The Walt Disney Company’s latest animated film, Wish, collapsed at the Thanksgiving box office failing to hit even the lowest of the low projections for the film.
BEST WISHES – Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Wish” is set in Rosas, a magical kingdom where wishes really do come true. The film introduces Asha, a sharp-witted idealist who’s invited to see first-hand where King Magnifico keeps the wishes of those who’ve entrusted him with their deepest desires. Featuring the voices of Academy Award® winner Ariana DeBose as Asha and Chris Pine as Magnifico, the all-new musical-comedy is helmed by Oscar®-winning director Chris Buck (“Frozen,” “Frozen 2”) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (“Raya and the Last Dragon”), produced by Peter Del Vecho (“Frozen,” “Frozen 2”) and co-produced by Juan Pablo Reyes (“Encanto”). “Wish” opens only in theaters on Nov. 22, 2023. ©.
Through Friday the film has only grossed $20.2 million over the Thanksgiving weekend. It took in $2.3 million on Tuesday during previews. On Wednesday before Thanksgiving it only raked in $8.3 million.
Thanksgiving day it took in $3.9 million and on the Friday after Thanksgiving it took in $8 million.
WISHES DO COME TRUE – In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Wish,” Asha (voice of Ariana DeBose) is a sharp-witted idealist who lives in Rosas—a kingdom where wishes really do come true. Helmed by Oscar®-winning director Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, “Wish” features original songs by Grammy®-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer, songwriter and musician Benjamin Rice. The epic animated musical opens only in theaters on Nov. 22, 2023. © 2023 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
RELATED: Wish Review: Disney Is Grasping at Stars
Box office analyst Luiz Fernando notes the film will likely only gross between $30 million and $35 million in its 5-day Thanksgiving weekend and only between $18 million and $23 million in its 3-day opening.
He wrote on X, “The ghost a disastrous #3 place keeps haunting Wish which underperforms industry’s projections over Thanksgiving long weekend at US box office, as the Disney animation grossed 8M on FRI, up +125% from THU Thanksgiving day (vs Encanto 11.1M, Strange World 5M, Elemental 11.7M) for a 20.2 cume.”
“Eyeing a 30-35M 5-day Thanksgiving opening & a 18M-23M 3-day weekend,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, the ghost of a disastrous #3 place keeps haunting #Wish which underperforms industry’s projections over #Thanksgiving long weekend at US #BoxOffice, as the #Disney animation grossed 8M on FRI, up +125.2% from THU Thanksgiving day (vs #Encanto 11.1M, #StrangeWorld… pic.twitter.com/51JjZUkdLp
— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) November 25, 2023
Early box office projections from Box Office Pro at the end of October predicted the film would have an opening 3-day weekend between $45 million and $65 million.
The outlet also noted the film would bring in between $64 million and $94 million in its 5-day Thanksgiving day holiday opening.
SPINNING A YARN – In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Wish,” sharp-witted idealist Asha (voice of Ariana DeBose) makes a wish so powerful, it’s answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Asha’s new ally communicates in creative ways, making captivating use of a magenta ball of yarn. Helmed by Oscar®-winning director Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, “Wish” features original songs by Grammy®-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice. The epic animated musical opens only in theaters on Nov. 22, 2023. © 2023 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
Box Office Pro would decrease those predictions week over week. At the beginning of November its 3-day projections had declined to between $40 million and $60 million. It’s 5-day Thanksgiving projections were down to between $57 million and $86.8 million.
On November 21st, the outlet would lower their projections again. This time they claimed the film would bring in between $35 million and $44 million in its 3-day opening weekend. They noted it would gross between $49 million and $66 million in its 5-day opening.
The film’s box office projections have declined nearly 50% from Box Office Pro’s November 21st projections to what Luiz Fernando is now projecting the film will gross in its 3-day opening weekend. The 5-day Thanksgiving projections have declined by nearly 40%.
SORCERER KING – In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Wish,” King Magnifico has the magical ability to grant wishes. But when 17-year-old Asha is compelled to challenge the powerful sorcerer, Magnifico turns to a forbidden resource. Featuring the voices of Chris Pine as King Magnifico and Academy Award®-winning actress Ariana DeBose as Asha, the epic animated musical “Wish” hits the big screen on Nov. 22, 2023. © 2023 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
Not only is the film completely collapsing at the box office, but the collapse means The Walt Disney Company is going to lose even more money than expected.
The film has an estimated production budget of $200 million. That means the film needs to gross at least $500 million in order to cover the costs of marketing as well as the split that theaters take from the box office grosses.
Given these disastrous box office returns over the Thanksgiving weekend, it’s unlikely the film will even sniff that $500 million mark.
EVERYONE HAS A WISH – In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Wish,” Asha’s pet goat, Valentino, is among the first to experience the magic of Star, a little ball of boundless energy inadvertently summoned by Asha. Featuring the voices of Academy Award®-winning actress Ariana DeBose as Asha and Alan Tudyk as Valentino, the epic animated musical “Wish” hits the big screen on Nov. 22, 2023. © 2023 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
As for why the film is performing so poorly, while the film has received an A- CinemaScore that score is poor for an animated feature.
Fernando explained to a questioning X user, “An A- CinemaScore isn’t as good for PG animations, unfortunately. It’s like a PG-13 film receiving a B+, so Wish’s performance might most likely be closer to Lightyear’s legs than Encanto’s, for instance.”
An A- CinemaScore isn’t as good for PG animations, unfortunately.
It’s like a PG-13 film receiving a B+, so #Wish’s performance might most likely be closer to #Lightyear’s legs than #Encanto’s, for instance.— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) November 24, 2023
The film has also received poor user reviews at IMDb. It currently has a 5.9 out of 10. It currently has a 77% on Rotten Tomatoes when looking at the All Audience score. It has an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
It’s likely the film is just not very good. In fact, WDW Pro reviewed the film earlier this week on That Park Place and described the film as “Disney propaganda that they likely believed was nostalgia or homage.”
VERY VALENTINO – In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Wish,” Asha’s pajama-wearing goat Valentino follows her wherever she goes. Adorable and wise, Valentino could teach humans a thing or two about perseverance. And when his wish to speak comes true—everyone is surprised, especially Valentino. Featuring the Alan Tudyk as the voice of Valentino, the epic animated musical opens only in theaters on Nov. 22, 2023. © 2023 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
While people reviewing the film are assumed to have actually gone to it and seen it, the box office grosses reflect that people aren’t even spending their money to go and see it. And one of the reasons they might not be going to see it is because American families are boycotting The Walt Disney Company.
The Walt Disney Company even admitted in a recent Form 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchanges Commission that it “faces risks relating to misalignment with public and consumer tastes and preferences for entertainment.”
Specifically, it noted, “Consumers’ perceptions of our position on matters of public interest, including our efforts to achieve certain of our environmental and social goals, often differ widely and present risks to our reputation and brands.”
What do you make of Wish’s disastrous box office failure? Why do you think it is so bad?
