From CNBC:



Universal’s latest animated film “Migration” tells the story of a family of ducks who set out for Jamaica but end up in New York City instead. They estimate a domestic debut of $25 million, a modest success, but similar to that of Universal’s previous film “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” Conversely, Disney’s most recent animated film has underperformed with earnings of $55.2 million in the U.S. and Canada. The article posits that this is indicative of a larger trend of Disney’s decline in the animation world, partially due to the pandemic, streaming service priorities, and audience fatigue. Conversely, Universal’s animation branches, such as Illumination, have thrived. Notably, Disney’s animated films have struggled since 2019 to make more than $480 million globally, a fact offset by Universal’s popular sequels such as “Minions: The Rise of Gru.” The article suggests that Universal’s success is due to their focus on franchise content and tried and tested characters. This strategy has succeeded even as Disney’s animation output has been less successful. Overall, it poses “Migration” as a potential success for Universal, noting that the film has garnered good reviews and looks to further solidify Universal’s position in the animation industry.



Original: Migration could boost Universal dominance over Disney