Disney's Box Office Battle: 'Zootopia 2' Reigns, 'Ella McCay' Flops
Disney's box office fortunes have been a rollercoaster, with the studio's animated sequel, 'Zootopia 2', reclaiming the top spot in North America during its third weekend. The film has already surpassed the $1 billion mark, a testament to its enduring appeal. However, the studio's political dramedy, 'Ella McCay', has suffered a crushing debut, earning only $2.1 million domestically. This underperformance is despite the film's modest production cost of $35 million, which is significantly lower than Disney's typical theatrical release budgets.
'Ella McCay', written and directed by James L. Brooks, a legendary figure in comedy and drama, has been met with mixed reviews. Critics and moviegoers alike have given the film a thumbs-down, with a 24% average on Rotten Tomatoes and a 'B-' grade on CinemaScore. This marks a disappointing trend for Brooks, who has struggled to find success at the box office with his previous films, 'Spanglish' and 'How Do You Know'.
In contrast, 'Zootopia 2' has been a solid performer, despite a 39% decline in its third weekend, earning $26.3 million. The family-friendly adventure has grossed over $259 million domestically and $1.13 billion globally, becoming the second film this year to reach the $1 billion milestone. However, the horror sequel 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2' has slid to second place, experiencing a brutal 70% drop in its second weekend.
The specialty box office has seen a standout performance from Chloe Zhao's 'Hamnet', which has amassed $7 million despite playing in a fraction of the theaters compared to 'Ella McCay'. Overall, ticket sales are up 0.5% year-over-year, but still 22.7% behind 2019 levels. The upcoming holiday season promises to boost cinemas with a lineup of blockbuster films, including 'Avatar: Fire and Ash', 'The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants', and 'The Housemaid'. Will these films be enough to push the domestic box office past the $9 billion benchmark?
