Will ‘Wish’ bring back Disney’s box office magic?

Hanna Seariac
·2 min read
2
Still from Disney’s latest animated movie “Wish.”
Still from Disney’s latest animated movie “Wish.” | Disney

Disney’s latest movie, “Wish,” might just have the magic to spark a comeback for the company at the box office.

The latest animated feature film is projected to bring in $45 million or more over the Thanksgiving weekend as it makes its debut, per Deadline. If it pulls it off, it would be a significant win for Disney.

One of the songs most associated with the Disney brand is about the power of making a wish on a star — Pinocchio’s “When You Wish Upon a Star.” The movie “Wish” is about the company’s song, Deadline reported.

It explores the origin story of the iconic Disney star, according to a tweet from Disney Animation.

“‘Wish’ will follow a young girl named Asha who wishes on a star and gets a more direct answer than she bargained for when a trouble-making star comes down from the sky to join her,” according to IMDb.

Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, the movie features Ariana DeBose as Asha and Chris Pine as Magnifico. Other cast members include Natasha Rothwell, Jennifer Kumiyama, Victor Garber, Alan Tudyk and Angelique Cabral, per IMDb.

Here’s a closer look at Disney’s latest animated movie.

‘Wish’ release date, run time and rating

“Wish” is coming to theaters on Nov. 22, according to AMC Theaters. A streaming date for the film has not yet been announced.

“Wish” has a run time of 1 hour and 35 minutes, per IMDb. It’s rated PG.

Disney’s ‘Wish’ movie reviews

  • The Associated Press: “Walt Disney Animation’s ‘Wish’ is stunning to look at with textured and rich watercolor-inspired animation and easter egg treasures for audiences nostalgic for the classics. But it is also more concept than story: A strained and forgettable attempt to pay homage to the studio’s 100 years.”

  • Roger Ebert website: “And that probably-planned stage show is at the root of the overall problem with ‘Wish’ — it’s all so heavily processed, almost like an A.I. version of a Disney animated movie designed to make not more wishes but more sellable items and experiences.”

  • Variety: “The strategy behind “Wish” seems to be: If we do an homage to enchantment, the audience will be enchanted. True magic, however, can’t be recycled.”

  • The Washington Post: “It’s churlish to complain about something so silly. But Disney has a reputation to uphold: the ‘wonderful world’ and all that. When blowing out the candles on this cake, however, it feels like someone ran out of breath shy of 100, making this one ‘Wish’ that, sadly, doesn’t come true.”

With 81 reviews in, the movie’s Rotten Tomatoes critics score is 49%.