Disney is navigating a turbulent box office landscape, marked by contrasting fortunes. The studio’s animated sequel, “Zootopia 2,” has achieved notable success, reclaiming the No. 1 spot in North America during its third weekend and surpassing the impressive $1 billion mark globally. In stark contrast, the political dramedy “Ella McCay” has suffered a disappointing debut, earning just $2.1 million domestically—one of the lowest openings for Disney in recent memory.
While “Ella McCay” had a production budget of $35 million, significantly lower than the over $200 million commonly associated with Disney’s major franchises, its performance fell far short of expectations. The film, directed by James L. Brooks, known for his work on “The Simpsons” and films like “As Good As It Gets,” did not resonate with audiences or critics, receiving a mere 24% average on Rotten Tomatoes and a “B-” grade on CinemaScore exit polls. This failure continues a trend for Brooks, whose previous ventures such as “Spanglish” and “How Do You Know?” also underperformed at the box office.
Analyst David A. Gross remarked on the changing landscape of films. He noted that while Brooks once defined character storytelling in the earlier decades, audiences now tend to find similar narratives in television and online platforms, which can offer a more authentic viewing experience.
Meanwhile, “Zootopia 2” triumphed with $26.3 million during its third weekend, experiencing a 39% drop from the previous week but still showcasing strong family appeal. The film has grossed $259 million domestically and $1.13 billion worldwide, marking it as only the second Hollywood release this year to surpass the $1 billion milestone.
In the ever competitive landscape, the horror sequel “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” fell to second place with $19.5 million, reflecting a steep 70% decline from its debut. Despite the drop, the film remains a financial win for Blumhouse, grossing $95 million domestically and $173 million globally after just two weekends.
At the specialty box office, Chloe Zhao’s “Hamnet” has garnered attention, amassing $1.5 million despite being shown in fewer theaters than “Ella McCay.” The film has achieved $7 million so far and tells a poignant story surrounding the death of William Shakespeare’s son, featuring performances by Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal.
Overall ticket sales currently stand at $8.1 billion, slightly above last year by 0.5%, yet still lagging 22.7% behind pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Hope remains on the horizon as studios prepare for a surge in ticket sales with upcoming holiday releases like James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” the musical adventure “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,” and other anticipated titles. These films could potentially propel the domestic box office past the $9 billion benchmark, bringing renewed optimism to the industry.