Strange World, Disney’s animated adventure picture, falls at the box office during the holiday weekend, foreshadowing yet another disappointing loss for the studio.
Strange World, Disney’s latest animated family adventure picture, flopped at the box office during Thanksgiving weekend, much to Disney’s surprise. Strange World follows the Clades, a family of explorers who must put their differences aside in order to preserve their home from an approaching ecological disaster. Several notable actors, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Lucy Liu, and Dennis Quaid, star in the animated, pulp-action film. Strange World was praised by critics for its diverse cast, which included Jaboukie Young-White’s openly gay character Ethan Clade.
Strange World received a dismal $18.6 million at the box office during the holiday weekend, according to Variety. Disney predicted a $30-$40 million weekend across the 4,174 North American cinemas playing Strange World. The overseas box office release again fell short, earning only $9.2 million, bringing the total for the opening weekend to $27.8 million. Strange World has a $180 million budget that is unlikely to be recovered in the coming weeks, resulting in yet another enormous loss for Disney. Since theaters reopened following the pandemic, the studio, whose animated films had been a consistent box office draw, has struggled to find their footing.
Walt Disney Animation & Pixar Movies Continue to Struggle At Box Office
If Strange World fails to gain traction in the following weeks, Disney is poised to lose $100 million. This continues the studio’s recent run of movie office flops, including Pixar’s Lightyear, which failed earlier this year. Lightyear, a film based on the eponymous character from the hugely successful Toy Story trilogy, was predicted to do well as Pixar’s triumphant return to the big screen. However, the picture grossed just $226 million against a $200 million budget, representing a stunning setback for Pixar, which has long been regarded as the gold standard for animation. Encanto, which debuted to a mediocre $40.3 million on Thanksgiving weekend 2021, managed to generate so much buzz from critics and fans alike that it eventually surpassed $100 million worldwide.
Strange World’s early assessments indicate that it will not be able to recover in the same manner that Encanto did. Critics commented that the picture is a typical adventure film aimed more at children than the entire family, and it lacks the “spark” that many associate with Disney films. This uninspired adventure picture is unlikely to generate the type of buzz Strange World need to become a box office blockbuster or an instant Disney classic. Disney’s emphasis on increasing subscribers to its streaming service, Disney+, may be a role in these dismal sales, as more customers want to enjoy their Disney experience at home. This reflects a bigger trend, with Thanksgiving weekend box office revenues down 10% overall when compared to the previous year.
Strange World’s international release will most certainly be limited as well owing to the presence of a gay character, which is not authorized in films distributed in the Middle East and parts of Asia. Disney opted not to censor Strange World, something they had previously opposed for the release of Lightyear. Disney has also been embroiled in a public feud with Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who has chastised the company for being a “woke corporation” and has encouraged his supporters to boycott the studio. The backlash against the inclusion of LGBT characters in family-friendly films may have contributed to Strange World’s underwhelming opening weekend.
