Disney's film hot streak continued with "Cinderella" earning $70.1 million at the box office, during its weekend debut in North America. The movie, directed by famed Shakespearean actor Sir Kenneth Branagh, stars "Downtown Abbey" star Lily James and includes a "Frozen" short before the feature film.
"Cinderella," which had a $95 million price tag to produce, also earned $62.4 million overseas. In addition, Disney's 2014 Oscar-winning animated film "Big Hero 6" has earned $633 million worldwide, earning the top spot among 2014 animated releases, according to US News.
Part of Disney's box-office success is due to the "halo effect" created by Disney's announcement last week of an upcoming "Frozen" sequel. It continues a trend of Disney cartoon classics being adapted into successfully live-action films. The list also includes "Maleficient" (2014) and "Alice in Wonderland" (2010).
Several similar adaptations are on the way. They include "Beauty and the Beast," "The Jungle Book," and "Dumbo." A live-action sequel to "Alice in Wonderland" is also in the works.
Another key to Disney's recent box office success has been its profits from female moviegoers. They comprised a huge portion of the "Maleficient" and "Frozen" fan base. Also, the audience that has watched "Cinderella" was exactly two-thirds, according to Mercury News.
Dave Hollis, head of Disney's film distribution, explained that many of Disney's recent films have female protagonists. He also noted that one-two punch of "Cinderella" and the "Frozen" short was the perfect combination.
Disney will be releasing other big-name films in 2015, including "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." Paul Dergarbedian, a senior media analyst, describes Disney as a "well-oiled machine." That machine is hitting on all cylinders.