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The box office is a wild rollercoaster, and Disney is definitely holding a front-row seat—hands in the air, sometimes screaming. This weekend, the studio experienced the ultimate cinematic mood swing: while “Zootopia 2” zoomed back to the top, its political dramedy “Ella McCay” made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Buckle up, because it’s a tale of billion-dollar bunnies and one of Disney’s most shocking flops.
Zootopia 2: The Billion-Dollar Beast
First, let’s talk about a happy place—like Zootopia. In its third weekend, “Zootopia 2” reclaimed the number one spot in North America, collecting $26.3 million, dipping by just 39%. If animated animals could throw confetti, they would: the film sprinted past the mighty $1 billion global box office mark—making it only the second film this year to do so. Its domestic haul? A robust $259 million, contributing to a stunning $1.13 billion worldwide tally.
- Third weekend: $26.3 million (down 39%)
- Domestic total: $259 million
- Global total: $1.13 billion
- Only the second movie this year over $1 billion globally
The journey wasn’t flawless. After briefly losing the lead to Universal and Blumhouse’s horror sequel “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” “Zootopia 2” hopped right back up. Disney, take your victory lap—just watch out for the next curve.
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Ella McCay: The Flop Heard ‘Round the World
If “Zootopia 2” is the carrot, then “Ella McCay” is… well, the stick. With a domestic debut of just $2.1 million, James L. Brooks’s latest film earned itself a spot in Disney’s hall of shame: one of the worst opening weekends in recent memory for the studio. Ouch.
To put it bluntly:
- Opening weekend: $2.1 million (behind $4 million projections)
- Production budget: $35 million (cheap by Disney standards)
- Rotten Tomatoes score: 24%
- CinemaScore: B-
Written and directed by “The Simpsons” co-creator James L. Brooks and starring Emma Mackey, this comedic drama about a young politician who unexpectedly becomes governor couldn’t capture audience hearts or critics. In fact, it was almost universally snubbed by reviewers and moviegoers alike. Brooks, whose 1980s and 1990s output still gets cited as award-winning, has now suffered a trilogy of box office misses, following “Spanglish” (which earned $55 million against an $80 million budget) and 2010’s “How Do You Know?” Still, don’t expect any dramatic showdowns in the Disney boardroom—”Ella McCay”’s modest $35 million price tag means the film isn’t exactly a budgetary disaster.
Industry analyst David A. Gross points out, “James L. Brooks defined character storytelling in the ’80s and ’90s with a string of award-winning comedy dramas. Today, you can find material like this on television and even on social media, where it benefits from authenticity.” Maybe audiences looking for poignant political comedy just prefer it on the small screen—or in 280-character doses.
Frights and Musicals: The Rest of the Box Office
Meanwhile, “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” proved that horror sequels are the gift that keeps on giving (at least for a weekend or two). After a scary-good $64 million debut, its second week saw a chilling 69% drop to $20 million—but Blumhouse isn’t trembling. With a thrifty $36 million budget, the film is already in the black, scaring up $95 million domestically and more than $150 million worldwide.
- Second weekend: $20 million (down 69%)
- Domestic total: $95 million
- Global total: over $150 million
- Budget: $36 million—a win for Blumhouse
In the musical corner, “Wicked: For Good” continues its run, holding the third spot with $8.3 million in its fourth weekend, a 52% decline. The Universal musical has conjured $311 million domestically and $450 million worldwide. Yet, it appears to be losing steam faster than the 2024 installment “Wicked,” which soared to $474 million domestically and $758 million globally.
The Takeaway: A Tale of Two Disneys
So what have we learned, besides the fact that box office fortunes can turn faster than a spinning teacup ride? For Disney, it’s a study in contrasts: while animated adventures like “Zootopia 2” prove there’s still gold in those family-friendly hills, attempts to revive the mid-budget dramedy face serious headwinds—even when piloted by legends like James L. Brooks. Conventional wisdom? If you’re in Hollywood and want to avoid the flop label, a singing bunny might just be a safer bet than an earnest politician these days—at least at the movies.
