Disney Abruptly Cancels Theatrical Release For New Movie After Brutal Feedback

Disney put together a stellar 2025 thanks in large part to two movies that hauled in over $1 billion each globally. The live-action Lilo & Stitch was the first film of the year to cross the $1 billion mark, while Zootopia 2 proceeded to surpass that number in an astonishing 17 days to wrap up 2025. Considering Disney's immense success with theatrical releases throughout the year, their decision to pull the plug on one of the most recent movies was more than a bit surprising. However, thanks in large part to its tremendous international struggles out of the gate, the company opted for a late pivot to Ella McCay's upcoming release.

What is 'Ella McCay' and Why is Disney Burying It?

The noteworthy return of director James L. Brooks came with the release of Ella McCay, and it brought a strong cast of impressive names. With Emma Mackey playing the lead role, alongside Jamie Lee Curtis, Ayo Edebiri and Woody Harrelson, the movie's cast alone would typically be enough to pull a solid box office number.

However, that hasn't been the case for the film, which officially hit theaters in the United States on Dec. 12. Ella McCay has proven to be one of Disney's biggest box office flops, and this led to the decision to cancel the upcoming January 7 release in France, as World of Reel revealed.

Following an opening that grossed only $2 million despite appearing on 2,500-plus screens nationwide, the downward spiral only continued from there. Ella McCay suffered an 84 percent drop the following week compared to the Friday prior. As things currently stand, the movie has pulled in less than $4.3 million worldwide as of Christmas Day, per Box Office Mojo.

Ella McCay's box office numbers through Christmas 2025:

• Domestic: $3,761,774
• International $499,231
• Worldwide: $4,261,005

The international number falling below $500,000 could be a driving force behind Disney's decision to cancel the film's release in France. However, the reviews were largely disappointing, which certainly didn't help the case.

The Brutal Feedback: Disney's New Release Disappoints Critics & Fans Alike

Although Ella McCay didn't rack up the typical number of audience reviews you'd expect to see from a Disney film, the latest ratings were far from great. While the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes cleared the 50 percent mark, checking in at 56 percent based on 250+ verified reviews, the critics didn't hold back.

Factoring in the 112 critics' reviews Ella McCay received on the popular site, the movie earned a cumulative rating of just 23 percent, resulting in a "rotten" label.

To summarize a few reviews, Maxance Vincent of InSession Film gave Ella McCay a "D-", which included a painfully honest assessment on Rotten Tomatoes.

"If this disastrously unfunny comedy is touted as the 'grand return' of a moviegoing era we’ve sorely missed in cinemas, then I’m afraid it’s better for all of us that this era stays dead and buried forever," Vincent wrote.

As for additional reviews, Metacritic gives the movie a score of 39, with only five "positive" ratings and 13 "negative." The audience score was based on 17 ratings, resulting in a 4.1 out of 10, and nearly half of the viewers (8) placed the film squarely in the "negative" category.

However, to add more intrigue to Disney's decision on Ella McCay's release in France, World of Reel revealed one French critic was a big fan of the film.

"I had spoken to Les Inrockuptibles’ Jean Jacky Goldberg last week, who told me he had absolutely loved the film," the site reported.

Regardless, while Disney wraps up a red-hot 2025 theatrical run, they'll start 2026 by making the tough decision to hit pause on Ella McCay right out of the gate.

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