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

[LittleBuford]

You know, as someone who found her comments somewhat angering, it really doesn't have anything to do with her. Her comments making fun of the original film and saying how little she valued it pushed my buttons. Why? Because, as Iger informed us, the modern Walt Disney Company exists to be in the IP "mining" business. Iger/Chapek's Walt Disney Company is possibly too risk averse, lacking in creativity, or too incompetent to create new stories. Fine. If they want to cynically continue to go on "mining" IP it's their right as the owners of the business. The only thing audiences expected in return was for The Walt Disney Company to treat the intellectual property with respect.

In a way, Zegler's flippant comments seemed to show Disney couldn't even bother to do that bare minimum. They couldn't be bothered to pretend that they respected the original artists who created the very thing they were about to cynically exploit. And it was not only the original artists that were being exploited, no, it was the legions of fans who had grown to love it.

If you're going to cynically do some IP "mining," I expect you to put in that minimum effort.

I didn’t take Zegler to be speaking for Disney. I’m sure they didn’t welcome her remarks.

With one or two exceptions, I’m no fan of the remakes, but I don’t believe any of them reflects disrespect for the originals.

 

[Farerb]

There hasn't been a good live action adaptation of Snow White. It's interesting to note that live action adaptations of Cinderella have been more successful.

 

[Chi84]

I didn’t take Zegler to be speaking for Disney. I’m sure they didn’t welcome her remarks.

With one or two exceptions, I’m no fan of the remakes, but I don’t believe any of them reflects disrespect for the originals.

And now we will be able to see the movie to judge for ourselves whether Zegler’s remarks accurately represented how it differed from the original.

 

[Farerb]

And now we will be able to see the movie to judge for ourselves whether Zegler’s remarks accurately represented how it differed from the original.

I read some of the reviews:

Spoiler

They keep the TLK part but they all believe Disney decided to add that in reshoots.

 

[Chi84]

I read some of the reviews:

Spoiler

They keep the TLK part but they all believe Disney decided to add that in reshoots.

Was there anything she said that contradicted how the movie was described in the reviews?

 

[WorldExplorer]

There hasn't been a good live action adaptation of Snow White. It's interesting to note that live action adaptations of Cinderella have been more successful.

Mirror Mirror wasn't terrible. It had the moments of seemingly-required, obnoxious "look how subversive we think we're being!" crud but other than that it was fun.

 

[Farerb]

Was there anything she said that contradicted how the movie was described in the reviews?

Both Rachel and Gal said in early interviews at D23 2022 that she wasn't going to be saved by the prince. I guess it's kind of still true cause the guy isn't a prince anymore.

 

[Chi84]

Both Rachel and Gal said in early interviews at D23 2022 that she wasn't going to be saved by the prince.

Was she saved by the prince? I haven’t read all of the reviews but I thought they changed the love interest.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Love this ad, I'm starting to think Lilo and Stitch could be the first billion dollar movie of the year.

 

[Agent H]

I read some of the reviews:

Spoiler

They keep the TLK part but they all believe Disney decided to add that in reshoots.

was there ever any doubt? I know they went on and on about how this movie would have a better love story but I couldn’t have imagined they would have removed that part.

 

[Farerb]

Was she saved by the prince?

Spoiler

If they guy kisses her to wake her up then yes. The only difference is that he isn't a prince.

 

[WoundedDreamer]

I didn’t take Zegler to be speaking for Disney. I’m sure they didn’t welcome her remarks.

With one or two exceptions, I’m no fan of the remakes, but I don’t believe any of them reflects disrespect for the originals.

Zegler was at a Disney event, speaking to Disney approved media, hyping her Disney movie project. A lead actress selling a film is definitionally speaking for Disney. One of the jobs of leading in a major movie is selling that major movie. The fact that Disney did not prepare her for these questions is nuts. Disney owns every part of a film. Its conceptual stage, filming, and ultimate release including media tours. That is all part of what it means to be a Hollywood star and a Hollywood studio.

It's possible that Zegler's views really were isolated and just her own. Perhaps everyone working on the modern Snow White adaptation, except Zegler, loves Snow White and appreciates the legacy they were dealing with. I find that unlikely though. Her making fun of the original signaled a deeper contempt that seemed to hang over the project.

Bob Iger's Disney raises prices at the theme parks while not even delivering functioning effects in return. I was just at Walt Disney World and Cosmic Rewind was the only E-Ticket in full working order. Every other E-Ticket is either desperately in need of refurbishment or had key effects broken. Charging what they do while not delivering on the basics signals contempt to me. Why shouldn't Disney have the same contempt for their cinema goers as well?

 

[Farerb]

was there ever any doubt? I know they went on and on about how this movie would have a better love story but I couldn’t have imagined they would have removed that part.

Spoiler

I read some theories that they might reverse the roles, meaning the guy is going to fall asleep and Snow White would wake him up.
Another theory was that she was going to lose her will to be a leader.
If they managed to change it for Maleficent, there was no reason to think they couldn't change it here.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

There hasn't been a good live action adaptation of Snow White. It's interesting to note that live action adaptations of Cinderella have been more successful.

Not a retelling of the original story but I loved how complex they made her in Once Upon a Time, she was strong, weak, vulnerable, uplifting, troubled, angry, even diabolical at times... and they still managed to keep true love as the most powerful thing in the world.

I wish they'd utilize D+ more for original things like Once Upon a Time, I love when they take familiar characters and place them in new situations or simply tell a different side of the story, probably why Cruella is still my favorite remake by far, it was a completely new story yet felt familiar.

 

[Chi84]

Spoiler

If they guy kisses her to wake her up then yes. The only difference is that he isn't a prince.

We can’t discuss it but what I read is significantly different and would support what she and Gal said.

 

[Farerb]

Not a retelling of the original story but I loved how complex they made her in Once Upon a Time, she was strong, weak, vulnerable, uplifting, troubled, angry, even diabolical at times... and they still managed to keep true love as the most powerful thing in the world.

I wish they'd utilize D+ more for original things like Once Upon a Time, I love when they take familiar characters and place them in new situations or simply tell a different side of the story, probably why Cruella is still my favorite remake by far, it was a completely new story yet felt familiar.

I agree. I also liked Once Upon a Time (before it became crap midway). Ginnifer Goodwin and Lana Parilla were great as Snow White and the Evil Queen.

 

[Figments Friend]

Film review: Disney's Snow White has a major 'identity crisis'

With its creepy CGI dwarfs and muddled tone, Disney's latest live-action remake is "not calamitous" but is a "a mind-boggling mash-up".

www.bbc.com

Fair film review for ‘Snow White’.
Two films for the price of one….interesting take.

-

 

[WoundedDreamer]

Film review: Disney's Snow White has a major 'identity crisis'

With its creepy CGI dwarfs and muddled tone, Disney's latest live-action remake is "not calamitous" but is a "a mind-boggling mash-up".

www.bbc.com

Fair film review for ‘Snow White’.
Two films for the price of one….interesting take.

-

Thanks for sharing! That was both an informing and a pretty funny review! I wonder if that split personality points to the reshoots... If nothing else, I think I'm going to need look out for more of Barber's reviews. Good writing is a reminder of how terrible a writer I am. It's pleasant to read something that makes you smile and keeps you engaged.

 

[Farerb]

Film review: Disney's Snow White has a major 'identity crisis'

With its creepy CGI dwarfs and muddled tone, Disney's latest live-action remake is "not calamitous" but is a "a mind-boggling mash-up".

www.bbc.com

Fair film review for ‘Snow White’.
Two films for the price of one….interesting take.

-

Pretty sure the reason it feels like two different movies combined into one is because it originally was supposed to be the "Marxist/Communist Manifesto" that they are describing and then changed it / added some of the "old time fairytale" elements back after the backlash. That's my theory at least.

 

[Farerb]

Pretty sure the reason it feels like two different movies combined into one is because it originally was supposed to be the "Marxist/Communist Manifesto" that they are describing and then changed it / added some of the "old time fairytale" elements back after the backlash. That's my theory at least.

Wanted to add to my post is that now that I'm thinking about it, that's exactly what Wish was and I remember back then when news were coming out about the Snow White remake that I thought it was exactly like Wish. Maybe Wish flopping also gave them a fright. The announcement of the year long delay came right after Wish flopped.