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

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It was my intent to give a direct response to a direct post. It would be a very tedious thread if every comment had to incorporate the entire discussion preceding it.

Right…which is the same reason I only commented on that one post of yours

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I love that scene!

Agreed…it’s one of the best scenes in the OG

 

[Agent H]

I love that scene!

I don’t love it but I don’t understand what’s wrong with it either.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think this highlights just an overall issue with the industry as a whole, there is so much content that it becomes hard to remember everything that has been released, not to mention rewatchability of any or all of it.

Is the rest of the “industry” doing repetitive live action retakes of cartoons?

I think not everything can be labeled as “THEY ALL DO IT!!”

 

[Agent H]

Is the rest of the “industry” doing repetitive live action retakes of cartoons?

I think not everything can be labeled as “THEY ALL DO IT!!”

Universal is.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Universal is.

I count 1…

…I’m im kinda down with that

I won’t be as kind if they get to 20

 

[Agent H]

I count 1…

…I’m im kinda down with that

I won’t be as kind if they get to 20

Well if how to train your dragon is a success expect more. A lot more.

 

[brideck]

Is the rest of the “industry” doing repetitive live action retakes of cartoons?

I think not everything can be labeled as “THEY ALL DO IT!!”

I read Irish's comment as a general statement about the glut of content, much of which has no features that make it particularly memorable. e.g. Quick! Tell me something about the Netflix movie of the week from 4 years ago!

[I Care a Lot, for those wondering what the NF MotW 4 years ago was.]

 

[Disney Irish]

Is the rest of the “industry” doing repetitive live action retakes of cartoons?

I think not everything can be labeled as “THEY ALL DO IT!!”

I know you like to make everything we discuss being exclusively a Disney problem, but this isn't isolated to just the remakes or even Disney. Consumers have access to more content than any time in the history of media, and a lot of it is very forgettable shortly after its been consumed. The average human brain doesn't have the capacity to remember all the content released today let alone what released 5-6 years ago. Disney with the remakes tries to rely on nostalgia to cut through all the noise, but even that is getting drowned out as we can see.

Also as has been pointed out, as Disney has been mostly successful with the remakes other studios are now trying to replicate that with their properties, "How to Train Your Dragon" is Uni's latest attempt to replicate the same thing Disney has done for years. So it ain't going anywhere, because if that works then expect Disney to continue with theirs at least in some capacity.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

I couldn’t disagree more. And I’m not sure why Disney would want to do it.

If they were both the same, why would a live action version make a ton of money?

Because people like what people like. The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast both grossed $500 million domestic. The Lion King made took in $1.6 billion world wide on a $260 million production cost and BatB grossed $1.2 billion costing $160 million to make. And I'm certainly not an expert on the remakes, but as best I can tell, these two stuck the closest to their originals.

The purpose of these films (and the whole company) is to make money.

 

[Disney Irish]

Because people like what people like. The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast both grossed $500 million domestic. The Lion King made took in $1.6 billion world wide on a $260 million production cost and BatB grossed $1.2 billion costing $160 million to make. And I'm certainly not an expert on the remakes, but as best I can tell, these two stuck the closest to their originals.

The purpose of these films (and the whole company) is to make money.

That is a factor yes, but you have to look beyond just the monetary part for these individual films. The idea with these remakes is not to just make X amount on remake movie Y, its to introduce and in some cases reinvent a franchise for a new generation. The original movie is still there for those that enjoy it, but it doesn't have the same nostalgia factor for new generations coming up today that are sometimes 30+ years removed from the source. Because if you can get a next generations hooked on the remake that becomes the nostalgia that fuels revenue for decades to come way beyond what an individual film can bring in.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I know you like to make everything we discuss being exclusively a Disney problem, but this isn't isolated to just the remakes or even Disney. Consumers have access to more content than any time in the history of media, and a lot of it is very forgettable shortly after its been consumed. The average human brain doesn't have the capacity to remember all the content released today let alone what released 5-6 years ago. Disney with the remakes tries to rely on nostalgia to cut through all the noise, but even that is getting drowned out as we can see.

Also as has been pointed out, as Disney has been mostly successful with the remakes other studios are now trying to replicate that with their properties, "How to Train Your Dragon" is Uni's latest attempt to replicate the same thing Disney has done for years. So it ain't going anywhere, because if that works then expect Disney to continue with theirs at least in some capacity.

I would cease making it “about disney” if about 5 cherished posters wouldn’t splain away every mistake or questionable judgment on their part…
…there’s no “loyalty test” here

 

[Disney Irish]

I would cease making it “about disney” if about 5 cherished posters wouldn’t splain away every mistake or questionable judgment on their part…
…there’s no “loyalty test” here

And no one is going to take your charter membership card to the "Iger must go" club if you didn't make every post about Disney.

But getting back on topic, if Disney hasn't been successful with the remakes then why are other Studios (primarily arguably their top rival) starting to do the same thing? So its clearly working even if we as "fans" may not like them.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

That is a factor yes, but you have to look beyond just the monetary part for these individual films. The idea with these remakes is not to just make X amount on remake movie Y, its to introduce and in some cases reinvent a franchise for a new generation. The original movie is still there for those that enjoy it, but it doesn't have the same nostalgia factor for new generations coming up today that are sometimes 30+ years removed from the source. Because if you can get a next generations hooked on the remake that becomes the nostalgia that fuels revenue for decades to come way beyond what an individual film can bring in.

QUESTION: How do you "introduce a franchise for a new generation" and "get the next generation hooked on the remake"?

ANSWER: You get the next generation to actually watch the film.

QUESTION: How do you know how much of the next generation has watched the remake?

ANSWER: The best way to tell is how many tickets were purchased.

QUESTION: Which remakes sold the most amount of tickets (and made the most money in relation to their production costs)?

ANSWER: The ones that stuck the closest to the original films and made minimal changes.

 

[Disney Irish]

QUESTION: How do you "introduce a franchise for a new generation" and "get the next generation hooked on the remake"?

ANSWER: You get the next generation to actually watch the film.

QUESTION: How do you know how much of the next generation has watched the remake?

ANSWER: The best way to tell is how many tickets were purchased.

QUESTION: Which remakes sold the most amount of tickets (and made the most money in relation to their production costs)?

ANSWER: The ones that stuck the closest to the original films and made minimal changes.

That is your take on it, but that is not the only or even ultimate answer. As not everything can get shot for shot remakes for a variety of reasons, least of which being the common response given by many here "If its a shot for shot remake why do you need it in the first place".

 

[Chi84]

QUESTION: How do you "introduce a franchise for a new generation" and "get the next generation hooked on the remake"?

ANSWER: You get the next generation to actually watch the film.

Good luck with the original Snow White lol.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

Good luck with the original Snow White lol.

Well, the company has certainly chosen to go a different way. Let's see how it works out for them and then we'll be able to tell if my recommendation was better than their plan.

DIFFICULTY: I have yet to make a decision on behalf of the WDC that has cost them 100+ million dollars.

 

[Disney Irish]

Well, the company has certainly chosen to go a different way. Let's see how it works out for them and then we'll be able to tell if my recommendation was better than their plan.

DIFFICULTY: I have yet to make a decision on behalf of the WDC that has cost them 100+ million dollars.

Well since none of us here are seemingly in a decision making position within TWDC, we're all just armchair quarterbacking without any real skin in the game. So its easy to just sit back and snipe from the cheap seats, its a lot harder to be in the game actually making the calls.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

Well since none of us here are seemingly in a decision making position within TWDC, we're all just armchair quarterbacking without any real skin in the game. So its easy to just sit back and snipe from the cheap seats, its a lot harder to be in the game actually making the calls.

It's really easy to snipe when they make decisions like replacing Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with Snow White and the Seven Magical Creatures. Or turning Snow White into a resistance fighter.

 

[Chi84]

Well, the company has certainly chosen to go a different way. Let's see how it works out for them and then we'll be able to tell if my recommendation was better than their plan.

DIFFICULTY: I have yet to make a decision on behalf of the WDC that has cost them 100+ million dollars.

How many decisions have you made on behalf of the WDC?

My recommendation would have been not to remake Snow White at all. The material is too outdated and slow-moving for a frame for frame remake and it’s just too old for anyone to be clamoring for any kind of remake.