Disney’s Bleak Box Office Streak: ‘Wish’ Is the Latest Crack in the Studio’s Once-Invincible Armor

variety.com:

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter “Wish” misfired in its opening weekend, extending Disney‘s bleak box office fortunes.

The animated musical fable, about the Wishing Star that so many Disney characters have wished upon over the studio’s century-long history, failed to become the de facto choice for families around Thanksgiving. “Wish” opened in third place with a dull $31.7 million over the five-day holiday, a far cry from Disney’s past Turkey Day feasts.

Perhaps King Magnifico, the movie’s villain (voiced by Chris Pine), is holding hostage the wishes of Disney executives? Instead of recapturing the studio’s magic, “Wish” joins a long list of its underperforming 2023 tentpoles, such as “The Marvels,” “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” “The Haunted Mansion,” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.” This summer’s “The Little Mermaid” didn’t completely flounder with $569 million worldwide, but it’s nowhere near the billion-dollar threshold that Disney’s prior live-action adaptations (like “The Lion King” or “Beauty and the Beast”) surpassed with ease.

And although “Elemental” finished with $495 million globally, much stronger than its disappointing opening weekend would have suggested, Pixar hasn’t restored its former glory after audiences were trained to watch on Disney+. (Disney is hoping that “Wish” has similar staying power during the busy holiday season.) Disney’s only unmitigated success in 2023 has been “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.