After recent misfires with Lightyear and Strange World, and a rough launch for Pixar's Elemental, Disney Animation Studios' Wish is currently tracking for a $50 million domestic opening weekend. The movie is set to open in North American theaters on November 22, 2023.
That figure is good enough to be the studio's highest opening weekend domestic gross since the pre-pandemic, Coco, which was released in 2017. That film grossed $72.9 million over the holiday weekend.
While Wish's $50 million projection is below the studio's pre-pandemic numbers, it's definitely a step in the right direction as Elemental opened to $29.6 million, Strange World grossed $18.8 million over 2022's Thanksgiving weekend, and Lightyear earned $50.5 million in its opening weekend back in June 2022.
Disney should also feel somewhat bullish about Wish's opening weekend projections as it's still somewhat early for box office estimates to be firmly established. Case in point, Five Nights At Freddy's (a film also released to also coincide with a holiday) was initially projected to gross $33-$42 million and went on to ultimately earn $78 million.
Don't be surprised if Wish's box office projections begin to grow as we draw closer to the film's November 22 release date.
Wish is believed to make references to several previous Disney Animated classics as part of the celebration of Disney's 100th anniversary.
For example, when the movie moves to King Magnifico's workshop, viewers should look out for a shot of the Evil Queen's poison apple, as revealed to Entertainment Weekly by co-directors Christopher Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn. There are several other easter eggs strewn throughout the movie, this being only one.
The first ten minutes of the movie were shown to the audience during Wish's special presentation earlier this year at the Destination D23 Event at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Wish was hailed as a must-see movie on social media despite the fact that the footage was not released.
WISH Synopsis: In “Wish,” Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star.
Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.
Featuring the voices of Academy Award-winning actor Ariana DeBose as Asha, Chris Pine as Magnifico, and Alan Tudyk as Asha’s favorite goat, Valentino, the film is helmed by Oscar-winning director Chris Buck (“Frozen,” “Frozen 2”) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (“Raya and the Last Dragon”), produced by Peter Del Vecho (“Frozen,” “Frozen 2”) and co-produced by Juan Pablo Reyes (“Encanto”).
Jennifer Lee (“Frozen,” “Frozen 2”) executive produces, and also co-wrote the script alongside Allison Moore (“Night Sky,” “Manhunt”).
With original songs by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice, plus score by composer Dave Metzger.
Wish opens only in theaters on Nov. 22, 2023.