“Maleficent” rode “Frozen’s” coattails to a decisive victory at last weekend’s box office, analysts say. More than any other Hollywood player, Walt Disney Studios has adroitly tapped into the strength of the female movie going audience, keeping this potent demographic in mind while cooking up everything from princess lines to “Let it Go”-style empowerment anthems. “Right now Disney is pushing all the right buttons with regards to young girls,” said Eric Handler, a media and entertainment analyst at MKM Partners. “The ‘princess brand’ is a very, very strong brand.” Analysts argue that “Frozen” gave a shot of adrenaline to a type of entertainment that had grown listless since the glory days of “Beauty & the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid” by expertly mixing post-feminist depictions of women with royal fantasies. In the case of “Maleficent,” the reimagining of “Sleeping Beauty” managed to attract a crowd that was 60% female, providing welcome relief to the glut of male-skewing films in the marketplace. For its part, “Frozen” skewed 57% female.

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