‘Wish’ Needs Disney+, But Might Have to Wait

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Asha (Ariana Debose) with her friends in shock.

Credit: Disney

Disney’s Wish (2023) has audiences drastically divided, but it might be given a second wind on Disney+. However, it might be some time before fans get to see it.

Photo from Disney's 'Wish'.
Credit: Disney

Chris Buck’s animated fairytale of the adorkable Asha (Ariana Debose) and her adventure to rescue the wishes of her kingdom from the sorcerous King Magnifico (Chris Pine) was supposed to be a massive comeback for Walt Disney Animation Studio, but the reviews are notoriously mixed. But how would it fare if made more accessible?

Related: Disney+ Wants New Ad-Supported Streaming To Become a Shopping “Experience”

Disney+ has given life to dozens of other Disney movies, but it kept films like Encanto (2021) and Turning Red (2022) from going under after lackluster performances at the box office. It seems as though Wish will meet the same fate, but the studio might be a touch more reluctant to fork it over to fans any time soon.

Disney repeats History with Vault; Disney+ Logo on the left
Credit: Inside the Magic

Typically, Disney is pretty consistent in delivering its features from the theaters to the magical streaming service, but the new film’s reception might be the cause for pause at the studio. Roger Palmer of What’s On Disney+ made an interesting observation on the matter when they wrote,

“Currently, no official Disney+ release date has yet been announced for “Wish”, but looking at some of the previous films’ release dates should give us a better indication of how quickly a film arrives on Disney+.

“Haunted Mansion” arrived on Disney+ after 68 days
“Elemental” was released on Disney+ after 89 days
“The Little Mermaid” splashed onto Disney+ after 103 days
“Guardians Of The Galaxy: Vol 3” blasted on Disney+ after 89 days
“Strange World” arrived on Disney+ after 30 days
“Encanto” danced its way onto Disney+ after 30 days
“Lightyear” dropped on Disney+ after 47 days

The article also went on to say,

“Over the last two years, Disney has been releasing its Thanksgiving theatrical releases, like “Strange World” and “Encanto,” on to Disney+ just over a month later, just in time to give the movies a huge boost in viewership over Christmas.”

Bruno in "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from Disney's 'Encanto'
Credit: Disney

When asked for further comment on the matter, Palmer gave the following response.

“With Disney now focusing on profitability and theatrical releases, it’s likely, unlike the last two Thanksgiving releases, Wish, will be out as quickly.”

Considering how well Encanto did during its post-theater release on home media, it stands to reason that the same effect might happen to Wish. However, as much as the film has been criticized by viewers and publications alike, it’s understandable why Disney would want to pump the breaks.

Related: ‘Wish’ Proves Major Disney Disappointment, Reportedly Even Worse Than ‘Strange World’

No matter when Disney decides to release its latest animated feature, wider access to Wish on streaming and home media, might give it the boost that it needs to still come out on top. Even if it reaches cult-film status, Disney fans still have something to look forward to.

Do you think Wish could be like Encanto? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!

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