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

[Tony the Tigger]

So they’re making live-action Moana (when’s that open?) and Moana 3. I guess when you stop successfully introducing new franchises you have to keep going back to the well. Suppose they’re cashing out in 2024 while they still can.

This is different from any other point in movie history how?

 

[Ghost93]

So they’re making live-action Moana (when’s that open?) and Moana 3. I guess when you stop successfully introducing new franchises you have to keep going back to the well. Suppose they’re cashing out in 2024 while they still can.

This is a fine short-term strategy, but Disney still needs to create new movies so that it can potentially launch future franchises. Disney wouldn't have gotten the profits of Moana 2 without first taking the chance on the then-unknown/original IP "Moana" back in 2016.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

This is a fine short-term strategy, but Disney still needs to create new movies so that it can potentially launch future franchises. Disney wouldn't have gotten the profits of Moana 2 without first taking the chance on the then-unknown/original IP "Moana" back in 2016.

It’s not a short term strategy, it’s a layered strategy, and it’s a measured risk strategy.

Look at TCM and see all the old movies that had many sequels. Nothing new under the sun.

 

[Indy_UK]

I give Disney a free pass on the sequels as it makes them big money and we want their box office to do well. They just need to remember that they need to make original stories in order to make sequels.

I need to be careful with the Moana burnout so quickly with a live action on the way too. That's probably also down to Dwayne Johnson also pushing the project.

 

[Hawkeye_2018]

Its funny to see all the complaining about sequels. Disney released quite a few original animated stuff over the last few years and they all mostly bombed. Elemental being the exception as it somehow found legs after looking like a bomb.
Also, good films like Moana deserve sequels. People want more from that "universe". The only problem I have is with another Toy Story. TS5 is an example of going way overboard on sequels.

 

[Phroobar]

If they do a PATF2 based on a scrapped Tiana tv show, it will suffer from the same story telling flaws as Moana 2. Disney, please give us a tight well thought out new story instead of three formulaic episodes tied together rehashing the original.

 

[Ghost93]

Its funny to see all the complaining about sequels. Disney released quite a few original animated stuff over the last few years and they all mostly bombed. Elemental being the exception as it somehow found legs after looking like a bomb.
Also, good films like Moana deserve sequels. People want more from that "universe". The only problem I have is with another Toy Story. TS5 is an example of going way overboard on sequels.

That's why I was so frustrated about all of the original movies being hampered by COVID and being sent straight to Disney plus. Strange World was bad and Wish was — at best — blandly passable.

But Soul, Luca, Turning Red, Raya and the Last Dragon, Encanto and Elemental were all good or great. I think this was a very solid run of films and it's a shame that the company will move away from this in the near future in favor of sequels.

Fortunately, Zootopia 2 and Frozen III and IV are at least being conceived of theatrical-releases from the get-go, which should give them an artistic leg up from Moana 2.

 

[el_super]

I give Disney a free pass on the sequels as it makes them big money and we want their box office to do well. They just need to remember that they need to make original stories in order to make sequels.

It makes them big money because people *want* them. That keeps being lost in the shuffle: people LOVE sequels.

There is a certain period of time where, when a big hit comes out like Moana or Encanto, everything starts getting compared to the hit, and even original movies that are generally well received get unfairly compared to the success of those films. Maybe we should call it "The Lion King Effect."

People will eventually respond to a new original film... it's just pretty hard to predict when that will happen.

 

[DisneyWarrior27]

I tried to tell him, but he won't listen. I can safely presume that he has autism like I do, but he needs to let it go and not get his hopes up.

No, Wade. I cannot in good conscience do that.

 

[erasure fan1]

Its funny to see all the complaining about sequels. Disney released quite a few original animated stuff over the last few years and they all mostly bombed. Elemental being the exception as it somehow found legs after looking like a bomb.

The issue is how many of the new ips they created in the more recent years were actually good? Elemental was good, and found legs. The majority of the original stories were at best just meh. It's hard to judge peoples reception to original ip, when all we've really seen is mediocre to bad for the most part.

Also, good films like Moana deserve sequels. People want more from that "universe". The only problem I have is with another Toy Story. TS5 is an example of going way overboard on sequels.

Of course they do. If there's a story to tell, tell it. Moana in my opinion was done a disservice with it's sequel. It wasn't near up to the quality it should have been. That's the problem with sequels in my opinion. Toy story 4 was terrible and not needed at all. Cars 2 & 3? That was just to sell toys. You could tell they had no real plan for frozen 2. When they make sequels because they have a good story to tell, great! I'm all in. But as you say, Disney can go sequel overboard like you said with toy story. I'm all for a frozen 3 & 4 if they actually have a story to tell. If it feels like a cheap cash grab, people will complain.

 

[Disney Irish]

The issue is how many of the new ips they created in the more recent years were actually good? Elemental was good, and found legs. The majority of the original stories were at best just meh. It's hard to judge peoples reception to original ip, when all we've really seen is mediocre to bad for the most part.

Of course they do. If there's a story to tell, tell it. Moana in my opinion was done a disservice with it's sequel. It wasn't near up to the quality it should have been. That's the problem with sequels in my opinion. Toy story 4 was terrible and not needed at all. Cars 2 & 3? That was just to sell toys. You could tell they had no real plan for frozen 2. When they make sequels because they have a good story to tell, great! I'm all in. But as you say, Disney can go sequel overboard like you said with toy story. I'm all for a frozen 3 & 4 if they actually have a story to tell. If it feels like a cheap cash grab, people will complain.

The problem is that the public eats up the sequels, so Disney is giving the public what they want. Call it a cash grab if you want, but if the public is really only coming out in droves for sequels then what is Disney to do.

So they push out a bunch of sequels to make the cash, and then every couple years they try to push out an original to see if they can build a new franchise, rise and repeat.

 

[TsWade2]

No, Wade. I cannot in good conscience do that.

I give up!

 

[Farerb]

The problem is that the public eats up the sequels, so Disney is giving the public what they want. Call it a cash grab if you want, but if the public is really only coming out in droves for sequels then what is Disney to do.

So they push out a bunch of sequels to make the cash, and then every couple years they try to push out an original to see if they can build a new franchise, rise and repeat.

They should have kept Disneytoons instead of turning Walt Disney Animation Studios into Disneytoons.

 

[erasure fan1]

The problem is that the public eats up the sequels, so Disney is giving the public what they want. Call it a cash grab if you want, but if the public is really only coming out in droves for sequels then what is Disney to do.

I think you missed my point. Sequels aren't a cash grab just because it's a sequel. Yes the public wants sequels, I want sequels as I said in my post. The people, including me, who complain about them do it for a reason. They want good sequels. It becomes a cash grab when the quality is far below the original or it's just made because the toys sell, ie cars 2. If there's a legitimate story to tell, great! I'm all in. But in my opinion, I'd call Moana a cash grab. It's going to make money sure, but it's not been all that well received in my circles. They took a D+ show, chopped it to make a movie knowing it had a great chance to make money. Hence, cash grab.

I don't think the public only wants sequels. People will go out for new ip. We wouldn't have sequels if that wasn't the case. You can't have a sequel if there's no original. What they need to do, is make movies people want to see, quality films. Easier said than done I know. But that's been the problem. The masses haven't wanted to see their new ip for the most part. So the question is do people actually not want new ip? Or do the just not want bad stories? I firmly believe it's they just want good stories.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Disney Got Its Groove Back With ‘Moana 2,’ but Troubled ‘Snow White’ Could Halt the Momentum

The animated sequel marks the fulfilment of a new executive structure and a mandate to avoid the culture wars.

variety.com

 

[TP2000]

Disney Got Its Groove Back With ‘Moana 2,’ but Troubled ‘Snow White’ Could Halt the Momentum

The animated sequel marks the fulfilment of a new executive structure and a mandate to avoid the culture wars.

variety.com

Very interesting article! I'm heartened to think that Burbank finally gets it, and that a full cultural course correct is taking place. It's obvious the world has changed since 2020, even if some folks in LA and NYC don't want to admit it.

As Variety accurately says, they've just got to get beyond Snow White and whatever new mischief Miss Zegler finds herself in during that process. But once they finally, mercifully get beyond Snow White, it should be smooth sailing for Disney again!

Like other companies in the past few years, Disney had to learn that lesson the hard way by losing money and customers.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Very interesting article! I'm heartened to think that Burbank finally gets it, and that a full cultural course correct is taking place. It's obvious the world has changed since 2020, even if some folks in LA and NYC don't want to admit it.

As Variety accurately says, they've just got to get beyond Snow White and whatever new mischief Miss Zegler finds herself in during that process. But once they finally, mercifully get beyond Snow White, it should be smooth sailing for Disney again!

Like other companies in the past few years, Disney had to learn that lesson the hard way by losing money and customers.

The cultural issues are canards, or, at least, obnoxiously inconsistent. Where were the culture warriors in light of Deadpool's pansexuality? That didn't hurt Disney.

 

[TP2000]

The cultural issues are canards, or, at least, obnoxiously inconsistent. Where were the culture warriors in light of Deadpool's pansexuality? That didn't hurt Disney.

Since it was an R Rated movie, and Marvel at that, the culture warriors don't care. Who cares if an R Rated movie has a "pansexual" in it? That actually seems tame for what R Rated can get away with now instead of getting an NC17 rating.

But put a "pansexual" in a PG rated animated movie for children, and Burbank will have problems all over again.

This isn't rocket science. It's basic parenting of 7 year old children.

As for "pansexuals", I have no idea what that might be, without going to Google in a few minutes. Is it a fancy new word for a bisexual? And in my day, a bisexual was just the guy in the bar playing hard to get right before Last Call.

Even before I go to Google, that just proves my hunch that Disney has learned their lesson the hard way and have already course corrected. Good for them! Keep the sexual stuff, pan or otherwise, out of kids movies and all will be fine at the box office.

 

[Disney Irish]

I think you missed my point. Sequels aren't a cash grab just because it's a sequel. Yes the public wants sequels, I want sequels as I said in my post. The people, including me, who complain about them do it for a reason. They want good sequels. It becomes a cash grab when the quality is far below the original or it's just made because the toys sell, ie cars 2. If there's a legitimate story to tell, great! I'm all in. But in my opinion, I'd call Moana a cash grab. It's going to make money sure, but it's not been all that well received in my circles. They took a D+ show, chopped it to make a movie knowing it had a great chance to make money. Hence, cash grab.

I don't think the public only wants sequels. People will go out for new ip. We wouldn't have sequels if that wasn't the case. You can't have a sequel if there's no original. What they need to do, is make movies people want to see, quality films. Easier said than done I know. But that's been the problem. The masses haven't wanted to see their new ip for the most part. So the question is do people actually not want new ip? Or do the just not want bad stories? I firmly believe it's they just want good stories.

How many sequels are up to the same standard as the original? Most fall short of the original, and most if not all never exceed the original.

Also where did I say the public ONLY wants sequels, didn't make that the claim so I think you misunderstood what I meant when I say they eat up sequels.

 

[Disney Irish]

They should have kept Disneytoons instead of turning Walt Disney Animation Studios into Disneytoons.

Disagree, also I'm sorry but story complaints aside I don't see Moana 2 in even the same ballpark as any of the sequels that Disneytoon put out back in the day.