‘The Garfield Movie’ Struggles Against ‘Inside Out 2’ in Global Box Office Race

In the last 10 days, Disney-Pixar's ‘Inside Out 2’ has shattered records, overshadowing Sony’s ‘The Garfield Movie’ as it entered its fifth week in theatres. Animated films typically have longer theatrical runs, but ‘The Garfield Movie’ struggled with a lacklustre opening and tepid critical reception. This weekend, it earned $3.6 million domestically, tying with ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ and bringing its total to $85 million. However, the prospect of reaching the coveted $100 million mark is increasingly unlikely.

Internationally, ‘The Garfield Movie’ has grossed $145 million to date, accumulating a global total of $230 million. While this figure appears substantial, it pales in comparison to ‘Inside Out 2’, which raked in over $700 million globally in just 10 days. Notably, ‘The Garfield Movie’ was made on a production budget of approximately $60 million, significantly lower than ‘Inside Out 2's’ reported $200 million budget.

Also Read: ‘Inside Out 2’ Review: A Feel-Good Revisit into Riley’s Mind

This budget-conscious approach aligns with current industry trends post-pandemic, where studios have aimed to keep animated film budgets under $100 million. This strategy has improved profit margins but has also impacted animation studios and artists alike. Recent successes like ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’, ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’, and ‘Migration’ were all produced for less than $100 million. Even ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ from last year, costing about $100 million, grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide.

Despite featuring popular actors like Chris Pratt, ‘The Garfield Movie' has struggled to match these figures. It premiered to unfavourable reviews and currently holds a meagre 36% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Collider’s Matthew Donato described the film as "feeling seventeen hours long and lacking any pulse of life" in his review. The movie faces further challenges next week when ‘Despicable Me 4’ debuts in the United States, joining ‘Inside Out 2’ in dominating the box office.

On a positive note, ‘The Garfield Movie’ stands as the highest-grossing film based on Jim Davis’s iconic comic strip character. Previous live-action/animation adaptations released two decades ago collectively grossed $350 million worldwide. Featuring notable actors such as Samuel L. Jackson, Hannah Waddingham, and Nicholas Hoult, ‘The Garfield Movie’ continues its theatrical run. Stay tuned to Collider for further updates.

–Farheen Ali