Part 4/17:
In response, studio insiders speculate on strategies: hoping that anticipated releases like Wicked for Good, Zootopia 2, and Avatar: The Way of Water 2 will buoy the industry. Yet, those hopes seem dashed; early tracking indicates modest returns—around $25–60 million domestically for openings—that are insufficient to rescue a dismal year. The plan appears to be to shell out big bucks, then bank on the “big holiday” season to salvage hopes, often counterprogramming against each other rather than creating a cohesive lineup.