The highly anticipated animated film, Raya and the Last Dragon, faced tough competition from the long-beloved cat and mouse duo, Tom & Jerry, as it made its box office debut. Despite receiving positive reviews, Raya and the Last Dragon couldn’t surpass the popularity of the classic cartoon characters. While Raya and the Last Dragon managed to make a decent opening weekend profit, it fell short of Tom & Jerry’s robust earnings. The outcome highlights the enduring appeal of Tom & Jerry and their ability to draw audiences, even after decades of their creation..
According to Deadline, Raya and the Last Dragon grossed just US$8.6 million domestically over its first three days. Compared to Tom and Jerry, which made US$13.7 million on its opening weekend, this is quite a lackluster turnout for a Disney animated film.
Even Universal/Dreamworks Croods: A New Age raked in US$9.7 million last year over Thanksgiving weekend. New York has also reopened its cinemas this past weekend (with limited seating capacity), which should have contributed to better numbers for the Disney flick.
Why the Poor Showing?
Like Mulan last year, Raya and the Last Dragon is released in theatres and on Disney Plus simultaneously, with subscribers needing to top up an additional US$30 dollars to watch the film. This pricing is a little steep, considering subscribers just need to wait until June to get to watch it for free.
Also, distributors like Cinemark and Canada’s Cineplex have declined to screen the film, with Cinemark commenting that this is due to an inability to reach agreeable licensing terms with Disney. Add to all these factors an existing pandemic, and this would explain why Raya and the Last Dragon failed to make a dent financially.
However, this is only the opening weekend – Raya and the Last Dragon might bridge the gap in the weeks to come. Globally, the film has made US$26.2 million thus far.
READ NEXT: 10 Best Movies That Celebrate Women
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site. We cover gaming news, movie reviews, wrestling and much more.
Disney’s latest animated film, “Raya and the Last Dragon,” had a disappointing domestic opening weekend, grossing only $8.6 million compared to competitors like “Tom and Jerry” and “Croods: A New Age.” The film’s simultaneous release in theaters and on Disney Plus, with a $30 additional fee for subscribers, may have contributed to the underwhelming numbers. Distributors like Cinemark and Cineplex declined to screen the film due to licensing issues with Disney. The ongoing pandemic is also likely a factor. However, globally, the film has earned $26.2 million so far, so it may have better success in the coming weeks.
Hashtags: #Raya #Dragon #Loses #Tom #Jerry #Box #Office #Debut
Leave a Reply