the arm. Those films gave it last year. We hope to do it this year.鈥�

And the hope is that audiences will flock to theaters to be part of this moment as well. It鈥檚 a sorely needed influx of could-be blockbusters into a marketplace that鈥檚 still at an 11% deficit from last year and down 27.2% from 2019, according to data from Comscore.

鈥淐ompetition is good for the marketplace. It鈥檚 good for consumers,鈥� said Michael O鈥橪eary, the president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners. 鈥淗aving two great movies coming out at the same time is simply a multiplier effect.鈥�

鈥淕licked鈥� is currently tracking for a combined North American debut in the $165 million range, with 鈥淲icked鈥� forecast to earn around $100 million (up from the $80 million estimates a few weeks ago) and 鈥淕ladiator II鈥� pegged for the $65 million range.

its projections last July. Going into that weekend, 鈥淏补谤产颈别鈥� had been pegged for $90 million and 鈥淥辫辫别苍丑别颈尘别谤鈥� around $40 million. Ultimately, in that first outing, and nearly $2.4 billion by the end of their runs.

It鈥檚 possible 鈥淕licked鈥� will exceed expectations, too. And it has the advantage of another behemoth coming close behind: 鈥淢oana 2,鈥� which opens just five days later on the Wednesday before the Thanksgiving holiday. 鈥淕lickedana鈥� triple feature anyone?

鈥淭hese are 10 important days,鈥� O鈥橪eary said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to show the moviegoing audience that there鈥檚 a lot of compelling stuff out there for them to see.鈥�

There are infinite caveats to the imperfect comparison to 鈥淏arbenheimer,鈥� as well. 鈥淲icked鈥� Musicals carry their own baggage with moviegoers, even those based on wildly successful productions (ahem, 鈥淐ats鈥�). 鈥淕ladiator II鈥� got a head start and opened internationally last weekend. In fact, in the U.K. it played alongside 鈥淧addington in Peru,鈥� where that double was pegged 鈥淕laddington.鈥� 鈥淕ladiator鈥� reviews, while positive, are a little more divided than the others. And neither directors Ridley Scott nor Jon M. Chu has the built-in box office cache that Christopher Nolan鈥檚 name alone carries at the moment.

The new films also cost more than 鈥淏补谤产颈别鈥� ($145 million) and 鈥淥辫辫别苍丑别颈尘别谤鈥� ($100 million). According to reports, 鈥淕ladiator II鈥� had a $250 million price tag; 鈥淲icked鈥� reportedly cost $150 million to produce (and that does not include the cost of the second film, due next year).

The narrative, though, has shifted away from 鈥渨ho will win the weekend.鈥� Earlier this year, that he loves that this is a moment where 鈥渨e can root for all movies all the time.鈥�

Close behind are a bevy of Christmas releases with double feature potential, but those feel a little more niche. There鈥檚 the remake of 鈥淣osferatu,鈥� the and the Bob Dylan biopic 鈥淎 Complete Unknown.鈥� The internet can鈥檛 even seem to decide on its angle for that batch of contenders, and none exactly screams blockbuster. Sometimes the joy is just in the game, however. Some are sticking with the one-name mashup (鈥淏abyratu鈥�); others are suggesting that the fact that two of the movies feature real-life exes (Timoth茅e Chalamet and Lily-Rose Depp) is enough reason for a double feature. And getting people talking is half the battle.

When in doubt, or lacking a catchy name, there鈥檚 always the default: 鈥淭his is my Barbenheimer.鈥�