HAPPILY N’EVER AFTER

Happily N'Ever After

This poorly reviewed animated film cost $47 million and was financed by Vanguard Films, which was purchased by telecommunications giant IDT Corp. who provided the capital. 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, which would be their first animated release after they dropped the animated disaster Foodfight!. Lionsgate opened Happily N’Ever After in 2,381 theaters, the first weekend in January into a crowded marketplace with family fare. Holdovers, Night at the Museum, Charlotte’s Web and Happy Feat were still pulling in family auds. Happily N’Ever After opened with a poor $6,608,244 — placing #6 for the weekend, which was led by Night At The Museum. Audiences gave the kids flick a toxic C cinemascore and it fell 52.7% second weekend to $3,128,897 and it quietly closed its run with $15,589,393. Lionsgate would see returned about $8.5 million after theaters take their percentage of the gross, less than their P&A costs. Modest domestic home video sales at $16 million (less after resellers take their cut and manufacturing costs) would leave Lionsgate in decent shape, but very little, if any revenue would flow back to Vanguard Films. Overseas, Lionsgate distributed in the UK to a terrible $602,537 and the film posted poor numbers in every territory to a total of $22.4 million across numerous distributors.