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

[Chi84]

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.

I’m not sure. It should be easier to discern after seeing it.

My theory is that the original is so outdated that doing significant homage to it was difficult.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

I still can't get over that all they had to do was:

1. Cast seven human dwarf actors,
2. Stick as closely to the original animated film as possible, and
3. Not have the lead actress criticize the source material ...

... and this film would have printed money. But nope, they royally screwed it all up.

 

[Chi84]

I still can't get over that all they had to do was:

1. Cast seven human dwarf actors,
2. Stick as closely to the original animated film as possible, and
3. Not have the lead actress criticize the source material ...

... and this film would have printed money. But nope, they royally screwed it all up.

The first would have been difficult; even Martin Klebba acknowledged that in an interview.

The second would have bored everyone to tears.

The third happened largely in people’s imaginations.

 

[Baloo124]

There hasn't been a good live action adaptation of Snow White.

Snow White: A Tale Of Terror with Sigourney Weaver as the wicked queen was surprisingly creepy. I remember way back when I first heard they were combining the Snow White story with horror, and thought it would be a silly cheese fest. How on earth could those two genres mix and actually be good? Was pleasantly surprised with it. Good atmosphere and suspense. Don't mess with magic mirrors.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

These are just some of the posts (most of them by men in their 40s or older) that, to my mind at least, represent a rather extreme reaction to what Zegler said. No film is worth getting that worked up over.

Wait a second ... are you saying men in their 40s (or older!) had opinions?!?! Did anyone tell them that we don't accept opinions from men in their 40s (or older!)?

 

[AdventureHasAName]

The first would have been difficult; even Martin Klebba acknowledged that in an interview.

The second would have bored everyone to tears.

The third happened largely in people’s imaginations.

... it may have bored everyone to tears but it would have printed money and not lost $100+ million.

 

[Chi84]

Wait a second ... are you saying men in their 40s (or older!) had opinions?!?! Did anyone tell them that we don't accept opinions from men in their 40s (or older!)?

That’s what you took away from his post?

 

[Chi84]

... it may have bored everyone to tears but it would have printed money and not lost $100+ million.

If it printed money maybe but not if it relied on money from people actually going to see it.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

That’s what you took away from his post?

Yes, that line gave away the game. It translated to: This laundry list of opinions should be discounted because they are largely offered from old men, and old men are problematic and should be ignored.

 

[Trauma]

I still can't get over that all they had to do was:

1. Cast seven human dwarf actors,
2. Stick as closely to the original animated film as possible, and
3. Not have the lead actress criticize the source material ...

... and this film would have printed money. But nope, they royally screwed it all up.

All they had to do was leave Splash alone.

It seems a certain way of thinking within the company destroys all it touches.

 

[Chi84]

Yes, that line gave away the game. It translated to: This laundry list of opinions should be discounted because they are largely offered from old men, and old men are problematic and should be ignored.

You missed the point by several miles.

 

[TP2000]

The hate campaign started years before she made any comments about the election.

It might just be because I live in the Southwest USA, where a lot of folks are of Hispanic descent, but she looks mostly white to me. She reminds me of a Kardashian (in both looks and 'tude!), who are Armenian and definitely white. And the surname Zegler sounds.... Germanic, maybe Ashkanazi Jewish. It doesn't sound like a name you'd find regularly in El Paso or Mazatlan.

I dunno, I remember when the first kerfuffle came up that the new Snow White wasn't actually white. But in the 2020's, when there are so many mixed race folks now, she certainly appears generally white to me.

Again, perhaps if you were from Duluth, Minnesota and didn't have a lot of Hispanics in your life you'd think differently, but she looks more vampy, pouty Kardashian to me.

But what do I know, I'm out of it, maybe Kardashian is now considered a race and a protected class?

 

[TP2000]

I can't imagine there's much demand for the Thursday "preview" showings versus the weekend.

Thursday crowds I imagine are more for the big established franchises, like Marvel or Star Wars where people really really want to see it first in part because they're more prone to spoilers.

We'll know what the Thursday preview box office was like, and how it compares to previous Disney live action Princess remakes, by Friday afternoon.

Stay tuned!

 

[Farerb]

It might just be because I live in the Southwest USA, where a lot of folks are of Hispanic descent, but she looks mostly white to me. She reminds me of a Kardashian (in both looks and 'tude!), who are Armenian and definitely white. And the surname Zegler sounds.... Germanic Jewish.

I dunno, I remember when the first kerfuffle came up that the new Snow White wasn't actually white. But in the 2020's, when there are so many mixed race folks now, she certainly appears generally white to me.

Again, perhaps if you were from Duluth, Minnesota and didn't have a lot of Hispanics in your life you'd think differently, but she looks more vampy, pouty Kardashian to me.

I remember the other side complained that she was too white to play Maria, the same ones who are complaining about Nani's actress in Lilo and Stitch. They also complained about Naomi Scott in Aladdin.

 

[Agent H]

It might just be because I live in the Southwest USA, where a lot of folks are of Hispanic descent, but she looks mostly white to me. She reminds me of a Kardashian (in both looks and 'tude!), who are Armenian and definitely white. And the surname Zegler sounds.... Germanic Jewish.

I dunno, I remember when the first kerfuffle came up that the new Snow White wasn't actually white. But in the 2020's, when there are so many mixed race folks now, she certainly appears generally white to me.

Again, perhaps if you were from Duluth, Minnesota and didn't have a lot of Hispanics in your life you'd think differently, but she looks more vampy, pouty Kardashian to me.

But what do I know, I'm out of it, maybe Kardashian is now considered a race and a protected class?

Please don’t compare her to a kardashian. They are so annoying.

 

[TP2000]

I remember the other side complained that she was too white to play Maria, the same ones who are complaining about Nani's actress in Lilo and Stitch. They also complained about Naomi Scott in Aladdin.

Yeah, I can see the point, she doesn't look quite Puerto Rican either. Certainly not a circa 1960 First Generation Puerto Rican immigrant a la' West Side Story.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but... the poor girl, she's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't.

Random Late Nite Hot Take: The Supremes have perhaps the best cover ever recorded of "Somewhere There's A Place For Us". Look it up if you're a West Side Story fan!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

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.


Good quote! Who said that?


No one sane wants her to face harassment or danger.

Show me the quotes, or that’s all made up in your head.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

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.

Uh, spoiler alert.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

To state—calmly and in a manner befitting an adult—“I think her comments on the original movie are totally off base” before elaborating on why.


Here are some direct quotations from this forum:

“She's never been put in her place or had anyone teach her respect.”

“People may be political about a snotty starlet who dissed the source material at company-sponsored media events.”

“What audiences and fans will not accept is outright contempt for the original. That contempt oozes out of everything that has emerged from her.”

“Yea, what part of you don’t crap in the same exact spots you eat and sleep doesn’t this twit understand…?!?!?!”

“Before Disney sends Rachel Zegler out on the talk show circuit this winter, they need to give her media relations lessons from Halle Bailey. If not just perform a personality transplant.”

“On the other hand, ‘It’s not 1937 anymore’ is a direct attack on the original film (and the people who love it).”

“Rachel Zegler said nothing new or bold or insightful. It's all so stale and predictable now. But somehow, and this is the magic of it all, she comes across to many as being this unlikable person. A real snot.”

“Because she's a snotty young person who just crapped on previous generations of artists who were far more accomplished than she is.”

These are just some of the posts (most of them by men in their 40s or older) that, to my mind at least, represent a rather extreme reaction to what Zegler said. No film is worth getting that worked up over.

ETA: And yes, I will acknowledge that I myself was perhaps guilty of a bit of hyperbole in my earlier post. Only a small number of posters here have said things that are truly unhinged. But many have reacted in a manner that I consider disproportionate and/or unseemly.

It was not hyperbole. The world doesn’t end outside this site.

Far worse things are being said on much bigger sites (FB, Insta, etc.) Your opinion that the reaction has been disproportionate is evidenced many times over.

 

[Tha Realest]

I still can't get over that all they had to do was:

1. Cast seven human dwarf actors,

You can thank corporate overreaction to Very Loud Voices on the internet for that. Maybe there’s less hypersensitivity to such things now.

2. Stick as closely to the original animated film as possible, and

One of the recurring themes in these reviews is how disjointed the CGI dwarves are. Did this film begin as a deconstruction of the film, and the reshoots (and CGI) over correct to make this more conventional take?

3. Not have the lead actress criticize the source material ...

We’ll see how she does when she promotes those future appearances in all those MCU projects. Those are sure to be announced/confirmed any day now, right? As well as the new Disney Phantom of the Opera series?

Such an announcement would juice the marketing for this film and not give the impression they’re letting her twist in the wind on this project and want to remain in the Rachel Zegler business.

... and this film would have printed money. But nope, they royally screwed it all up.