Disney's latest animated venture, Wish, was all set to take the Thanksgiving box office by storm, except, well, it didn't. This musical fantasy turned out to be less of a blockbuster and more of a box office blip.
Projected to rake in at least $35 million over the Thanksgiving weekend, Wish fell dramatically short, gathering just $3.9 million during the holiday and totaling a modest $12.2 million - a far cry from its initial projections. Oh, and just for your education, Disney spent $200 million on this film.
Just a few years ago, Disney had built itself an unshakeable Thanksgiving dominion. Remember the days when Moana, Ralph Breaks the Internet, and Frozen 2 easily soared past the $80 million mark? Well, it seems those days are quickly receding into the rearview mirror.
Recent releases, including Encanto, Strange World, and now Wish, have struggled to even reach half those numbers. Strange World in particular was a financial fiasco, barely clawing back $73.6 million on a budget of $180 million - an estimated $200 million loss for Disney.
All this is just the tip of the iceberg when you consider Disney's overall performance this year. To say that it has been a rollercoaster is an understatement. Less than a month ago, The Marvels recorded the lowest opening weekend in the franchise's 33-film history and a steep decline in its second weekend, adding to the studio's list of woes.
