Why Revivals "Grinch," "Spider’s Web" Fared So Differently at Box Office

Last week’s box office numbers were a tale of two reboots: The Grinch and another The Girl in the Spider’s Web.

The third adaptation of the Dr. Seuss Christmas classic opened with a huge $66 million debut, while the Girl sort-of sequel tanked with an anemic $8 million, Variety reported.

But it wasn’t exactly a fair fight, according to the entertainment site. The Grinch has a 60-year-long tradition of seasonal excellence and was created by one of the most celebrated children’s authors of all time. The Girl series, on the other hand, while beloved by its original literary fans nearly a decade ago, has taken on a new life and identity while somehow feeling rather redundant.

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH voices The Grinch in Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas, in theaters on November 10, 2017.
Credit: Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures

And even other cinematic installments never quite matched the prowess of the books.

Some caveats that may have played a role in the vastly different debuts could be things like actor and director changes: why recast Rooney Mara in a role she was nominated for an Oscar for with the series’ original director, David Fincher, behind the camera? And to The Grinch‘s credit, adding new characters that add to the storyline kept it — without tarnishing a story that’s already adored.