Disney's 'Wish' Falls Short at Box Office, Continuing Studio's Struggles

CEO Bob Iger acknowledges loss of focus, promises shift towards quality over quantity amid series of underperforming releases.

Disney's animated film 'Wish' debuted in third place at the box office, grossing $19.5 million in its three-day domestic opening weekend and $31.7 million over the five-day Thanksgiving weekend, falling well below projections.
The film's underperformance has been attributed to its unclear trailer and derivative premise, with critics noting it appeared more as a corporate product than a magical event.
Disney CEO Bob Iger acknowledged the studio's box office struggles, stating the company 'lost some focus' by prioritizing quantity instead of quality and would shift toward emphasizing quality output.
'Wish' is the latest in a series of underperforming 2023 tentpoles for Disney, including 'The Marvels,' 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,' 'The Haunted Mansion,' and 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.'
Analysts believe Disney's box office struggles can be attributed to several factors, including a pandemic-era reliance on Disney+, creative shortcomings, and an overdependence on once-popular brands.