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

[BuddyThomas]

American Fiction - loved it. Absolutely hilarious critique of the way black culture is received and consumed by the predominantly white populace.
The Boy and the Heron (subbed) - Another classic Miyazaki effort. Maybe the most overtly adult effort he's ever produced.
The Iron Claw - Liked this, thought the performances were great, but I wish I'd gone in not knowing anything about the real-life story. The tragedies came too rapid fire in the 3rd act for my taste.
Memory - Simple story, but complex characters with very good performances. Not sure I'm onboard with all of the decisions/conclusions made, but definitely thought-provoking re: the reliability of memory and dementia.

We were going to see Fallen Leaves, but the screening was sold out, so saw AF instead. We were also going to see All of Us Strangers, but its strong performance let us push it to this upcoming weekend and see Memory instead. We don't tend to jump on movies right away in opening week, so I've always kept a pretty close eye on BO and screen count to know when to see stuff before it goes away.

I loved The Iron Claw and cried like a baby but I didn’t know anything about the family going in so it was all totally horrifying to me. I need to see American Fiction as soon as possible. Saw Mean Girls last night just because the start time was convenient and although I expected to not like it, it was actually surprisingly fun. I might go see that trashy horror movie about the haunted swimming pool tonight, lol.

 

[brideck]

I loved The Iron Claw and cried like a baby but I didn’t know anything about the family going in so it was all totally horrifying to me.

It was definitely still horrifying and sad to me, but also more inevitable feeling if you know what's coming.

 

[brideck]

I haven't gone looking... does anyone here know what shorts they're attaching to the 3 Pixar releases? I'm assuming whatever they are that they're also available on D+, but I haven't gone out of my way to watch a lot of the new short content out there over the last few years.

 

[DKampy]

American Fiction - loved it. Absolutely hilarious critique of the way black culture is received and consumed by the predominantly white populace.

I saw American Fiction on Sunday… I agree with this… Plus I thought the family stuff was great too… which I was not expecting… none of that was in the trailer I saw

I was surprised by how crowded our theater was… I live in Wisconsin and watched a matinee during a Greenbay Packer playoff football game… I guess I am not the only person that lives here that does not care about the Packers

 

[brideck]

Not going to pretend I have any knowledge of year-over-year box office trends when it comes to this specific holiday weekend, but it hardly seems like anything did super well this weekend, so it just seems weird to me to focus solely on how Disney didn't meet whatever imagined threshold they needed to meet over a long weekend that was clearly impacted by weather.

To pour a little more cold water on this theory (with the caveat that I have no memory of what the weather was like in the first two weeks of 2023), the box office was also down 9% year-over-year the weekend before MLK this year. So at least by the overall numbers, the weather didn't seem to have had any demonstrable impact beyond the anecdotal -- it was down 9% both weekends this year. This makes some sense as there are no new big releases driving anyone to the theaters right now in large numbers, unlike last year's viral hit M3GAN and the hefty legs of the 2nd Avatar.

 

[_caleb]

Disney loses hundreds of millions on movies they release and they feel good about those "important" releases.

It’s like you almost get it.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I just read an article that the Emmys set a new record for low ratings, which was previously set at last years show, and it has me wondering if people just don’t care about Hollywood anymore.

The article had some red carpet photos and I didn’t recognize half the actors, I also hadn’t seen the majority of the shows nominated… it has me wondering if the rise of streaming, the decrease in TV viewership, the decrease in theater revenue, and the popularity of sites like YouTube, ticktock, etc if Hollywoods glory days are in the rear view mirror.

 

[Ghost93]

I just read an article that the Emmys set a new record for low ratings, which was previously set at last years show, and it has me wondering if people just don’t care about Hollywood anymore.

The article had some red carpet photos and I didn’t recognize half the actors, I also hadn’t seen the majority of the shows nominated… it has me wondering if the rise of streaming, the decrease in TV viewership, the decrease in theater revenue, and the popularity of sites like YouTube, ticktock, etc if Hollywoods glory days are in the rear view mirror.

I think part of the issue is that nowadays audiences are segmented more than they were in the past and most movies and TV shows are catering to individual niches as there are very few things with broad appeal. Instead of a few big shows getting 20-30 million views an episode on broadcast TV like they did 20 years ago, you have dozens of smaller shows popping up on streamers and cable channels pandering to individual tastes. These shows develop a passionate following, but only among a specific demographic. It's just the way things are now that there are so many viewing options.

I think Game of Thrones was the last show that felt like the entire world was watching.

 

[Farerb]

I hope the morale boost for Emeryville employees was worth losing millions of dollars on these re-releases.

More employees are going to be fired.

 

[_caleb]

I just read an article that the Emmys set a new record for low ratings, which was previously set at last years show, and it has me wondering if people just don’t care about Hollywood anymore.

The article had some red carpet photos and I didn’t recognize half the actors, I also hadn’t seen the majority of the shows nominated… it has me wondering if the rise of streaming, the decrease in TV viewership, the decrease in theater revenue, and the popularity of sites like YouTube, ticktock, etc if Hollywoods glory days are in the rear view mirror.

This is what I’ve been trying to say for the last 200 pages of this thread

I think part of the issue is that nowadays audiences are segmented more than they were in the past and most movies and TV shows are catering to individual niches as there are very few things with broad appeal. Instead of a few big shows getting 20-30 million views an episode on broadcast TV like they did 20 years ago, you have dozens of smaller shows popping up on streamers and cable channels pandering to individual tastes. These shows develop a passionate following, but only among a specific demographic. It's just the way things are now that there are so many viewing options.

Exactly! And things are not going back to the way they were.

 

[TP2000]

To pour a little more cold water on this theory (with the caveat that I have no memory of what the weather was like in the first two weeks of 2023), the box office was also down 9% year-over-year the weekend before MLK this year. So at least by the overall numbers, the weather didn't seem to have had any demonstrable impact beyond the anecdotal -- it was down 9% both weekends this year. This makes some sense as there are no new big releases driving anyone to the theaters right now in large numbers, unlike last year's viral hit M3GAN and the hefty legs of the 2nd Avatar.

Weather at the nationwide level can not be blamed for Soul only making $568,000 at the box office over MLK weekend.

Record cold and blizzard-like conditions can only be blamed for suppressing theater counts in Portland, Oregon with hundreds of thousands of people without power for the weekend, and the biting cold in big cities of the upper Midwest, but that affected all movies in those cities not just the theaters playing Soul.

Likewise, the weather last MLK weekend was not ideal; heavy rain and flooding in California, heavy snows in the Sierra and Cascades, a cold but calm Midwest and South, with snow from Philly to Boston and freezing rain in northern New England. Seasonally cold temps everywhere for MLK weekend 2023.

Weather Forecast for Friday, January 13th 2023 - MLK Weekend One Year Ago.

 

[TP2000]

I just read an article that the Emmys set a new record for low ratings, which was previously set at last years show, and it has me wondering if people just don’t care about Hollywood anymore.

Those awards shows have seen their ratings crash into the basement starting a decade ago. It's just a continuation of the trend that started in the mid 2010's.

The article had some red carpet photos and I didn’t recognize half the actors, I also hadn’t seen the majority of the shows nominated…

Thank God it just wasn't me! I looked at some Emmy's red carpet photos after I made that wisecrack about the show being sponsored by Ozempic, and while all the actresses are now very thin, I didn't recognize any of them. And the shows they were noted for were foreign to me.

it has me wondering if the rise of streaming, the decrease in TV viewership, the decrease in theater revenue, and the popularity of sites like YouTube, ticktock, etc if Hollywoods glory days are in the rear view mirror.

I spend so much time on YouTube now it's not even funny. I find the amateur niche content made by nerdy guys in their home office far more entertaining than the pro mass-audience stuff from Hollywood and New York. That said, I did just finish Season 2 of The Gilden Age on HBO Max, and I enjoyed it immensely. Christine Baranski in particular was a favorite in that show. But I promptly ditched HBO Max a month ago, and then paid $2.99 to watch the final episode of this season on YouTube. No need in paying for HBO Max any longer when Season 3 of that show is over a year away.

 

[DKampy]

I just read an article that the Emmys set a new record for low ratings, which was previously set at last years show, and it has me wondering if people just don’t care about Hollywood anymore.

The article had some red carpet photos and I didn’t recognize half the actors, I also hadn’t seen the majority of the shows nominated… it has me wondering if the rise of streaming, the decrease in TV viewership, the decrease in theater revenue, and the popularity of sites like YouTube, ticktock, etc if Hollywoods glory days are in the rear view mirror.

Could be true…but at the same time I read an article that said the Golden Globes ratings were up 50% over last year

 

[brideck]

Weather at the nationwide level can not be blamed for Soul only making $568,000 at the box office over MLK weekend.

Thanks for agreeing with me, I guess?

Anyway, looking ahead to next weekend there are a few interesting things in my market:

• Poor Things finally arrives in the most significant art theater in town while also maintaining a presence on the more mainstream screens that it's been showing on already, so I'd expect its screen count to stay about the same or slightly recover a touch.
• All of Us Strangers appears to be expanding still further, increasing from 2 AMCs here to 4.
• On the animated front, Migration is holding its weekend screen count, Soul is being cut way way back in screenings if not screens, Trolls hangs on at the "Classic" theater while Wish is finally gone, and Across the Spider-Verse is coming back in a limited capacity to premium formats. I might actually go see the last one again, as we only saw it at a neighborhood theater when it was originally out, which was a great audience experience, but not a great A/V one.

 

[Willmark]

Those awards shows have seen their ratings crash into the basement starting a decade ago. It's just a continuation of the trend that started in the mid 2010's.



Thank God it just wasn't me! I looked at some Emmy's red carpet photos after I made that wisecrack about the show being sponsored by Ozempic, and while all the actresses are now very thin, I didn't recognize any of them. And the shows they were noted for were foreign to me.

It’s likely a variety of factors a lot of which you noted.

The Eagles vs the Bucs on Monday night, last game of the wild card of the NFL playoffs pulled in 28.6 million views. That made it the second most watched NFL playoff game in the history of ESPN. That easily beat coverage of the Iowa caucuses and the Emmy’s combined.

It’s in the following order then everything else:
1. NFL
(gap)
2. College Football
(gap)
3. College Basketball

(Massive gap to everything else, typically baseball, hockey, etc).

World Cup and Olympics are a special case due to the every four years nature of it.

It goes back to the discussion of the writers strike when not many people were paying attention. People won’t be paying attention to much else until the SB which is in mid February and then March madness is over in early April. Although by the end of April there is the NFL draft.

So passing to your thoughts, the decline stated a decade ago and has accelerated. Billy Crystal said it best a number of years ago (paraphrasing) “people are going to tune in to watch millionaires slap themselves in the back and given themselves gold awards?”

Can’t imagine why that would be an issue.

People are entitled to their own views and opinions but the reality of people looking to Hollywood is long since gone at least for a majority of folks.

 

[Phroobar]

The only thing good about the Oscars is the retrospective sections and the musical numbers. Why can't these professional actors read a teleprompter? It is embarrassing. We always fast forward through the speeches so the whole thing takes about a half hour.

 

[DKampy]

Poor Things finally arrives in the most significant art theater in town while also maintaining a presence on the more mainstream screens that it's been showing on already, so I'd expect its screen count to stay about the same or slightly recover

I was checking out what was being screened at our local theater to plan what we will be watching this weekend… I noticed Poor Things has returned this weekend after leaving for one week to make way for the new releases last week…I noticed Book of Clarence is gone already after 1 week which is unusual here… most films are usually given a two week run at least

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Layoffs in Emeryville are a good first step, and not surprising considering the disastrous 2023 that Disney had at the box office.

But honestly they just need to close up shop in Emeryville and move Pixar down to Burbank as a branding tool for their animation offerings. Something tells me these aren't the last layoffs we'll hear about from Disney in the next few months...

Disney's Pixar Will Undergo Major Layoffs in 2024

A new report indicates that Pixar will see major layoffs impacting the company in 2024. The news comes on the heels of a couple of bad years for tentpole blockbusters, during which time Pixar movies like Lightyear and Elemental underperformed relative to studio expectations. Pixar is set to...

comicbook.com

Pixar’s independence has shielded it for years from Bob’s mismanaged stupidity for years…I hope it’s not the case

Because alleged sexual assault/harassment is funny. Get it?

…easy, St. Francis

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The only thing good about the Oscars is the retrospective sections and the musical numbers. Why can't these professional actors read a teleprompter? It is embarrassing. We always fast forward through the speeches so the whole thing takes about a half hour.

I have to admit…I’m a sucker for the death reel

But the Grammys does it best

 

[brideck]

I was checking out what was being screened at our local theater to plan what we will be watching this weekend… I noticed Poor Things has returned this weekend after leaving for one week to make way for the new releases last week…I noticed Book of Clarence is gone already after 1 week which is unusual here… most films are usually given a two week run at least

The rule of thumb for my local theaters appears to be that a movie gets to hold a full set of screens (or even increase if it's not yet a full set) if it's hitting at least a $2000 per screen average for a given weekend. So The Book of Clarence, which debuted around $1300 will immediately get pulled back some.

I mentioned earlier that I thought that The Iron Claw would get some screens back this week, but at $1500 that doesn't appear to have happened in my area. The weird imbalance there is that last week it was pulled all the way back to Trolls levels (of screenings) because of all the competition for screens, which doesn't seem warranted.