Happily N'Ever After
- Rate Movie[Total: 16 Average: 1.8]
- Directed By: Paul Bolger
- Written By: Robert Moreland, Doug Langdale
- Release Date: January 5, 2007
- Domestic Distributor: Lionsgate
- Cast: George Carlin, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Andy Dick, Freddie Prinze Jr.
Box Office Info:
Budget: $47 million | Financed by: Vanguard Films; Berlin Animation Film |
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Domestic Box Office: $15,589,393 | Overseas Box Office: $22,496,385 |
Happily N’Ever After was developed at Vanguard Films, which was purchased by telecommunications giant IDT Corp. who provided the capital. In 2003, Berlin Animation Film had a fund that was allocating $100 million to animated projects and this $47 million budgeted pic received a large investment from the fund. Happily N’Ever After was Vanguard’s second animated feature, which went into production around the same time as their first project Valiant. UK based Odyssey Entertainment sold worldwide rights for Vanguard and Lionsgate acquired US and Canadian distribution rights. Happily N’Ever After would be Lionsgate’s first animated release after they dropped out of distribution duties for the animated disaster Foodfight!.
Lionsgate dated Happily N’Ever After for the post-holiday frame on January 5 and into a crowded marketplace with holdover family fare Night at the Museum, Charlotte’s Web and Happy Feet. It bowed against Freedom Writers, Codename: The Cleaner and the wide expansion of Children of Men. Not helping matters were abysmal reviews and tracking was pointing to a terrible $5M opening.
Happily N’Ever pulled in $6,608,244 — placing #6 for the weekend led by Night At The Museum. Audiences gave the kids pic a toxic C cinemascore and it sank 52.7% second weekend to $3,128,897 and declined 50.1% to $1,562,814 in its third session and then promptly lost most of its theater count. The domestic run closed with just $15,589,393. Lionsgate would see returned about $8.5 million after theaters take their percentage of the gross, far less than their P&A costs.
Overseas, Lionsgate distributed in the UK to a terrible $602,537 and despite being partially funded with German coin, it tanked with a mere $225,487. The movie posted poor numbers in every market with a total of $22.4 million across numerous distributors. A cheap made for video sequel was produced in 2009.