Disney Dealt Dismal Box Office Flop With New Political Dramedy
Not even big Hollywood names saved Disney’s new movie.
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Moviegoers weren’t too keen on Disney’s newest political dramedy.
Ella McCay tanked at the box office with only $2.1 million in its domestic debut, one of the worst openings in recent history for Disney, according to Variety.
The James L. Brooks-directed film cost $35 million to produce and starred big names, including lead actress Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, Woody Harrelson, and Ayo Edebiri.
Woody Harrelson, Rebecca Hall, Julie Kavner, Joey Brooks, Emma Mackey, Julie Ansell, James L. Brooks, Jennifer Simchowitz, Jamie Lee Curtis, Spike Fearn, Albert Brooks, and Ayo Edebiri attend the world premiere Ella McCay in Hollywood, California.
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios
The dramatic comedy follows a young politician as she navigates her professional career and personal life when she suddenly finds herself governor of an unnamed state.
“James L. Brooks defined character storytelling in the ‘80s and ‘90s with a string of award-winning comedy dramas,” Franchise Entertainment Research analyst David A. Gross said. “Today, you can find material like this on television and even on social media, where it benefits from authenticity.”
Emma Mackey, Jamie Lee Curtis, Albert Brooks and Woody Harrelson speak onstage during the world premiere of Ella McCay.
Jesse Grant/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios
The film scored a measly 22 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and a B- on exit polls by CinemaScore. It landed sixth at the domestic box office, trailing behind Zootopia 2 at No. 1, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 at No. 2, Wicked: For Good at No. 3, Indian action thriller Dhurandhar at No. 4, and Now You See Me: Now You Don’t at No. 5.
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Ella McCay is the latest Brooks film to struggle at the box office after Spanglish in 2004 and How Do You Know? in 2010. He is set to direct Disney and 20th Century’s The Simpsons Movie in 2027.
In an interview with TIME magazine, Mackey, 29, revealed that she sat in on meetings of government officials to learn about the U.S. system for the role. She did not disclose which officials she met with.
“I’m loath to talk about it too much because I know that it’s not really a political movie,” she said. “I read it as such in the beginning, but that is very much the backdrop.”
For Mackey, the film is more about the protagonist’s work ethic rather than her political ambitions.
“She’s a public servant,” she said. “That’s really what this is about. It’s about being of service to people, and that happens to also be true of her family.”
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