Credit: DisneyWish (2023) has already begun breaking Walt Disney Animation records. Does this mean Disney’s newest original film could save the studio’s box office woes?
Wish is probably Walt Disney Animation Studios’ most anticipated film in a long time. Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn and written by Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore, Wish is expected to be a return to the classic Disney Princess stories that fans love.
The movie stars Academy Award winner Ariana Debose as Asha, Chris Pine as King Magnifico, Alan Tudyk as Valentino the Goat, Angelique Cabral as Queen Amaya, Victor Garber as Sabine, and Natasha Rothwell as Sakina. The Disney film also features performances from Jennifer Kumiyama, Evan Peters, Harvey Guillén, Ramy Youssef, Niko Vargas, Della Saba, and Jon Rudnitsky.
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While people are drawn in by the unique animation style and gorgeous visuals, fans seem to be most excited about returning to Disney’s roots from the 90s, often referred to as the Disney Renaissance. Not only is it a musical about a princess, but there is a definitive villain, cute characters, and a story all about following your dreams and believing in your wishes.
This is the exact thing Walt’s studio has always been about! And frankly, they could use a bit of that Disney magic.
Could ‘Wish’ Be Disney’s Golden Goose?
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Even though no one has seen Wish, many Disney die-hards are declaring that this will make a return to form for the premiere animation studio. And looking back the past few years, they need the help.
Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic, Disney animation has struggled at the box office. For the most part, this is understandable since people could not go to movie theaters. However, this was not the case for Strange World (2022) or Lightyear (2022), which were some of the biggest flops in Disney history.
This box office bad luck has carried over into Disney’s live-action fare as well, with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), and Haunted Mansion (2023) all underperforming critically and commercially.
Fortunately, this hasn’t been the case for every Disney product. Avatar 2: The Way of Water (2022) was a juggernaut in theaters, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) is one of this year’s biggest hits. On top of that, Pixar’s Elemental (2023) appeared to be a flop but surpassed expectations because of its quality.
Still, the studio’s financial losses surpass its successes. And with many industry insiders predicting a flop with The Marvels (2023), Disney needs a hit. And if the popularity of the trailer is anything to go by, Wish will be that hit.
The Most Watched Disney Trailer Since ‘Frozen II’
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Until this year, Walt Disney Animation had produced the highest-grossing movie of all time: Frozen II (2019). The film grossed over $1.4 billion, a record that would only be beaten this year by The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023). Since then, Disney has not matched that success or popularity. However, that could all change with Wish.
The excitement for Wish has been staggering, and it reached an all-time high when Disney released the official trailer on the Walt Disney Animation Studios YouTube channel on September 27. Since then, it has amassed 66.5 million views across the internet. That’s 46.5 million more than its teaser trailer, released five months ago.
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Disney hasn’t seen numbers this big since the trailer dropped for Frozen II four years ago. And it’s only been two days.
While there has been some negative response to the new animation style, the overall feeling is still one of excitement. For many, this feels like a return to what Disney is known for. And for others, it looks like another fantastic movie from arguably the best animation studio in history.
Are you excited about Wish? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!