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

[Disney Irish]

Shareholders care about profitability of the firm. The shareholders that ask questions at annual meetings are generally small retail investor "super fans." They tend to be more interested in the company's content than the company's performance. The actual number of retail investors who are in this group is comparatively tiny. The vast majority of shareholders (including institutions, pensions, hedge funds) are very concerned with the profitability of The Walt Disney Company. That includes box office grosses.

The Walt Disney Company has more than ten studio releases due in 2025. Because of this diversification, Disney is well positioned to handle individual poor performing films. However, multiple movies underperforming in a year can absolutely impact overall profitability and performance. Each film does matter, but the impact is blunted by diversification.

@Disstevefan1 is presenting a reasonable strategy for dealing with the shifting media landscape. By reducing budgets, Disney can accept lower box office grosses while turning handsome profits. The only complication are audiences expectations. While audiences accept films that are less flashy? The other way to reduce budgets is to have projects more fleshed out when they are approved. That could reduce expensive reshoots, though that might hamper the creative team's ability to adjust to the film as it's realized. It's tricky business.

Assumptions are being made there however. If it was such an issue it would be brought up during earnings calls or shareholder meetings.

As an example, the no good very bad year of 2023 when very few movie made money and many were over budget there was not one single question about movie budgets.

It makes a nice headline and something we discuss about here, but very few if any major shareholder cares if a movie is over budget, just if the overall division is making money.

As far as strategy goes, ALL of us here have discussed the need for Disney to bring down budgets. So this is not some revolutionary stance that is being taken here. So lets put this into perspective.

 

[Agent H]

Snow White's journey symbolizes a coming of age. A little girl becoming a woman. Eating the apple is the loss of innocence we experience as we grow up, but also the entire scenery with Snow White evokes life while the Queen evokes death and decay, hence why when she eats the apple the entire atmosphere changes from sunny to raining, as if the world died with her, and the power of true love is what wakes Snow but also brings life to the world again.

Sorry deleted my original post by accident. Anyway that’s an interesting way of looking at it but I don’t see why that would majorly the view of someone who thinks that the end of the movie is “weird” I don’t even share that view myself but a good amount of people do.

 

[DKampy]

and ended Zeigler's career as a leading lady).

I doubt any career is over for Zegler… by most accounts she was not the issue with the movie, but was the highlight

 

[Phroobar]

I gotta give this one to you.
Fact is, the only stock in my portfolio in the green at the moment is Disney.

And the fact is, the reason I keep Disney is because I am a fan of the company even though I disagree a lot with what they do at WDW and in the movies.

I do think Disney is too big to fail.

It's not too big to be corporate raided.

• Wendy Darling: And what's so terribly important about your terribly important business?
• Jack: Well, you see, when a big company's in trouble, Dad sails in, and if there's *any* resistance...
• Peter Banning: Well, he's exaggerating. I'm still into mergers and acquisitions. And I'm dabbling in some land development.
• Jack: Any resistance - and he *blows* them out of the water.
• Wendy Darling: So, Peter, you've become a pirate.

 

[Farerb]

Sorry deleted my original post by accident. Anyway that’s an interesting way of looking at it but I don’t see why that would majorly the view of someone who thinks that the end of the movie is “weird” I don’t even share that view myself but a good amount of people do.

No one thought that it was like that 20 years ago. It only started in the early 2010s when shallow faux feminist buzzfeed articles decided to have a vendetta against the Princess films, all of them including Beauty and the Beast and Mulan, and that only happened because of the popularization of the Princess franchise in the early 2000s and the Shrek films crapping on Disney. No one thought that it was off that Barbara Streisand sang "Someday My Prince Will Come" and no one thought that the idea of true love (even if unrealistic) was terrible. People have become more cynical. Guys gets to enjoy their fantasies without people picking them apart, why not women?, hence why there's a severe lack of romcoms and chick flick. Hollywood rarely makes fun movies for women anymore.

 

[Trauma]

I gotta give this one to you.
Fact is, the only stock in my portfolio in the green at the moment is Disney.

And the fact is, the reason I keep Disney is because I am a fan of the company even though I disagree a lot with what they do at WDW and in the movies.

I do think Disney is too big to fail.

It’s impressive to be green on Disney.

The stock is basically where it was 10 years ago.

 

[Chi84]

It only started in the early 2010s when shallow faux feminist buzzfeed articles decided to have a vendetta against the Princess films

What?! Where was I when this happened? I've always loved all the princess films including live remakes.

Maybe I wasn't reading the same articles. It's possible you're giving them way too much credit.

Hollywood doesn't make fun movies for women? Where are you getting all of this?

 

[AdventureHasAName]

Do you know what a non-disclosure clause is? Your statement makes no sense.

Yes, it's a clause that prohibits one or more parties from revealing certain information.

 

[Farerb]

What?! Where was I when this happened? I've always loved all the princess films including live remakes.

Maybe I wasn't reading the same articles. It's possible you're giving them way too much credit.

Not just articles, even YouTube videos. It was extremely trendy back then:

 

[Chi84]

Yes, it's a clause that prohibits one or more parties from revealing certain information.

Right, but it's a confidentiality agreement. If Disney puts an actor in front of the press and tells her to answer questions about the movie, any confidentiality is waived. And that's only the first reason a non-disclosure agreement makes no sense here.

 

[Chi84]

Not just articles, even YouTube videos. It was extremely trendy back then:

Good lord what kind of crap do you watch?!

Do you believe there is anything in any way, shape or form that is feminist about that, faux or otherwise? I'll admit I had to turn the sound off about halfway.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

I doubt any career is over for Zegler… by most accounts she was not the issue with the movie, but was the highlight

Studios aren't going to hire her if they think she could tank the entire film during a press junket.

 

[Disney Irish]

No one thought that it was like that 20 years ago. It only started in the early 2010s when shallow faux feminist buzzfeed articles decided to have a vendetta against the Princess films, all of them including Beauty and the Beast and Mulan, and that only happened because of the popularization of the Princess franchise in the early 2000s and the Shrek films crapping on Disney. No one thought that it was off that Barbara Streisand sang "Someday My Prince Will Come" and no one thought that the idea of true love (even if unrealistic) was terrible. People have become more cynical. Guys gets to enjoy their fantasies without people picking them apart, why not women?, hence why there's a severe lack of romcoms and chick flick. Hollywood rarely makes fun movies for women anymore.

I think you missed the point of those articles if you indeed read them. The passive "damsel in distress princess needs rescue" trope is what was being discussed, and its not a vendetta, its was to say that these characters don't have to be one dimensional and need to be saved all the time, they can have more agency. And Disney themselves tried to move away from using this type of princess trope way before the 2010s. Its why you started to see Mulan, Belle, Rapunzel and many other strong female princess characters emerge.

Society and times changes, and so does views on old tropes that are no longer popular.

 

[Disstevefan1]

It’s impressive to be green on Disney.

The stock is basically where it was 10 years ago.

I got in last year when it was lower. I don't have enough to make any difference in my life, its just ironic its the only one that is in the green.

 

[WorldExplorer]

I don’t know? Ask my wife. Why do many women love that scene? What makes it so iconic?

People dueting is romantic. Being serenaded is romantic. Snow White is embarrassed by her rags, but despite him being a prince he doesn't care she's wearing rags: it's sweet (note the Queen specifically put her in those to try and make her ugly). She sends a dove to kiss him: it's sweet. She sings his song to herself later: she's thinking about him, she liked the encounter, it's sweet.

Wouldn't it be nice if life was so simple: you look at someone and know immediately you would spend a happy life together? Wouldn't it be great if you also happened to both be royalty and good looking with excellent singing voices? Yes it would be!

It's a fantasy. It's escapism. Many women are adults who understand what a fantasy and escapism is. We can understand that Snow White was made during a time before we became obsessed with over explaining everything and we can understand the sweetness and romanticism of the scene without being aware that prior to this they had three dates and the first was kinda awkward but now they're feeling pretty good about this whole thing, not ready to move in quite yet though.


But hey, anyone who thinks the Prince is a flat character, good news: Walt Disney agreed. There's tons of cut content for this character left on the cutting floor (seemingly all after the initial meet) because the movie was notoriously troubled and they felt he was the hardest to animate. You would think this would be the time to dive into the archives and use the material already made up for them; it even included him being captured and accidentally screwing up his attempt to rescue Snow White because he can't do something she can (understand the animals).

But no. Flynn Rider knock off. What did that Walt guy know, anyway?

 

[Farerb]

I think you missed the point of the articles if you indeed read them. The passive "damsel in distress princess needs rescue" trope is what was being discussed, and its not a vendetta, its was to say that these characters aren't on dimensional and need to be save, they can have more agency. And Disney themselves tried to move away from using this type of princess trope way before the 2010s. Its why you started to see Mulan, Belle, Rapunzel and many other strong female princess character emerge.

Society and times changes, and so does views on old tropes that are no longer popular.

All the 90s princesses got criticized. All of them. Belle got Stockholm Syndrome remember? And she ends up with a guy at the end. Same with Mulan, same with Rapunzel.

Don't misconstrue what I said. I never said there was anything wrong with these kind of characters. I love Moana. But Disney stopped doing romances because of these types of articles and media that criticized the "focus on love stories".

 

[LittleBuford]

So weird how many "Disney fans" are just okay trashing the film that literally made Disney what it is just to prop up a lousy remake that will be completely forgotten in a few months.

I don’t agree with them, but they’re entitled to feel as they do. The main sections of the forum have many posts expressing dislike of what I consider timeless Disney attractions like the Jungle Cruise, it’s a small world, and the Tiki Room. Much as I disagree with the people expressing such sentiments, it isn’t my place to question their fandom. Disney is a big tent, and there’s plenty of room for different tastes and opinions.

 

[Trauma]

I got in last year when it was lower. I don't have enough to make any difference in my life, it’s just ironic it’s the only one that is in the green.

Well it’s important to invest so you don’t have to work for every $$ you earn. Sounds like you’re going to be in good shape.

 

[Chi84]

All the 90s princesses got criticized. All of them. Belle got Stockholm Syndrome remember? And she ends up with a guy at the end. Same with Mulan, same with Rapunzel.

Don't misconstrue what I said. I never said there was anything wrong with these kind of characters. I love Moana. But Disney stopped doing romances because of these types of articles and media that criticized the "focus on love stories".

I can’t imagine that video influencing anyone. Maybe the men here who have such an issue with young female stars because it might explain some things.

 

[Disney Irish]

All the 90s princesses got criticized. All of them. Belle got Stockholm Syndrome remember? And she ends up with a guy at the end. Same with Mulan, same with Rapunzel.

Those are different criticisms however than the traditional "Disney princess" trope criticisms which were the focus of many of those articles from the early 00s/10s that you're talking about. And those criticisms are also fair. The idea was that the traditional "Disney Princess" was just there as a set piece waiting for the prince to save her, ie she was a one dimensional character with no agency nothing more than a prop to advance a "love story".

Don't misconstrue what I said. I never said there was anything wrong with these kind of characters. I love Moana. But Disney stopped doing romances because of these types of articles and media that criticized the "focus on love stories".

Disney stopped doing romances for a variety of reasons, including the fact that they weren't guaranteed box office hits any more, such as Princess and the Frog.

Again times change, audiences want different things. They don't always want the same old sappy one dimensional princess character that constantly needs to be saved.