'Strange World' Disney's 2022 Animated Film

[RobWDW1971]

@Magenta Panther, you are right! Strange World did cost $180 Million, per Variety this afternoon.

What's also interesting is how Variety's tone turned on this one in just a day.

"The well-reviewed film grossed a disappointing $800,000 in Tuesday previews, which likely means that initial estimates that “Strange World” would pull in between $30 million to $40 million over the five-day Thanksgiving holiday may prove to be overly optimistic."

Box Office: Disney’s ‘Strange World’ Grosses Disappointing $800,000 in Previews

Disney's "Strange World" is starting slow, earning a poor $800,000 at the box office in Tuesday previews.

variety.com

It's actually much worse than that if the current estimates hold. Not only will they lose a guaranteed $100M++ on the film, but box office disasters do not drive Disney+ subscriptions so the pain will be felt all the way down the ecosystem.

By Sunday we will have a good idea of how bad this truly is, but it's clear that DIsney's current strategy is not working.

 

[Disney Irish]

I was saying it is still issued (and was even this month). But its basically happened because parents got offended at everything. When "The Wizard Of Oz" was reissued in 3D, it was required to be rerated as a new format. Even it got a PG rating because some parents felt the witch was too scary! So in 2D its G and 3D its PG.

You're a bit late to the discussion again my friend. This was already discussed in the thread. And yes you're right its still issued, but very rarely and only for preschool and saccharine fest movies. My intent in the original post (which I edited for clarification since it was misunderstood) was that it doesn't exist any more in the original intended usage of "General Audience", that is now the PG rating. So I used the wrong term "get rid of" when I quickly wrote that post, again its been edited for clarity.

But thank you for your response, I appreciate all you contribute to these forums.

 

[CastAStone]

Of course kids can see a PG-13 movie. It's not age restricted. It's still parental guidance SUGGESTED. Just means as stated "some material may not be suitable for pre-teenager". It's not until "R" that you hit age restrictions.

you’re taking “can” in the legal sense instead of the common sense.

 

[TP2000]

Strange World has a 2SLGBTQQIA+ character in it.

My opinion is that is risky when making a Disney animated movie aimed at American families with young children.

It also impacts where the movie can be released overseas. As Lightyear showed, it prevents the movie from being released in Arab countries, the Palestinian territories, or Communist China.

It limits the financial success of the movie, so it better be darn well important to the plot and not just added by HR to look hip.

Do you hear yourself? There was just a massacre at a gay bar in Colorado. Gay representation matters now more than ever before. You seem to be saying that the film should not feature a gay character. Why not??????

@BuddyThomas, I'm double quoting both myself here, and your immediate response to me. At that time (Monday, November 21st, 8:47pm Mountain Standard Time) I didn't quite get what you were talking about. But later on Tuesday I heard about the shooting at the gay bar in Colorado.

I've been busy with a move to a new house, and am mostly out of the loop on current events. I was even late to the Bob Chapek Got Fired party, darnit!

But, I've just returned home tonight from a Thanksgiving Eve cocktail/dessert sociable with like-minded confirmed bachelors (GAAAAAAYYYY!), and this Colorado shooting came up in conversation tonight.

It turns out, the shooter was a Transgender person who uses they/them pronouns and wishes to be addressed as Mx. Anderson. Mx. Anderson changed their name six years ago to a non-binary name. Mx. Anderson had a disturbing childhood according to press reports, and I'll leave it at that. So, the shooter and murderer was a troubled member of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, and thus has no bearing on the issue of "representation" in family cartoon movies released at Thanksgiving. The shooter/murderer was clearly a troubled and deranged person, but was not someone who might be upset at the gay crush subject matter in Strange World and thus decided to take it out on the gays.

Which is a good lesson for us all; things are rarely as simple and easy as they first may seem. The Colorado shooter is Transgender.

That said, what Strange World needs right now is someone to care about it, because it's sinking at the box office. But linking the movie's gay subplot to the Transgender non-binary shooter/murderer in Colorado is not the way to do it.

 

[TP2000]

Of course kids can see a PG-13 movie. It's not age restricted. It's still parental guidance SUGGESTED. Just means as stated "some material may not be suitable for pre-teenager". It's not until "R" that you hit age restrictions.

Exactly.

Any 12 year old in America who scrounged up a few bucks can go in alone or with his buddies to see any PG-13 movie in any multiplex.

After all, no one under age 16 has legal ID that confirms their age. You only get that when you are old enough to drive at age 16, in most states. So how would any theater employee in America prove that a ticket holder to a PG-13 rated movie was 13 years old?

It's only when you get to an R Rating that the 18 year old kid in the ticket booth starts grilling the 16 year olds trying to buy tickets.

Show me your papers! You must have your papers to see this film! (Say that in a bad German accent and it's more fun).

 

[Disney Irish]

Exactly.

Any 12 year old in America who scrounged up a few bucks can go in alone or with his buddies to see any PG-13 movie in any multiplex.

After all, no one under age 16 has legal ID that confirms their age. You only get that when you are old enough to drive at age 16, in most states. So how would any theater employee in America prove that a ticket holder to a PG-13 rated movie was 13 years old?

It's only when you get to an R Rating that the 18 year old kid in the ticket booth starts grilling the 16 year olds trying to buy tickets.

Show me your papers! You must have your papers to see this film! (Say that in a bad German accent and it's more fun).

Actually any one of any age can get an ID in California, it shows proof of identity and age but just doesn't allow the person to drive a motor vehicle. In fact I would venture to guess that a majority of states have the same ability to obtain a standard ID at any age, including your new home state of Utah.

ID Cards - California DMV

How to get an ID card

www.dmv.ca.gov

"In California, DMV may issue an ID card to a person of any age."

Now that isn't to say that a theater is going to ask for it, but they do exist for 12 year olds.

 

[Rich Brownn]

you’re taking “can” in the legal sense instead of the common sense.

I'm talking PG-13 appeals to the teen market, which is what advertisers live for. And, of course, pre-teens love to see that stuff too

 

[Rich Brownn]

So saw Strange World today. It was cute, nothing too earth shattering. The 'twist' was pretty obvious but man, did the film look incredible (especially in 3D - they really did a nice job of that). It's a solid film, but nothing outstanding. Then again, I thought the same of "Frozen II" so what do I know? (BTW the theater was 3/4 full)

 

[Ghost93]

The shooter/murderer was clearly a troubled and deranged person, but was not someone who might be upset at the gay crush subject matter in Strange World and thus decided to take it out on the gays.

How do you not know the shooter wouldn't be upset at the gay crush subject matter? Internalized homophobia and transphobia is a very real thing. Sometimes the most homophobic people are secretly gay themselves and lash out and attack their own community because of self-hatred. Assuming the shooter really is non-binary and isn't just trying to troll the media to "own the libs," or lie to avoid being accused of a hate crime. I think self-hatred could be a genuine possibility.

Not that this has ANYTHING to do with Strange World. I saw the movie last night and have very mixed feelings on it.

It feels VERY much like a Disney animated movie of the 2000s. It would be very at home next to Atlantis, Treasure Planet and Meet the Robinsons. It has a lot of cool ideas, but doesn't develop them very well (a problem I had with Atlantis).

I felt what worked about the movie was the family dynamic between the Clades. I liked all of the characters. But the worldbuilding was lackluster and somewhat confusing. I wasn't invested at all in the "save the world plot." Instead, all of my emotional investment came from the generational conflict between Jaeger and Searcher and Searcher and Ethan.

Splat and the dog were funny and cute without being annoying. I also appreciated how diverse the movie was (in terms of race, gender and sexual orientation) without making a big deal out of it. As someone who grew up with pretty homophobic parents it was a bit odd to see Searcher, Meridan and Jaeger be so casual about Ethan being gay but I think this will allow the movie to age better 20 years from now.

Anyway, I'd give it a 6/10. It's no Disney classic, but it's not a disaster either.

 

[CastAStone]

As someone who grew up with pretty homophobic parents it was a bit odd to see Searcher, Meridan and Jaeger be so casual about Ethan being gay

It was striking because every movie/show with a gay character feels the need to call attention to it. Letting it be just a thing that is true without anyone ever remarking on or reacting to it is basically never how it’s handled in Hollywood.

 

[Phroobar]

@BuddyThomas, I'm double quoting both myself here, and your immediate response to me. At that time (Monday, November 21st, 8:47pm Mountain Standard Time) I didn't quite get what you were talking about. But later on Tuesday I heard about the shooting at the gay bar in Colorado.

I've been busy with a move to a new house, and am mostly out of the loop on current events. I was even late to the Bob Chapek Got Fired party, darnit!

But, I've just returned home tonight from a Thanksgiving Eve cocktail/dessert sociable with like-minded confirmed bachelors (GAAAAAAYYYY!), and this Colorado shooting came up in conversation tonight.

It turns out, the shooter was a Transgender person who uses they/them pronouns and wishes to be addressed as Mx. Anderson. Mx. Anderson changed their name six years ago to a non-binary name. Mx. Anderson had a disturbing childhood according to press reports, and I'll leave it at that. So, the shooter and murderer was a troubled member of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, and thus has no bearing on the issue of "representation" in family cartoon movies released at Thanksgiving. The shooter/murderer was clearly a troubled and deranged person, but was not someone who might be upset at the gay crush subject matter in Strange World and thus decided to take it out on the gays.

Which is a good lesson for us all; things are rarely as simple and easy as they first may seem. The Colorado shooter is Transgender.

That said, what Strange World needs right now is someone to care about it, because it's sinking at the box office. But linking the movie's gay subplot to the Transgender non-binary shooter/murderer in Colorado is not the way to do it.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I wish the movement would just simplify it to LGBT+, everyone knows who it represents but the constant changes make it impossible to keep up with the current letters.

Except that sexuality and gender identity have very little to do with one a other and the decision to lump them into a single "movement" is harmful to everyone involved.

The gay and lesbian community with have a much easier time finding acceptance in middle America of they hadn't linked their fortunes to the acceptance of genderf--- and skoliosexual.

 

[Disney Analyst]

It was striking because every movie/show with a gay character feels the need to call attention to it. Letting it be just a thing that is true without anyone ever remarking on or reacting to it is basically never how it’s handled in Hollywood.

This exactly. I think it provides lessons to parents on how you should treat your child if they do indeed come out to you.

(Their reaction is pretty much exactly how my parents reacted. I was very lucky).

 

[RobWDW1971]

OMG. We'll see if the trend picks up by Sunday, but good lord.

And BTW, Treasure Planet's 5 day opening in today's dollars is $27M+ and it opened in 2002, but hey that's today's "journalism".

Deadline: ...but not so much for the studio’s animated movie Strange World which did $4.2M yesterday. This will translate per industry estimates into... a disastrous 3 and 5 day of $15.8M and $20M-$23M for Strange World which cost a reported $135M. That’s not the worst for a Disney animated, particularly over Thanksgiving, but it’s damn close: Their $140M original animation movie Treasure Planet was in freefall back in 2003 with a 3-day of $12M and 5 day of $16.5M.

 

[TalkingHead]

Disney Springs AMC has some decent-sized audiences for later today. But I checked
another AMC I go to elsewhere and it’s got no tickets currently sold for the four screenings this afternoon and evening.

Bigger question is given how poorly sales were tracking before it opened, why did this title get booked for 10-13(!) showings each day?

 

[Disney Analyst]

Interesting insight from BoxOfficeMojo:

‘Strange World’ & Other Newcomers To Be No Match For ‘Wakanda Forever’ Over Busy But Soft Thanksgiving Weekend

www.boxofficemojo.com

Of the new releases, the biggest opening will come from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Strange World, which opens in 4000 theaters. The old fashioned sci-fi adventure is about a family exploring a mysterious planet, and it features the voice talents of Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Jaboukie Young-White, Gabrielle Union, and Lucy Liu. The market is ripe for a new animated film, with no significant toons since July’s DC League of Super-Pets, and a big animated title from the House of Mouse has practically become a new Thanksgiving tradition, with a Disney or Pixar animated release every November for the past decade barring 2020. At 75% on Rotten Tomatoes, the reviews suggest Strange World is a worthy if not exemplary addition to the catalogue, but the box office looks to underwhelm.

Last year’s Thanksgiving weekend release Encanto was the softest opener for Disney Animation in over a decade (barring Raya and the Last Dragon which released deeper in the midst of the pandemic), taking in $27.2 million for the three-day and $40.5 million for the five-day. It finished with a domestic cume of $96.1 million, getting kneecapped by the Disney+ availability just a month after its release to hit the streamer in time for Christmas, a fate which might also befall Strange World. Though the box office climate is healthier than it was a year ago, early numbers on Strange World are underperforming Encanto. Keep in mind Encanto got a boost from a huge Latino turnout, making up nearly 60% of the audience in the opening weekend, though that’s certainly not the full story for why the numbers here are lagging. Strange World may not make it past $20 million for the three-day and $30 million for the five-day, which would be unimpressive milestones even if they were met.

As for Strange World’s international outlook, expect a softer showing than usual with a number of markets out of play. France is a key one, with Disney sending it straight to Disney+ as a way of bypassing the country’s lengthy release window mandates. We’ll never know how much money is left on the table theatrically here, but for what it’s worth, Encanto grossed $24 million in France out of its $160 million international total. There are also many countries where Disney has decided not to submit the film to censors owing to a major LGBTQ character in the film. The most significant of these markets is China, where it may not have gotten a release anyway, but there is also the Middle East and much of West and East Africa, Southeast Asia, and South Asia (notable exceptions here include India and Thailand), not to mention the continued absence of Hollywood releases in Russia. Of these markets where Encanto released but Strange World is not, Encanto made just under $25 million (and that’s not including the $24 million from France). The film’s production budget comes to $135 million, so the outlook here isn’t great.

 

[Rich Brownn]

One of the issues I think is people (parents) are now trained to wait for D+. Many find it hard to justify paying $30-$40 when in less than 2 months they can see it for $10-12. At home. With the kids comfy. Once upon a time if you didn't see it at the theater, a Disney film would come back once every seven years. Then it was "limited release" on home video. Now that same film, in 45 days or less, will be available every day, at any time, for a long period (if not forever) on D+. I'm not sure how Disney Animation will handle this. I don't think you can blow $200 million for a film for streaming services.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

One of the issues I think is people (parents) are now trained to wait for D+. Many find it hard to justify paying $30-$40 when in less than 2 months they can see it for $10-12. At home. With the kids comfy. Once upon a time if you didn't see it at the theater, a Disney film would come back once every seven years. Then it was "limited release" on home video. Now that same film, in 45 days or less, will be available every day, at any time, for a long period (if not forever) on D+. I'm not sure how Disney Animation will handle this. I don't think you can blow $200 million for a film for streaming services.

Why wouldn't that apply to Wakanda Forever? I don't think anything about what you're describing is unique to kids.

 

[tcool123]

Just left the theater after viewing Strange World today!

To the poster staying away because the gay character was doing dangerous actions if being embarrassed around your crush and having an arm around them is dangerous then I do suggest avoiding many of Disney’s animated fare as the straight couple in the film does far worse - they kiss!

Nonsense aside!

The film has an amazing soundtrack that power the gorgeous visuals to power its message. The family dynamic is nice with each of the three Clade men going through their proper arch - supporting characters were nice additions each filling a niche.

I do think the marketing is we a huge issue for this film - as the trailers all maintained themselves to the just the first act of the film, the arrival on the Strange World. I think more effective trailers should’ve focused on why they’re exploring specifically, the family dynamic and of course the odd world instead of pretty much just the focus on the last thing.

Spoiler: Twists

Once it all clicked that the Strange World was actually just the internal organism of the body I could understand what everything was and understood the design of the world better.

The whole world being on the back of a turtle was neat to see, and reminds me of various pieces of mythology that state just that - we live on the back of a turtle.

However, the third act lost me a bit. It was still enjoyable, but I would’ve rathered seen more on the family dynamic? I’m not sure but something there was missing.

Then again the whole film is set in a comic.

Overall a 3.5/5 for me it is a nice story of a family reconciling and learning to respect each others journeys and wishes with a touch of sci-fi that helps the film stand out. This isn’t one of the worse films from WDAS, but it was middle of the pack for me.

 

[CastAStone]

I do think the marketing is we a huge issue for this film - as the trailers all maintained themselves to the just the first act of the film, the arrival on the Strange World. I think more effective trailers should’ve focused on why they’re exploring specifically, the family dynamic and of course the odd world instead of pretty much just the focus on the last thing.

I think a good commercial would have been a hype spot on the legend of Jaeger Clade.