Disney (and others) at the Box Office - Current State of Affairs

[TP2000]

Minecraft was fun and entertaining. It did exactly what it was supposed to do. Just be a Minecraft movie. Just like how the Super Mario Bros. Movie accomplished it's purpose. Theater was full of kids and everyone enjoyed themselves.

Now imagine if the live action remake of Snow White did that; just be a live action remake of the original classic.

No "leadership journey" instead of being a Princess.
No she don't need no man, and he's a stalker anyway, and he could be cut entirely cuz that's Hollywood, baby!
No being embarrassed of the dwarves even though they've been in every Disneyland parade since 1955, are featured in a ride in all six Disneyland's around the world, and still sell a ton of merchandise in 2025.


Just be a Snow White movie.

Imagine what the box office could be like! You could even spend $270 Million to produce it, cause it would be so successful.

 

[coffeefan]

The first pass at foreign box office is now in from this latest weekend for Snow White; right around $91 Million now.

The overseas box office is flatlining as quickly as it is domestically. Currently, the split is surprisingly even; about a 46% Domestic and 54% Overseas split. Foreigners are just as unimipressed with Rachel Zegler's Snow White as Americans are.

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Will it get to $200 Million globally by the first of May?

It should make it, barely, but it's incredible to think that's now even a question.

The movie underperforming more on the international box office relative to the domestic box office is interesting. We can draw our own conclusions, but I'm sticking with my theory of Gal Gadot having a bigger impact on the film because of her performance (and other reasons we can't discuss).

There are of course other reasons and bigger problems that impacted the movie. But had they cast someone that could act and sing to be the Evil Queen, like say an Anne Hathaway or Nicole Scherzinger the movie would've been better.

 

[coffeefan]

 

[Tha Realest]

The movie underperforming more on the international box office relative to the domestic box office is interesting. We can draw our own conclusions, but I'm sticking with my theory of Gal Gadot having a bigger impact on the film because of her performance (and other reasons we can't discuss).

There are of course other reasons and bigger problems that impacted the movie. But had they cast someone that could act and sing to be the Evil Queen, like say an Anne Hathaway or Nicole Scherzinger the movie would've been better.

This theory doesn’t hold up as she has been in a ton of films that have made huge $$ in the international box office, both as a lead and as part of an ensemble.

 

[Casper Gutman]

This theory doesn’t hold up as she has been in a ton of films that have made huge $$ in the international box office, both as a lead and as part of an ensemble.

I don’t think Gadot is at all responsible for the film’s underperformance, either domestically or internationally, in any way other then given a wooden performance, but the argument would be that recent events have (overwhelmingly unfairly) made her identity the subject of outrage and resentment.

 

[LSLS]

Interesting. I'm curious as to how many screens your theater has overall and how many Minecraft was playing at. It's playing at ~4 screens/theater (including premium formats) near me, and although well-attended they definitely weren't sold out that I could see.

The one that was sold out Friday? I believe 10 (though not sure how many had which movies, I'd guess 4 and one 3D?). The one we ended up at packed on Saturday I believe has 12, and I'd guess 4 regular, and 1 3D on that one as well.

 

[LSLS]

Worse was in quotes - and hey, I’m in the Venn diagram!

Sure, but a lot weren't. I know I wasn't, and neither of my kids were either. It sounds made up, but my 12 year old actually said "UGH, another remake?" Keep in mind, preteen, so she's insanely excited for Lilo and Stich cause logic, but still, she wants something different apparently if she's not obsessed with it (which she is not with Snow White, despite Snow White being her favorite in park character when she was little).

 

[Disstevefan1]

There are a lot of times I would say "This movie was not made for me" and this one also qualifies.

That said, I love to see when these "event" type of movies happen. I am happy for the fans, the theaters and studios.

It gives me hope that when a studio creates a movie that is fun and had mass appeal good things can happen.

 

[LittleBuford]

There are of course other reasons and bigger problems that impacted the movie. But had they cast someone that could act and sing to be the Evil Queen, like say an Anne Hathaway or Nicole Scherzinger the movie would've been better.

Gadot was absolutely fine in the role, and her singing was better than I would have expected.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

There are a lot of times I would say "This movie was not made for me" and this one also qualifies.

That said, I love to see when these "event" type of movies happen. I am happy for the fans, the theaters and studios.

It gives me hope that when a studio creates a movie that is fun and had mass appeal good things can happen.

Same, I have no attachement to the game and no desire to see the movie but it’s nice to see success like this for the fans and for the industry.

I also find it interesting the Jack Black controversy seems to have completely disappeared, probably helps this is a teen flick rather than a kids flick so parents are far less involved in deciding whether to see it in theaters or not.

 

[Phroobar]

Same, I have no attachement to the game and no desire to see the movie but it’s nice to see success like this for the fans and for the industry.

I also find it interesting the Jack Black controversy seems to have completely disappeared, probably helps this is a teen flick rather than a kids flick so parents are far less involved in deciding whether to see it in theaters or not.

When I saw it, the theater was full of teenagers having a great time.

 

[LittleBuford]

I also find it interesting the Jack Black controversy seems to have completely disappeared, probably helps this is a teen flick rather than a kids flick so parents are far less involved in deciding whether to see it in theaters or not.

I had to look this up. If you’re talking about the controversy I think you are, why would people hold him responsible for something that someone else said and that he quickly disavowed?

 

[Disstevefan1]

Same, I have no attachement to the game and no desire to see the movie but it’s nice to see success like this for the fans and for the industry.

I also find it interesting the Jack Black controversy seems to have completely disappeared, probably helps this is a teen flick rather than a kids flick so parents are far less involved in deciding whether to see it in theaters or not.

My only guess is if a movie has so much mass appeal it can survive controversy?

 

[DKampy]

I had to look up the controversy as well which shows it has not exactly ignited the pop culture media . Also I failed to see the controversy….unless the fallout falls on us just being in the proximity of someone else’s comments even if it does not align with us…. Don’t see how it is comparable to Zegler or Gadot

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I had to look this up. If you’re talking about the controversy I think you are, why would people hold him responsible for something that someone else said and that he quickly disavowed?

True, the backlash was more on the band, not him personally. He was involved but more as a secondary factor.

 

[erasure fan1]

Same, I have no attachment to the game and no desire to see the movie but it’s nice to see success like this for the fans and for the industry.

That's the biggest thing. They made it for the fans, the target group. That's great to see it be successful. It shows that not every ip needs to be changed for every group.

also find it interesting the Jack Black controversy seems to have completely disappeared,

If it's the tenacious D thing, I think he separated himself from that pretty quick. He put the band on hiatus with no plans to start back up, that I know of. He put his money where his mouth is as they say. He made the right choice, so I think people aren't holding it against him.

 

[Casper Gutman]

It's really funny how different the reactions are on this board when Disney releases a lousy movie that makes a lot of money like Frozen 2 or Moana 2. Not a lot of folks talking about "giving the audience what they want" or being "happy for people who like it."

 

[LittleBuford]

It's really funny how different the reactions are on this board when Disney releases a lousy movie that makes a lot of money like Frozen 2 or Moana 2. Not a lot of folks talking about "giving the audience what they want" or being "happy for people who like it."

Although I didn’t really enjoy either nearly as much as the films they followed, I’d put Frozen 2 above Moana 2 in terms of originality.

 

[Disstevefan1]

It's really funny how different the reactions are on this board when Disney releases a lousy movie that makes a lot of money like Frozen 2 or Moana 2. Not a lot of folks talking about "giving the audience what they want" or being "happy for people who like it."

Disney converting the Disney+ Moana series which, lets face it, would have been a pure cost to D+, into the Moana 2 movie that made over 1B is pure genius in Disney's part and I have been saying that.

Like Minecraft, it didn't matter if Moana 2 was lousy.

 

[Agent H]

Although I didn’t really enjoy either nearly as much as the films they followed, I’d put Frozen 2 above Moana 2 in terms of originality.

Hot take. Frozen 2 is better than the first frozen.