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

[Tha Realest]

This is similar to the UK London premiere that got moved to Spain. They are doing this to ensure the safety of the people involved with the movie and who will be attending the premiere, ie to avoid any public backlash which could ruin the premiere.

Source?

 

[Tha Realest]

What "safety" issues would be involved? Movie premieres, especially in Hollywood, are already tightly controlled with blocked streets, notable police presence, invite-only list for the event, security screening for attendees and red carpet, etc.

For those not from SoCal, here's the typical premiere setup for Disney's El Capitan theater on Hollywood Blvd. The street gets shut down, police patrol on foot and incognito, and to enter the event envelope (i.e. the El Capitan theater and its nearby sidewalks/street) you need an invite and to go through a screening process.

I’m not sure where this public safety concern is coming from all of a sudden. Zegler just finished a run on Broadway which has far less stringent protections for their productions than a major movie premiere.

What is her next project, incidentally?

 

[Ghost93]

I don't think there are any safety concerns for Zegler or Gadot as much as there is concern that the two lead actresses aren't the most PR savvy and Disney knows that reporters will likely try to stir the pot and get them to say something that will lead to a viral moment and ignite even more backlash against the film. Disney doesn't want Israel/Palestine, the depiction of dwarves, Zegler's political views or how the 1937 movie isn't progressive enough to become talking points in the final days of the promotion of the movie. I think it's already too late to do damage control, but I understand Disney not wanting to fan the flames of controversy even further.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I don't think there are any safety concerns for Zegler or Gadot as much as there is concern that the two lead actresses aren't the most PR savvy and Disney knows that reporters will likely try to stir the pot and get them to say something that will lead to a viral moment and ignite even more backlash against the film. Disney doesn't want Israel/Palestine, the depiction of dwarves, Zegler's political views or how the 1937 movie isn't progressive enough to become talking points in the final days of the promotion of the movie. I think it's already too late to do damage control, but I understand Disney not wanting to fan the flames of controversy even further.

100% agree but saying you’re doing it because you don’t trust your actors mouths makes for a terrible press release, doing it for “safety” provides cover.

I’m surprised they didn’t use the generic “out of an abundance of caution” response…

 

[MisterPenguin]

I’m not sure where this public safety concern is coming from all of a sudden. Zegler just finished a run on Broadway which has far less stringent protections for their productions than a major movie premiere.

It's more about Gal's controversy. Which involves taking a side in a lethal conflict. The anger and possible resort to violence is many magnitudes more of a danger for Gal than for the other actress's remarks whose perceived problem is that she sounds 'woke.'

 

[TP2000]

I’m not sure where this public safety concern is coming from all of a sudden. Zegler just finished a run on Broadway which has far less stringent protections for their productions than a major movie premiere.

Me either. About 5 or 6 years ago pre-Covid, on a number of occasions, I tried to get to stuff on Hollywood Blvd. and was re-routed or denied access to the street because of a movie premiere at the El Capitan, with LAPD and private security screening all over the place.

Off the top of my head, I can remember a visit to Musso & Frank's with a few friends in the car where an El Cap movie premiere denied us street access to Hollywood Blvd. itself, and then denied us access to even the sidewalk when we decided to park south of Hollywood Blvd. and walk up a few blocks to the restaurant. A very handsome, um.... polite LA Policeman directed us to a back way down a rather seedy alley, which made for all sorts of R Rated jokes when we finally made it to the dinner table.

And around 2019 I tried to get to the Japan House exhibit at the Hollywood & Highland center, and was again denied sidewalk access to Hollywood Blvd. due to a premiere at the El Capitan. And getting into the parking garage was a nightmare.

And during big premieres at the El Cap or Grauman's Chinese or the Egyptian Theater or big events like the Oscars, the area within a 3 block radius of the El Capitan and Dolby Theater and Hollywood & Highland is locked down tighter than the White House on Inauguration Day. Street closures, heavy security both seen and unseen, and pre-screened audiences and invite-only attendees are the rule for even minor movies, and it's been that way for decades now.

I don't think there are any safety concerns for Zegler or Gadot as much as there is concern that the two lead actresses aren't the most PR savvy and Disney knows that reporters will likely try to stir the pot and get them to say something that will lead to a viral moment and ignite even more backlash against the film.

Ah ha! I think you just hit the nail on the head. That's probably it; a fear of the two starlets being... themselves.

It's more about Gal's controversy. Which involves taking a side in a lethal conflict.

Is that what we're calling war now? "A lethal conflict"? Seems easier to just call it what it is, which is a war.

The anger and possible resort to violence is many magnitudes more of a danger for Gal than for the other actress's remarks whose perceived problem is that she sounds 'woke.'

I would agree. Knowing the types of protests and the types of protesters who would potentially violently disagree with Ms. Gadot, my fear is that something would happen to her rather than anything happening to Miss Zegler.

If anything, I hope Miss Zegler takes a few moments to really speak her mind at the premiere! We need some laughs.

But again, knowing how tight police and security and overall screening is for movie premieres at the El Capitan and how there's an entire SoCal industry used to secure those events, I'm not truly concerned.

I imagine the biggest worry in Burbank right now is how they can keep Miss Zegler quiet for just two more weeks!

 

[Tha Realest]

I imagine the biggest worry in Burbank right now is how they can keep Miss Zegler quiet for just two more weeks!

They’re not keeping her quiet! They’re sending her to Spain…the fourth largest media market in Western Europe

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They’re not keeping her quiet! They’re sending her to Spain…the fourth largest media market in Western Europe

It’s because Spain has more stringent dwarf protection laws?

 

[Disney Irish]

Source?

Source for what? That they are moving the UK Premiere to Spain, that is known and discussed several pages ago with articles posted.

As for the speculation regarding safety as being a reason (note I said a reason never said it was the only reason), that is something that is obvious considering the topics both lead actresses find themselves tied to and the potential violence that follows it.

 

[Disney Irish]

They’re not keeping her quiet! They’re sending her to Spain…the fourth largest media market in Western Europe

And you don't think Disney is going to limit media access during her visit to Spain for that Premiere? I'm sure she has a PR escort also with her.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

Yes, apparently from the loony-tunes who get all worked up by the YouTube ragers.

You actually believe that? When was the last violent movie premiere?

 

[CaptJackSparrow]

As for the speculation regarding safety as being a reason (note I said a reason never said it was the only reason), that is something that is obvious considering the topics both lead actresses find themselves tied to and the potential violence that follows it.

Is there any source for this speculation? Or are you the source?

 

[Disney Irish]

Is there any source for this speculation? Or are you the source?

I’m not going to get into the specifics as it gets into topics we’re not to talk about on this site, but there is plenty evidence to indicate the speculation being founded. All one has to do and look surrounding incidents in recent years regarding a topic both actresses are involved in, especially incidents involving movies one was screening.

So it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to read between the lines of Disney wanting to “prevent more backlash” as also including safety as one of the reasons.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I’m not going to get into the specifics as it gets into topics we’re not to talk about on this site, but there is plenty evidence to indicate the speculation being founded. All one has to do and look surrounding incidents in recent years regarding a topic both actresses are involved in, especially incidents involving movies one was screening.

So it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to read between the lines of Disney wanting to “prevent more backlash” as also including safety as one of the reasons.

…so chalk another one up to the rage network, huh?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

You actually believe that? When was the last violent movie premiere?

That’s become the new “vast anti-Disney conspiracy” whenever they lay an egg

 

[Disney Irish]

…so chalk another one up to the rage network, huh?

Actually no, nothing to do with anti-Disney. If you’re not aware of other topics involved here you haven’t been paying attention.

Not everything is Disney related.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Actually no, nothing to do with anti-Disney. If you’re not aware of other topics involved here you haven’t been paying attention.

Not everything is Disney related.

…ummmmm…didn’t I stumble over to NPR this morning?

 

[Tha Realest]

As for the speculation regarding safety as being a reason (note I said a reason never said it was the only reason), that is something that is obvious considering the topics both lead actresses find themselves tied to and the potential violence that follows it.

I’m glad you at least concede this is speculative on your part. None of the articles I’ve read have said the safety of the actors was a factor; rather, the pared back media events have been to mitigate the self-destructive PR tendencies of the leads (though, notably, they had no problem putting Gadot on GMA while Zegler is doing meet and greets with small groups of fans in Tokyo).

 

[CaptJackSparrow]

I’m not going to get into the specifics as it gets into topics we’re not to talk about on this site, but there is plenty evidence to indicate the speculation being founded. All one has to do and look surrounding incidents in recent years regarding a topic both actresses are involved in, especially incidents involving movies one was screening.

So it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to read between the lines of Disney wanting to “prevent more backlash” as also including safety as one of the reasons.

I tried searching the internet to see if I could find any mention of safety being a concern, and I couldn’t.

What I did find was that Disney was simply scaling back the amount of press allowed to be there and engage with the titular stars. So unless you think a news outlet was going to cause some sort of danger, I’m not sure where you are going with this line of thinking.

 

[Disney Irish]

I’m glad you at least concede this is speculative on your part. None of the articles I’ve read have said the safety of the actors was a factor; rather, the pared back media events have been to mitigate the self-destructive PR tendencies of the leads (though, notably, they had no problem putting Gadot on GMA while Zegler is doing meet and greets with small groups of fans in Tokyo).

None of the articles actually outright identify Disney's reason for changing either premiere (UK or US Hollywood), just they were doing it to prevent additional backlash. Any article I've seen from any media outlet puts their own speculation on the matter, but none that are confirmed by Disney themselves. So speculation is all around this whole ordeal.

Also I've already said PR was a factor -

Plus its also to limit the exposure to press as to minimize any questions that Disney doesn't want asked.

I tried searching the internet to see if I could find any mention of safety being a concern, and I couldn’t.

What I did find was that Disney was simply scaling back the amount of press allowed to be there and engage with the titular stars. So unless you think a news outlet was going to cause some sort of danger, I’m not sure where you are going with this line of thinking.

You're looking for a press release or something or some media report of such, that is not happening. I've already provided clues on what I'm talking about without directly saying it.