Blockbusters, Bush Tucker Trials, and More: November’s Entertainment Recap

Whether you headed to the cinema or settled in for jungle antics, there was no shortage of entertainment in November.

The cinematic year of 2024 has been nothing short of spectacular, with box office hits, highly anticipated sequels, and exciting upcoming releases. It’s been 24 years since Gladiator first graced our screens, leaving an indelible mark on cinema history. Now, director Ridley Scott returns with the highly anticipated sequel, Gladiator II, and it’s already making waves at the box office.

Featuring an all-star cast—Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, and Paul Mescal—the film promises gripping performances, breathtaking visuals, and the epic storytelling fans of the original know and love. If that lineup isn’t enough to tempt you, the buzz surrounding this cinematic event surely will!

In its opening week, Gladiator II delivered an impressive 913,000 admissions, with 604,000 tickets sold over the weekend alone. The sequel is on track to reach a monumental 2 million admissions, cementing its place as one of the standout films of 2024.

The new Wicked film, released in November 2024, stars Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, bringing the beloved characters to life on the big screen. This cinematic adaptation of the hit Broadway musical explores the backstory of the witches of Oz, offering a fresh take on the iconic characters from The Wizard of Oz.

Wicked has made a powerful start, opening with £13.7m—the biggest opening weekend of 2024, surpassing Deadpool & Wolverine's £12.6m. This marks a new high for stage-to-screen musicals, far outpacing Mamma Mia’s £6.6m debut and Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again’s £9.7m. While Wicked has set a huge benchmark, it faces stiff competition from major upcoming films like Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King, and Sonic The Hedgehog 3. With great audience scores and Christmas approaching, Wicked may yet challenge these lifetime totals.

From the big screen to our home screens, Sunday, 19 November, marked the highly anticipated return of I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! to ITV, captivating audiences with its thrilling moments and unforgettable challenges. From the dunny duties to camp hierarchy, we saw Radio 1 presenter Dean McCullough quickly became a fan favourite for the nail-biting bush tucker trials.

The 2024 season of I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! has almost wrapped up, having achieved impressive viewership numbers throughout the series. The launch episode, which aired with just one day of consolidation, reached an impressive 8.2 million viewers. When factoring in ITV2 repeat showings, the total rose to 8.6 million, proving that this long-running show continued to capture a massive audience.

As the second episode of I’m A Celebrity aired, it averaged 6.4 million viewers across all devices, peaking at 7.3 million. This marked a +0.2 million increase in viewership (+5% TV share) compared to the same episode last year. 

While this season has seen a dip in viewership compared to its highly anticipated launch episode, the show continues to command a significant audience. Tulisa’s departure drew approximately 3.82 million adult viewers, securing a 28.7% share of the adult audience—a solid performance equivalent to 7.3 TVRs. 

With the debut of Gladiator and Wicked in cinemas and the thrilling series of I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! highlights the enduring power of entertainment to captivate audiences across platforms and is a real taster for what’s to come for the remainder of Q4.