Netflix’s answer to Disney, the Rachel Zegler-led fantasy animated film Spellbound, is overcoming controversy to land a firm spot atop the platform’s global charts, and dethroning the year’s horniest Christmas movies in the process.
Zegler voices Princess Ellian of the fictional magical kingdom of Lumbria, who must figure out a way to revert the curse that turned her parents (Hollywood heavyweights Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem) into monsters. The story functions as an allegory for parental separation and divorce, drawing the ire of more conservative viewers, who have accused it of normalizing the predicament.
Even still, audiences have been slightly kinder to the film, giving it a 66 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, in the face of its unfavorable 44 percent rating from critics. Though these professional gatekeepers recognize Spellbound‘s attempt to broach a tough subject matter, they criticize the film’s generic and derivative attempts to emulate Disney magic while failing to deliver a thoroughly developed story.
The poor reception comes as a definite surprise considering the knock-out team assembled to make this film. It’s directed by the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind Shrek, Vicky Jenson, and produced by former Pixar boss, John Lasseter. The music comes from mastermind Alan Menken, who scored nearly every Disney film of the last 35 years, with lyrics by frequent collaborator Glenn Slater (Tangled, Ralph Breaks the Internet).
Spellbound effectively inaugurated Netflix’s exclusive multi-year deal with the relatively recent branch of Skydance Media, Skydance Animation, which will spawn several more animated titles soon. The animation studio was previously bound to Apple, where it released its first and, up until Spellbound, only feature animated film, Luck.
Per FlixPatrol, since its Nov. 22 premiere, Spellbound has averaged a 4th place ranking — the highest for any other Netflix film in the same period. However, whether due to the backlash or the apparently forgettable narrative, it hasn’t done enough yet to steal the U.S. number 1 from the Christmas version of Magic Mike, The Merry Gentlemen (sitting at number 3 globally).
The nation’s current most popular Netflix offering stars Britt Robertson (The First Time, I Still Believe) on a quest to save her parents’ struggling nightclub with a little Holiday help from stripper Chad Michael Murray (A Cinderella Story, One Tree Hill). It’s curiously not the only steamy Christmas movie to come out of the TUDUM platform this year, which has been going all out for those feeling especially needy this Holiday season.
Coming in fourth in both the U.S. and global charts is Hot Frosty, a season-fitting romantic comedy with Lacey Chabert (Mean Girls) and Dustin Milligan (Schitt’s Creek) about a chiseled snowman magically brought to life by a lonely widow.
Other films taking up the rest of the Top 10 include the documentary Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy, the Washingtons’ The Piano Lesson, and a random blast from the past with the 2017 comedy Father Figures.
That’s some fierce competition for Spellbound right there, as you can see. Nevertheless, with kids home for Thanksgiving later this week, it’s easy to predict a scenario where Netflix’s latest, if contentious, animated creation will finally overthrow the power of Chad Michael Murray’s irresistible abs, as well as continue to dominate over the less imposing influence of Dustin Milligan’s equally toned six-pack. It’ll be the battle of bored toddlers against bored and thirsty straight moms and gay uncles, and we struggle to determine who might be the most passionate audience.