Tim Burton's 'Dumbo' Has Disappointing Debut
by EG
Tim Burton's live-action/CGI remake of the Disney classic Dumbo didn't perform as well over the weekend as most had expected. The movie did well enough to win the weekend, but its ticket sales were beneath even the most modest predictions. Read on for details.
Disney's Dumbo had trouble gaining altitude at the North American box office, where it opened to a disappointing $45 million from 4,259 theaters.
Tim Burton's live-action update of the classic 1941 animated film about a baby elephant with magical ears had been expected to cross $50 million in its domestic debut. Overseas, Dumbo opened to $71 million, including $10.7 million in China, for a global start of $116 million.
Dumbo still easily won the weekend ahead of holdover Us, but it's the lowest start among Disney's high-profile, live-action updates, prompting some box office analysts to question whether there is a built-in fanbase for the nearly 80-year-old property.
Poor reviews didn't help, although audiences liked it far more than critics, bestowing the film with an A- CinemaScore. In 2010, Burton and Disney's live-action Alice in Wonderland overcame a 51 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes to earn $1.02 billion at the global box office in 2010 (Dumbo's RT score is currently 50 percent).
With Easter approaching, Disney is counting on the movie having sturdy legs. "We're very encouraged. We are the middle of rolling spring breaks and we think Dumbo is a good option for families," says Disney distribution chief Cathleen Taff.
Next weekend, however, Dumbo could face competition from the kid-friendly superhero pic Shazam!
Get the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.
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