Disney faces more than a fairy tale's wish to break free from its animation setbacks.

Their latest animated feature "Wish," intended as a tribute to 100 years of storytelling, stumbled at the box office during the Thanksgiving holiday, amassing only $31.6 million over five days, a significant drop from projected figures of $45-$55 million by industry analysts.

Securing the top spot during the holiday period, Lionsgate's "Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" earned $42.2 million, while Apple and Sony's R-rated war epic "Napoleon" came in second with $32.75 million. Historically, Disney has been a Thanksgiving box office leader, releasing animated films that set records for highest-grossing openings during this frame. However, since the pandemic, enticing audiences to cinemas for their new releases has been a struggle.

Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore's senior media analyst, emphasized the changing landscape: "A 'set it and forget it' strategy based on past performance can no longer be employed by any studio...Audiences make their preferences known with their presence or absence at the multiplex."

The film industry has witnessed Disney's ongoing challenges, particularly as it manages two animation studios — Walt Disney Animation and Pixar. Much of the struggle traces back to decisions made by executives to bolster Disney+ with content, leading to stretched creative teams and the direct-to-digital release of theatrical movies during the pandemic.

Confusion around release schedules and platforms resulted in fewer parents turning up at theaters for Disney's films. Even among those who did, several of these movies failed to resonate well, adding to Disney's recent streak of underperforming titles in the market.