Disney had a rough go of it at the box office in 2023. Films like the MCU's The Marvels flopped as did the original animated film Wish. A Haunted Mansion reboot and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny also failed to meet expectations.
The biggest loser
In fact, they were integral in making Disney the biggest 2023 box office loser. Deadline reported on the box office of last year and all four of the aforementioned films were huge losses for the studio.
The Marvels, a Disney and Marvel Studios picture resulted in the studio taking a net loss of -$237 million. Overall, the film cost $455 million (including a $270 million budget).
The film grossed just $206 million during its theatrical run. There were signs that the film was in trouble when it opened to just $46.1 million domestically. That is alarmingly low for an MCU joint.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny was meant to course-correct Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and give Harrison Ford his farewell. To its credit, the film opened higher than The Marvels, making $60.3 million during its opening weekend, but legged out to $383 million.
However, that was no match for a sky-high budget. Indiana Jones 5 cost Disney $516 million, including a $300 million budget, making the film a -$143 million net loss.
Wish was the latest original Disney animated film. Strange World similarly flopped in 2022 and grossed just $253.2 million in theaters. With expenses reaching over $362 million, the film resulted in a net loss of $131 million.
The final entry on the list was Haunted Mansion. It was a reboot of the Eddie Murphy-led films that were adapted based on the Disney theme park ride of the same name. The film resulted in a -$117 million net loss after grossing just $117.5 million worldwide during its theatrical run. Production expenses were over $260 million.
Can Disney rebound?
Disney certainly has a chance to rebound in 2024. They are set to release Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes under 20th Century Studios. The MCU's Deadpool and Wolverine will also come out in July.
As for Walt Disney Pictures releases, they have Young Woman and the Sea coming on May 31. The Daisy Ridley-led Gertrude Ederle biopic was originally slated for a Disney+ release. However, the studio moved it to a theatrical release which could bode well for its box office run.
In June, they will also release Inside Out 2, the long-awaited sequel to Pixar's first film. Inside Out made over $850 million during its theatrical run in 2015. The sequel could potentially yield great results.
Later in the year, they will release another long-awaited sequel. Moana 2 starring Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson is coming to theaters on November 27.
To close out the year, Disney will release Mufasa: The Lion King. The film is a prequel to Jon Favreau's live-action remake of The Lion King. Say what you want about the remake, but it still grossed over $1.6 billion at the box office. Disney is likely hoping that the prequel can find similar success.
Under their other banners, Disney will release the likes of Kinds of Kindness (Searchlight Pictures), Alien: Romulus (20th Century Studios), and A Real Pain (Searchlight Pictures).
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