Can you hear “Spectre” backers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson of Eon Productions, and the brass at MGM and Sony Pictures issuing a collective “Arrrgghh!” right now?
They could easily be feeling angst akin to Charlie Brown after a strong $45 million second-place opening by “The Peanuts Movie” held “Spectre” to a domestic debut of $73 million, below analysts’ expectations and the $88 million 2012 debut of the most recent 007 film, “Skyfall.”
Since Charlie is hardly a Hollywood A-list star, how did the Paul Feig-produced “Peanuts Movie” put a hit on the world’s most famous super spy?
“There is an inherent sweetness that comes with ‘Peanuts’ and you can see it in the way kids’ faces light up,” Chris Aronson, Fox’s president of domestic distribution told TheWrap.