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Credit: DisneyIt’s no secret that the Walt Disney Company has not been doing well at the box office lately. With anticipated projects like Wish (2023) and The Marvels (2023) being financially underwhelming, it’s easy to understand why some are calling this Disney’s “Flop Era.”
Taste is highly subjective, so a poor box office score does not necessarily mean that the films were failures, although revenue is what keeps a company like Disney relevant. That being said, the latest contribution from the Walt Disney Animation Studio has been met with a warm reception even if it didn’t meet financial expectations.
Wish has been marketed from day one as a return to Disney’s classic formula, and it does succeed for the most part. However, it might be more than what some critics assume. As the song goes, “There must be something more for us than this.”
Wish Begins a New Era for Disney Animation
A lot of harsh criticism has been heaped on Wish since it came out over the Thanksgiving holiday, but this writer can hardly say it deserves even half of the bad press that has risen from its premiere. Was it the big and bombastic return to traditional Disney that everyone hoped for? No, but it did what it set out to do.
Related: ‘Wish’ Proves Major Disney Disappointment, Reportedly Even Worse Than ‘Strange World’
Wish is a movie that thrives on emotion rather than logic, which fueled some of Walt Disney’s earliest projects. Due to the increasing complexities in the modern animation market, that’s going to rub a few viewers the wrong way.
Be that as it may, Wish is still a movie that lingers long after Asha (Adriana DeBose) defeats King Magnifico (Chris Pine) and the credits roll. Speaking from personal experience, it’s been days since I was exposed to the film, and I still find myself thinking back to all the easter eggs and visuals. Even the maligned, pop-inspired soundtrack hasn’t left my brain.
The reality of the matter might be that Wish meets the same fate as Pixar’s Turning Red (2022) or Encanto (2021) and becomes a sensation over streaming. Since Disney+ is arguably more accessible than a $40 trip to the movies, the studio has essentially become a victim of their own success.
Witty barbs aside, Disney’s latest feature is less of a thrilling cinematic experience and more of a piece of sweet animated intoxication that viewers need to just escape from the burdens of reality. Maybe that’s precisely what they need.
Related: Disney’s Beloved Mickey Mouse Officially Replaced, New Version Debuts
It’s not about Disney’s ability to craft the next Frozen (2013) or trying to topple creators like Ridley Scott at the box office, but about reminding fans why they love the studio in the first place. If there’s one thing Disney knows how to do better than anyone else, it’s provide a loving and colorful escape into a world of magic and wonder, exactly what Wish accomplished and whatever comes next will set out to do.
Did Disney Animation grant your wish? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!