Thousands of Mattel’s “Wicked”-branded fashion dolls are flying off shelves, but not because of consumer demand.

The toy company has been forced to pull its line of character dolls after a package misprint. Instead of listing the website for Universal’s “Wicked” movie, boxes featured a link to a pornographic website for a group called Wicked Pictures.

“Mattel was made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the U.S., which intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMovie.com landing page,” Mattel said in a statement. “We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this. Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not appropriate for children. Consumers who already have the product are advised to discard the product packaging or obscure the link and may contact Mattel Customer Service for further information.”

Target, Walmart and Amazon had removed the line of “Wicked” dolls from their online storefronts as of midday Monday, as had Best Buy, Barnes & Noble and Macy’s. The products were also being sold at Kohl’s and DSW, among other retailers. Some sites were still taking action on the listings throughout the day Monday.

It is unclear if Mattel will reprint the packages or provide retailers with stickers to cover the incorrect website domain. Mattel did not return CNBC’s request for additional comment after providing its initial statement.

“Like any business, mistakes can and do happen in the toy business,” said James Zahn, editor in chief of The Toy Book. “This was likely an innocent oversight that made it through the normal processes. Most consumers — kids and adults alike — will never read the fine print on a package, and at the end of the day, the packaging is designed to end up in the trash. The odds of a kid reading the back of a doll box and being inclined to go online and visit the website are pretty slim.”

The mishap comes as Universal floods retail shelves with “Wicked”-related product ahead of the film’s Nov. 22 release. The green-and-pink barrage is expected to bring a big boost to the retail industry just in time for the crucial holiday period.

However, Mattel could see its revenue impacted by the cost of removing the dolls.

“I suppose the impact depends on the resolution, which we don’t yet know,” said Jaime Katz, an analyst at Morningstar.

“The big winners in the short term are resellers, as this snafu sparked a flipper frenzy this weekend as retail shelves were quickly emptied by opportunists looking to make a quick buck by selling on eBay or Facebook Marketplace,” Zahn noted.

Already dozens of Mattel’s misprinted dolls are available on eBay for list prices ranging between $40 and $2,100. The dolls retailed for between $20 and $40 depending on the character and outfit.

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal is the distributor of “Wicked.”

“Barbie” painted the town pink in 2023, and now “Wicked” is upping the ante by adding a splash of green.

Universal‘s theatrical retelling of the famed Broadway musical is creating buzz ahead of its Nov. 22 release with hundreds of merchandise offerings from dozens of retail partners. The green-and-pink barrage is part of Universal’s marketing strategy for the film and could bring a welcome boost to the retail industry just in time for the crucial holiday period.

These “Wicked” collaborations cross the spectrum from apparel, accessories, footwear, beauty and costumes all the way to home decor, toys and even one-of-a-kind cars.

The collections range in price points as well, offering consumers affordable and luxury options to show off their love of all things “Wicked.”

Target and Walmart have a slew of products on shelves, with whole sections of the store dedicated to themed shirts, sweaters and footwear, as well as dolls, plush figures, books and nail polish.

Lego and Mattel have brick sets and Barbies tied to the film; Starbucks has a collection of new tumblers and mugs, plus limited-time drinks inspired by main characters Glinda and Elphaba; and Betty Crocker has “mix to reveal” cake mixes that turn pink or green when wet ingredients are added.

Toyota’s Lexus is even releasing two one-of-a-kind versions of its 2024 Lexus TX that have “Wicked”-themed wraps.

The Broadway show on which the film is based is one of the most popular and highest-grossing musicals of all time and already has an established and rabid fanbase.

Just at the Gershwin Theater in New York City, more than 14.5 million people have bought tickets to see the show since it launched in 2003, generating more than $1.67 billion in ticket sales, according to Broadway World. Those figures don’t include traveling national shows or international residencies.

These fans are hungry for merchandise that celebrates and enhances their fandom and they are willing to pay for it, according to Mintel’s 2024 “U.S. Superfans and Enthusiasts Consumer Report.“

The report found that nearly half of “superfans,” the most enthusiastic and devoted fans, have spent money on official fandom events or merchandise in the past year. The report, which surveyed 2,000 adults in the U.S., also determined that fandom collaborations and partnered releases are most successful among niche super-fandoms.

And that’s a good thing for the retail space, which saw the consumer confidence index fall 7 points in September, the largest drop in more than three years, only to soar up 11% in October, the biggest single-month acceleration since March 2021.

Retailers that have partnered with Universal are expected to see a boost from sales of “Wicked” merchandise, which could help them stand out from other companies during the next few months.

What could also drive demand is the fact that these merchandise collaborations are limited-time only. Once the stock is gone, it’s not likely to be replenished. So, even the most price-conscious consumers may be willing to spend in order to get these products before they vanish from shelves.

Movie theaters, too, are offering up themed popcorn buckets, drink specials and other merchandise for moviegoers who head out to cinemas to see the film. These retail opportunities could help boost the “Wicked” box office.

At present, box-office analysts have a wide-ranging read on what “Wicked” could do during its domestic opening weekend. On the conservative end is an $85 million haul, predicted by leading entertainment and technology research firm NRG. Meanwhile, others speculate that the first film in a planned duology could top $100 million and capture as much as $150 million during its first three days in theaters.

The divergence of expectations comes as Hollywood has struggled to market and make a profit on movie musicals in recent years. Adaptations such as “In the Heights,” “Dear Evan Hanson” and “Mean Girls,” all based on Broadway shows, failed to drum up significant box-office revenue during their runs.

However, other fan-favorite intellectual property-driven titles — including “Dune: Part Two,” “Deadpool & Wolverine” and “Inside Out 2” — have overperformed estimates. With “Wicked” already being a household name but existing in the musical space, box-office analysts are finding it tricky to predict where it will land.

It’s time for Disney parks to swap pumpkins for poinsettias.

In the thick of its busiest season, Disney’s domestic theme parks have already begun to transition from Halloween decorations to Christmas colors. The transformation starts to take shape practically overnight, with warm autumn banners traded out for festive green garlands. The full metamorphosis takes about six weeks.

About two weeks before Halloween, Disney’s crew begins installing “inconspicuous” elements for the holiday season, such as lighting rigs. The effort is planned over the course of 12 months and involves a number of different departments, from the horticulture team and tech services to crane operators, truck drivers, aerial lift drivers and even culinary experts.

Most of the installation is completed during overnight hours when the park is closed.

“While every day is special at a Disney theme park, Halloween and the holidays are two very magical seasons, and our guests keep coming back year after year for both continued traditions and new surprises,” said Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock. “These only-Disney-can-do experiences happen because of our passionate cast members, who make magic while most of us are sleeping — delivering seamless and wildly creative transformations of our parks throughout the year.”

Starting Nov. 8 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and Nov. 15 at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, Disney’s slate of winter holiday offerings will be in full swing — from sparkling ornamented trees and glitzy character costumes to limited-time food and beverage options and exclusive merchandise.

For Disney, these holidays are big business, drumming up significant revenue and traffic.

October and December are two of the company’s most popular travel months for the parks, according to Gavin Doyle, founder of MickeyVisit.com.

“Traditionally, it would have been summer, but it’s actually evolved to be these two months where there’s additional layers of offerings and it’s something unique on top of that,” Doyle said. “It kind of fits into that Disney vault strategy. … This is something that comes out, and then people are really excited about it for a limited time.”

Disney’s experiences division — composed of parks, cruises, hotels and consumer products — generated $9.13 billion in revenue during the period from October through December 2023. In other quarters of 2023 and 2024, the division generated anywhere between $7 billion and $8.3 billion.

This year, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party kicked off Aug. 9 in Florida and Oogie Boogie Bash, a big trick-or-treating event, started Aug. 25 in California — extending the Halloween crowds into the company’s summer quarter. Both events ran through Oct. 31.

The end of the year also brings a lot of repeat visitation, especially from local parkgoers, he said. In building the infrastructure to accommodate these decorations and limited-time specials, Disney has created a tradition for its guests, who bake it into their yearly plans.

The annual changes to character costumes, food and drink options, merchandise and other ambiance updates give attendees something new to explore.

With Halloween now over, Disney has turned its attention to the winter holiday season. That includes special holiday changes to rides and attractions as well as Christmastime parades and fireworks.

At Disneyland, holiday overlays for Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, It’s a Small World and Haunted Mansion will debut Nov. 15. Seasonal parades, fireworks and festivals will also launch, and Santa Claus will take up residence at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.

At the Walt Disney World resort, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party launches Nov. 8 and Jollywood Nights start Nov. 9. At the same time, the Florida park will debut its Christmastime fireworks, parade and themed character meet-and-greets. Space Mountain will be getting a holiday overlay, as will the Jungle Cruise ride, which will temporarily become Jingle Cruise, and other attractions.

Warner Bros. took a big swing with “Joker: Folie a Deux.” It’s turned into a big whiff.

After the billion-dollar success of “Joker” in 2019 on a shoestring budget of just $55 million, the studio greenlit a sequel, offering director Todd Phillips a substantially larger budget of $200 million. As of Wednesday, the film has garnered just $53.8 million domestically, according to Comscore. Its global haul stands at $166 million as of Sunday with updates expected over the weekend.

Panned by critics and audiences, “Joker: Folie a Deux” is not expected to recoup much of its lofty production budget or the additional $100 million in estimated marketing and distribution costs by the end of its theatrical run.

And it’s not the only blockbuster-budgeted film to disappoint at the box office this year.

Other studios, including Warner Bros., Universal, Lionsgate and even Sony, have dropped hundreds of millions of dollars on franchise features and star-studded ensembles — only to see ticket sales sputter.

Of course, it’s not an unusual occurrence in the theatrical industry.

“A combination of hits and flops are a hallmark of every box office year,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “But, 2024, being subject to a variety of unique challenges to both film production and the release calendar, created an imperfect storm that led to a series of creative misfires and financial failures.”

Additionally, as Hollywood contends with a growing streaming market and a more fickle moviegoing public, these misfires could worry investors.

“Before the rise of streaming, assessing a film’s financial performance was seemingly clearer cut than it has become in recent years,” said Shawn Robbins, director of analytics for Fandango’s movie division.

Because of streaming, Hollywood has shortened the theatrical window, bringing movies to the home market much faster than before. This means that potential moviegoers, who might be on the fence about seeing a movie or seeing it quickly, have a shorter time to wait before they can view it from their couch on a streaming service to which they already subscribe. And if that movie has poor reviews, audiences have even less incentive to go out to cinemas.

“In turn, this shift in dynamics and business models might call into question what kind of box office-to-budget ratio constitutes a loss and what doesn’t,” Robbins noted. “Some numbers are easier to eyeball and identify as a financial misfire without much argument, to be sure. Others may be less obvious to discern in a constantly evolving global marketplace.”

For example, a straight-to-streaming movie with a budget of $200 million could be deemed a success for a studio, if it drums up enough views. Meanwhile, a $200 million film that goes to theaters and underperforms is often considered a failure. That’s especially true when considering studios are also spending on marketing and promotion costs, usually equal to half of the production budget, and sharing ticket proceeds with cinemas.

For companies such as Netflix, Apple or Amazon that have bigger cushions and stakeholders who are traditionally more comfortable with risk, big-budget films going straight to streaming may not faze investors. But for more traditional media companies, that have long traded off their successes at the box office, shareholders still want to see a big theatrical return on investment.

Here’s a look at some of the biggest box-office disappointments so far in 2024, based on production budgets estimated by IMDb and box-office tallies to date from Comscore: