Disney (and others) at the Box Office - Current State of Affairs

[CaptainAmerica]

Fair point

But with Disney…this is a symptom of the Same rot as WDI

Do it on a timeframe and in a budget…and do it well or you’re fired.

I know…tough world, isn’t it?
But it’s the one we got

Zaslav for CEO

 

[TP2000]

There is zero argument to make that the box office doesn’t define success and failures. It’s a direct measure of popularity.

This one of the most ridiculous, disingenuous duster stances I can recall…that not enough people seeing a movie means nothing.

Thank you.

Sometimes it's nice to hear that I'm not actually totally insane, but merely just a bit touched in the head (which I can accept).

So, I will continue to offer up the box office updates using hard facts and data in the thread about Disney box office facts and data.

 

[Casper Gutman]

There’s a bit of a game being played here, intentionally or not. We’re told that the REAL problem pertains to transgender identity, that nobody has a problem with LGB folks. Yet the bill in question is very specifically written to directly effect LGB individuals - intentionally so, as the legislative debate around it reveals. And the specific issues folks have with Disney almost all pertain to LGB content. Yet despite the legislation and punditry attacking LGB identity, we’re assured that everyone accepts people who identify as LGB, it’s just those darn transgender folks messing everything up.

 

[Jedijax719]

Disney could be in a situation where (except maybe MCU) the fact that a movie has the Disney label on it could hinder massive success. Moderate success? Sure. Profit? That's a whole different story that most people either don't understand or don't care about. But massive success? Disney has already pulled back off of the "progressive" movement. There have been subtle changes happening since last year. But Disney just may not generate the same excitement and anticipation it did before the pandemic. Is it the actual products? Unless someone can objectively define what that even means, that cannot be determined. Is it the brand? That may be more of it unfortunately. Is it burn out on the products that Disney has been putting out? That's probably the biggest issue.

The big step for all studios is to see what non-movie IP's are out there for the mining. And for Disney, what untapped non-movie IP's do they even have access to?

 

[Casper Gutman]

Barbie, Mario, and even Top Gun are not original properties. They’re well established IPs with large multigenerational followings. That’s why I asked about which similar IPs could be leveraged for fresh films. We’re not seeing a massive surge in interest in “original” films.

Saying films should be cheap, good, and original sounds great! The last original property to really take off was… John Wick? If there are other examples, I’d love to hear them. Audiences have demonstrated no actual interest in truly “original” films - 2023 is littered with failures - unless they are cheap horror.

And I guarantee that if Disney turned to budget animation, everyone here would be apoplectic. And Zaslav? His mandate is ONLY IP, in fact a much more NARROW range of IP than any other studio, combined with exploitative reality TV and a half billion dollar salary for himself. I’m not sure how that’s an appealing recipe for anyone.

So again, I ask, based on what audiences actually pay for and not what we want them to pay for, what fresh IPs are out there?

 

[TP2000]

"You can not blame Bob Chapek for everything that happens creatively wrong at Disney. The guy was only in charge of the company for a year..."

Here's a 5 minute interview on CNBC this morning that paints a rather bleak outlook for Disney's future movie slate.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I think the leak was intended to promote how progressives won and that Disney can be convinced to support left wing causes, yes.

I’m sorry, this is simply in no way, shape, or form Disney PR bragging about LGBTQ content. Unless there are other articles, it is entirely unfair to blame Disney for sparking the Lightyear firestorm.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Zaslav for CEO

Well if cost are way up and quality is way down…you need better on both fronts

ATTENTION DISNEY:
I will right you a Star Wars movie to get alot of its fans with money to burn to throw it at you.

Pay me what I make now…no residuals or percentages or expense accounts

I just need some technical guidance. Especially a spell checker

And I’m not part of the guild so we can start RIGHT NOW

 

[TP2000]

As has been said many times in many threads, it comes down to losing the blind trust parents had with Disney that was developed over the past century...

Disney 100% owns that and building back that trust is going to be infinitely harder than losing it (assuming they even want it or care).

If you want to alienate (if not outright offend or anger) many of your core customers and ditch them for new customers, you should probably have all the new customers lined up and ready to go beforehand.

You would think they teach this in Marketing 101 classes, but Alissa Heinerscheid from Harvard proves that is no longer the case.

Disney's growing list of box office losses also seem to show that's an element into their financial woes in the free marketplace.

 

[celluloid]

Well it looks like we finally can agree… it’s Hollywood wide problem across all studios

But he suggested Disney's are worse. They are wretched.
So he dare say Disney has a bigger problem so we Should toss tomatoes and say he is not discussing in good faith.

 

[Casper Gutman]

But he suggested Disney's are worse. They are wretched.
So he dare say Disney has a bigger problem so we Should toss tomatoes and say he is not discussing in good faith.

Actually, Paramount is the studio that is struggling the most by quite a significant margin - which is massively unfair, because M:I and D&D were wonderful. But generally, all the studios are floundering, particularly in international waters. There are highs, but they can’t match the highs of the past decade.

 

[TP2000]

As a general note, I absolutely love that we’re pretending the grievances pushed 24/7 by the most watched news network, the online pundits with the widest reach, and a PRESIDENTIAL FRONTRUNNER are entirely organic and grassroots.

While I disagree with that wildly over-simplified take on the situation that seems to entirely discount the ability of American parents to think for themselves, what's your solution to that problem? If Disney's core customer base is now backing away from buying Disney's products because of media grievances, how should Disney respond?

Should Disney try to guilt American parents into returning to their family films? What's the solution to regain their customers trust?

 

[celluloid]

Mario and Minions are momentarily fun but utterly soulless and absurdly shallow compared to the work being produced by Disney, Pixar, and (on its best day) Dreamworks. The best of Illumination is tremendously disposable compared to Encanto, Soul, Frozen, Turning Red, Puss in Boots 2, or any number of other films from the three superior animation houses. Yes, it’s inoffensive. Because there’s no there there.

Man, folks advocating cheap, soulless animation - it’s dystopian.

That's all subjective. Minions(Specifically Despicable Me) have been around for over a decade and are a pop culture zeitgeist. It's bigger than Soul, Elemental or Coco subjectivity aside.
Pixar has slacked big time since Joe Ranfts passing and specifically post up.

Your dystopian comment is quite the hyperbole as well as saying Illumination's movies are soulless.


We can only pray that one day, they match the apex art that is Toy Story 4, Cars 2, or maybe even Cars 3.

 

[TP2000]

And as the success of these tentpole films becomes even more dependent on global audiences, they seem to be forgetting that the global audience (made up of over a billion Catholics, along with Muslims, Hindu, etc.) may not have the same worldview as the brunch crowd at a Silver Lake cafe on a Tuesday afternoon.

For a “global” company, it is astonishing that Disney has seemingly instantly forgotten this.

Never mind the "global" audience, there are Muslim parents in Dearborn, Michigan who would (and do) strongly object to it.

I'm just tickled to death that we got the Silver Lake Brunch Crowd back into this conversation. They're truly idiots.

 

[LittleBuford]

…the normal dust infused innuendo has been floating around. Right on schedule.

Can you provide any examples?

 

[celluloid]

L

Actually, Paramount is the studio that is struggling the most by quite a significant margin - which is massively unfair, because M:I and D&D were wonderful. But generally, all the studios are floundering, particularly in international waters. There are highs, but they can’t match the highs of the past decade.

Disney is worse by the current numbers going. Mission impossible's loss is not as big as some like to think. Certainly not a glowing first part of finale due to fatigue. But not the bomb stinker of Indy, Haunted Mansion or Ant Man.
Global saved it and is going great. Domestically still trickling in to put it close.to the typical MI film US number.
Second film is nearly done when the strike is over and will probably do about the same.
Indy
Ant man
HM
Elemental.
All of them were the start of or a continuing tent pole budget franchise of now what?

 

[Casper Gutman]

L


Disney is worse by the current numbers going. Mission impossible's loss is not as big as some like to think. Certainly not a glowing first part of finale due to fatigue. But not the bomb stinker of Indy, Haunted Mansion or Ant Man.
Global saved it and is going great. Domestically still trickling in to put it close.to the typical MI film US number.
Second film is nearly done when the strike is over and will probably do about the same.
Indy
Ant man
HM
Elemental.
All of them were the start of or a continuing tent pole budget franchise of now what?

You’re wrong. In terms of how many dollars each studio spends to earn a box office dollar, Paramount is by far the worst. That’s by numbers, not by vibes. M:I won’t earn enough to change that, sadly.

 

[celluloid]

You’re wrong. In terms of how many dollars each studio spends to earn a box office dollar, Paramount is by far the worst. That’s by numbers, not by vibes. M:I won’t earn enough to change that, sadly.

No they would not for that specific film, but other films, notably HM and Indy lost enough that it did.

Disney's final two releases this year, presuming not shifted due to strike, are The Marvel's and Wish presuming they happen. They are both large budget movies. Hopefully wish is subjectively good for us all and it reignites Disney to true new things.
If The Marvel's and Wish neither do well. Disney's trouble gap grows even larger.

 

[DKampy]

But he suggested Disney's are worse. They are wretched.
So he dare say Disney has a bigger problem so we Should toss tomatoes and say he is not discussing in good faith.

And I disagree that Disney are worse…I actually think WB is worse… they are now being saved by Barbie… However I think it is an industry wide issue

 

[LittleBuford]

“Crybabies”

“Crybullies”, actually.