Box Office Update
The latest animated adventure from Disney and Pixar, "Elio", has had a disappointing debut, earning $14 million overseas and $35 million worldwide. This marks the worst opening for Pixar, the animation empire behind hits like "Toy Story", "The Incredibles", and "Finding Nemo".
A Slow Start for Pixar
Before this weekend, the 2023 film "Elemental" held the title for the lowest opening debut, with $14.9 million internationally and $44.5 million worldwide. However, "Elemental" enjoyed a strong word of mouth and went on to earn $496 million worldwide over the summer. Disney is hoping that "Elio" will follow a similar trajectory, with a big boost in ticket sales in the coming months.
Production Costs and Marketing
The production of "Elio" cost $150 million, and with high global marketing spending, the film needs to perform well to break even. However, with minimal competition at the animated front until Paramount’s "Smurfs" is released on July 18, Disney is optimistic about the film’s chances. Universals’ "How to Train Your Dragon" live-action remake is likely to appeal to the same family-friendly audience as "Elio", but it is not a direct competitor.
International Box Office
In international box office news, "How to Train Your Dragon" has returned to the top of the charts, earning $53.5 million from 81 markets in its second weekend. The live-action remake has now earned $197 million overseas and $385 million worldwide. The film’s success has encouraged Universal to describe a live-action sequel, "How to Train Your Dragon 2", for release in 2027.
New Releases
The zombie adventure film "28 Years Later" from Sony has debuted in second place, earning $30 million from 59 markets. The film has earned $60 million worldwide, with top territories including the UK ($6.4 million), Mexico ($2.7 million), Australia ($1.7 million), and South Korea ($1.5 million). "28 Years Later" is the continuation of "28 Days Later" (2002) and "28 Weeks Later" (2007), and follows a group of isolated survivors as they venture into the mainland and discover a new mutation that threatens to devastate the rest of the population.
Franchise Plans
Sony intends to use "28 Years Later" to ignite a new zombie trilogy, with the creators of the property, Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, leading the charge. The new film was shot back-to-back with its sequel, "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple", which is set to debut in 2026.
Blockbuster Success
Despite the slow start for "Elio", Disney is not all doom and gloom. The live-action remake of "Lilo & Stitch" has achieved $523.6 million overseas and a blockbuster $910 million worldwide after five weekends. The film is expected to be the first billion-dollar release of the year.
