Cinderella’s super successful release this weekend proves two things.

1.    People will watch almost anything, if it’s colourful, loud and features Cate Blanchett and

2.    There is still money to be made from the fairytale genre.

Lily James, Cinderella
Just this image alone has us sold.

Specifically, $70.1 million, which is the movie’s domestic gross between Friday and Sunday. The success of Cinderella follows a well-trodden path, paved by other previous Disney live-action like Maleficent and, of course, Into the Woods, which has made over $173m (£117m) worldwide to date, according to Box Office Mojo.

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The movie also stars Lilly James and Richard Madden and is directed by theatre god Kenneth Brannagh (also the helmer behind Thor), so there might actually be something behind Cinderella’s success.

More: Forget Pixar, Here's Disney's Ten Best Animated Movies

 

Live action Disney adaptations of The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast and Dumbo are all on the way.

A sequel to Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland has also been announced.

"Disney is just a well-oiled machine that is firing on all cylinders right now," said Paul Dergarbedian, senior media analyst for box-office data firm Rentrak, via BBC News.

Watch the Cinderella trailer below.

"It's about this Disney umbrella which encompasses these incredible crown jewel brands they have. Cinderella is just the latest example."

Elsewhere under the massive umbrella of Disney, this year will also see the releases of The Avengers: Age of Ultron and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.