Disney Axes Overseas Release of Its Biggest 2025 Misfire
Disney has reportedly scrapped the overseas rollout of James L. Brooks’ Ella McCay, yanking the Emma Mackey-led drama from French theaters just two weeks before opening, despite its December 9 premiere at the El Capitan—signaling one of the studio’s biggest flops of 2025.
Well, that fizzled fast. Disney has reportedly yanked James L. Brooks' new movie 'Ella McCay' from its upcoming release in France, just a couple weeks before it was supposed to open there. After the film stumbled out of the gate in the U.S., this move is not exactly shocking, but the timing is definitely eyebrow-raising.
What got pulled, and how late are we talking?
Per World of Reel, Disney pulled 'Ella McCay' from its January 7, 2026 theatrical slot in France. No official reason given. When a studio nixes a release that close to opening day, it usually means the math stopped making sense. Considering the reviews and the grosses, you can see why they might hit the brakes.
The quick rundown
- Premiere and U.S. release: Premiered at the El Capitan Theatre on December 9, 2025; hit theaters December 12, 2025.
- Opening weekend: An estimated $2,020,541.
- Box office so far: $4 million worldwide against a reported $35 million budget.
- Overseas earnings: $499,231 internationally to date.
- Rotten Tomatoes: 24% from critics, 54% audience score.
- Metacritic: 39 metascore (generally unfavorable), 4.1 user score (mixed/average).
- France: The January 7, 2026 release was pulled about two weeks before opening.
So... what went wrong?
The reception has been rough. Critics largely shrugged or worse, calling it a miss for Brooks, whose name still carries a lot of goodwill from earlier hits. A few reviews did stick up for the film's earnest vibe, but the overall drumbeat was negative, which, paired with the box office, likely spooked any late-stage international rollouts.
"A low point in the career of James L. Brooks."
That was Peter Travers' verdict. Elsewhere, Keith Garlington called it a glaring misfire compared to Brooks' better work. On the flip side, Nell Minow praised the movie's upbeat tone and bright dialogue, saying it rewards a watch. The problem is, almost no one showed up to find out.
The movie itself
'Ella McCay' marks Brooks' first time back in the director's chair in 15 years, since 'How Do You Know' in 2010. He also wrote the script. The lead is Emma Mackey (from 'Sex Education'), with a stacked supporting cast that includes Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Lowden, Kumail Nanjiani, Ayo Edebiri, and Woody Harrelson.
Bottom line
Pulling a theatrical release in a major market this close to the date is rare, but not mysterious: the reviews were sour, the grosses were softer than soft, and momentum never materialized. Whether France gets a new date later or this shifts straight to a different window there is unknown. As comeback swings go, this one whiffed.