Aladdin has defied expectations and conquered the box-office, despite all signs pointing to a tepid total. The 2019 live-action remake has officially taken Memorial Day weekend cinemas by storm.
As of this writing, Aladdin has amassed $112.7 million over the 4-day stretch. This is far above the initial estimates of around $75 million. Worldwide, the newest Disney adaptation has made $233.7 million. With a production budget of $183 million and a break-even point of $366 million, it looks to be another Mouse House success.
It’s no secret that the movie faced an uphill battle. Initial reactions to Will Smith’s genie were stunningly brutal. The script was also said to be a major departure from the original. Aladdin currently sits at a 58% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes but has a mind-blowing audience score of 94%. As a comparison, Avengers: Endgame received a 95% audience score, so clearly Aladdin has done something right. Moviegoers clearly decided not to let any pre-release scuttlebutt stop them from seeing the movie.
Disney’s remakes of A Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, and Cinderella have been monster hits for the studio. Only Dumbo failed to reach financial heights. This momentarily casts a shadow on this recent trend of animation to live action conversations. It appears the flying elephants’ low box-office numbers were just a fluke and Disney can breathe a sigh of relief.
There was no major competition for the week. Avengers hype is long gone and after a $2 billion take. Most of the planet has already seen it. Though it should be noted that the Marvel spectacle came in third over the long weekend. John Wick 3, last week’s number one, slid into second with a $24 million for the weekend. Theatergoers needed a new family-friendly offering, and Aladdin fit the bill perfectly.
Up next for Disney is the live-action reimagining of The Lion King, which will release on July 19th.
Were you happy with the Aladdin 2019? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
