Disney’s recent big-budget action film John Carter opened with a disappointing $30 million weekend, and data just released and verified show that revenue has fallen sharply from there. Over its third weekend, Carter grossed only $5 million, and $4.8 million of that appears to be tickets purchased because The Hunger Games was sold out and The Lorax wasn’t violent enough.
Although we tried to reach them while writing this article, both director Andrew Stanton (Toy Story, Finding Nemo) and author the late Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan, The Land that Time Forgot, various séances) were unavailable for comment.
Disney’s estimated $200,000,000 loss on this film will have repercussions far beyond the company’s film production and distribution business. The theme park division, for example, has made the following announcements:
- Development of the new Mission to Mars: 1868 attraction has been canceled.
- Tomorrowland bathrooms will not be relabeled “Tomorrowland Barsooms.”
- The Magic Kingdom will not go forward with plans to dress the Hall of Presidents’ Jimmy Carter in “Martian warrior” garb as a tribute to his fictional ancestor.
- Production of souvenir “Thark arm” hats has been suspended.
- For the next 200,000 lucky guests, Disneyland admission will cost $1,000
Dejah Thoris will, however, remain an official Disney princess.
