Entertainment
Disney Regains Box Office Momentum, Sets Stage For Upcoming Film Announcements
Walt Disney is poised to announce details of its upcoming films at the D23 fan convention on Friday, following a successful summer box office run with “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine.”
The company’s return to form comes after losing its top spot as the highest-grossing Hollywood studio in 2023.
“It’s never too late to have that big Hollywood comeback,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “And they’ve certainly had that.”
Disney’s “Inside Out 2” has become the highest-grossing animated film of all time, with a global box office tally of $1.6 billion, surpassing the record set by Disney’s “Frozen II.”
Meanwhile, “Deadpool & Wolverine” achieved the best domestic opening for an R-rated film and has brought in over $850 million in global ticket sales.
“There is of course variability in the film business,” wrote Deutsche Bank analyst Bryan Kraft in a note to investors.
“But if Disney has found its box office magic once again, additional growth may be ahead, as a strong theatrical slate continues.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger highlighted the company’s upcoming theatrical lineup, which includes “Moana 2,” a live-action version of “Snow White,” “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” and James Cameron’s third “Avatar” movie.
“When you think about not only the potential of those in the box office, but the potential of those to drive global streaming value, there’s a reason to be bullish about where we’re headed,” Iger said on an investor call.
The success of “Inside Out 2” also generated over 100 million views of the original film on Disney+, the company reported.
Investors and fans are eagerly awaiting more details on Friday about Disney’s future plans, particularly for the Marvel superhero studio, which has faced challenges including the conviction of actor Jonathan Majors and delays due to Hollywood strikes.
However, the company has already revealed that Robert Downey Jr. will play the villain Doctor Doom in the upcoming “Fantastic Four” film.
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