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

[TP2000]

2014: Guardians of the Galaxy - 160.7 million global opening weekend
“Wow! What an amazing opening! The MCU is invincible! This will launch a trilogy, theme park attractions, and make several characters iconic fixtures of global pop culture!”

*inflation
*devastating pandemic and technological and economic changes that destroy theatrical exhibition - it never fully recovers
*ruling party labels Disney an Enemy of the People

2025: Thunderbolts* - 162.1 million global opening weekend
“What a bomb! The MCU is dead! No one likes it anymore! It’s marginal to pop culture, just like the other most successful media franchise in history!”

Adjusted for inflation in US Dollars, a 160.7 Million global opening weekend in 2014 would be the equivalent of $216.7 Million in 2025. Or roughly, Thunderbolts just had a global opening weekend that was 60% of Guardians of the Galaxy.

And domestically, Thunderbolts just had an opening weekend that was 58% of Guardians of the Galaxy.

Here's how those domestic opening weekends and overall numbers look adjusted for inflation from 2014 to 2025. Thunderbolts will need to do over $1 Billion global box office to meet the Guardians of the Galaxy numbers ...

CPI Inflation Calculator

www.bls.gov

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Adjusted for inflation in US Dollars, a 160.7 Million global opening weekend in 2014 would be the equivalent of $216.7 Million in 2025. Or roughly, Thunderbolts just had a global opening weekend that was 60% of Guardians of the Galaxy.

Here's how those domestic opening weekends looks adjusted for inflation from 2014 to 2025. Thunderbolts will need to do over $1 Billion global box office to meet the Guardians of the Galaxy numbers ...

View attachment 857022

CPI Inflation Calculator

www.bls.gov

This really isn’t that hard, is it?

And my thing - as always - is that Disney is not doing ART!!

they need the cash from this kinda thing - to say nothing of the ancillaries where they bank profit - way more now that in 2014. They’re in a totally different place now than they were from a business standpoint then

And not a “good” one at all

 

[TP2000]

This really isn’t that hard, is it?

It's not. And I hate math and at 2:30pm I'm still working off one sociable Mimosa from brunch, which is hard as an older man who has never been a day drinker.

To be fair, it was the Google and The Numbers (with their handy Inflation Adjusted tab on each page) that did most of the work. But it's easy for anyone to see on your screen.

The Numbers - Where Data and the Movie Business Meet

The Numbers provides detailed movie financial analysis, including box office, DVD and Blu-ray sales reports, and release schedules.

thenumbers.com

 

[Casper Gutman]

The expectations change over time

The trend is a clear loss in momentum for marvel

As is the case with Disney on the whole

Now the excuses of how Disney+ makes so much money with these things…even though it does NOT are sure to flow (please not today )

…these are problems that don’t seem to be self correcting

Bad management


…I feel like that’s enough. Can’t wait for the contrarian to be contrarian stuff to start

Both films introduce a new team of emotionally damaged antiheroes. Both got ecstatic reactions from critics and the public. Thunderbolts made slightly more in its opening weekend.

GotG was released right after Avengers, Iron Man 3, Winter Soldier, and right before Avengers 2.

Thunderbolts comes after what you and others have been screaming is a historic string of MCU flops. In some cases, as with The Marvels, that’s even been true.

You have NOTHING. And the people telling you this aren’t the contrarians. Read the trade press - you’re the contrarian here.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It's not. And I hate math and at 2:30pm I'm still working off one sociable Mimosa from brunch, which is hard as an older man who has never been a day drinker.

To be fair, it was the Google and The Numbers (with their handy Inflation Adjusted tab on each page) that did most of the work. But it's easy for anyone to see on your screen.

The Numbers - Where Data and the Movie Business Meet

The Numbers provides detailed movie financial analysis, including box office, DVD and Blu-ray sales reports, and release schedules.

thenumbers.com

But what about the “4th dimension Disney excusy math” that has infected this thread since it started with frequency?

…try and keep with the times, slacker

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Both films introduce a new team of emotionally damaged antiheroes. Both got ecstatic reactions from critics and the public. Thunderbolts made slightly more in its opening weekend.

GotG was released right after Avengers, Iron Man 3, Winter Soldier, and right before Avengers 2.

Thunderbolts comes after what you and others have been screaming is a historic string of MCU flops. In some cases, as with The Marvels, that’s even been true.

You have NOTHING. And the people telling you this aren’t the contrarians. Read the trade press - you’re the contrarian here.

It’s Disney…stock ticker DIS

They need to make money on these…now more than ever.

It’s not “art”. That’s the deal…cry and scream all you want.

Now…if they get legs and this succeeds…I’ll welcome it.

That is not the place where it’s at right now

 

[Disstevefan1]

This board really does insist on existing in its own little bubble separated from reality and knowledge.

This is what makes it so FUN!

It’s so dumb it honestly makes me wonder if I’m wrong for generally agreeing with the negative consensus on the theme park side of this site.

How can an opinion be wrong?

Mostly everyone is free to express their opinion here. Some, not so much

 

[Serpico Jones]

He’s the creator of this series. He could always stand on principle and insist these films be released theatrically. Craig believes this too.

He signed a contract with Netflix and knew very well what their release strategy is.

 

[Serpico Jones]

Why is Snow White not on digital yet? What is Disney waiting for?

Does Bob Iger still think it’s 2003 with the 3 month window?

 

[DKampy]

Why is Snow White not on digital yet? What is Disney waiting for?

Does Bob Iger still think it’s 2003 with the 3 month window?

Disney has been the most patient studio… and it has worked out for them… as they have also been awarded with longer legs… there is no rush…. Disney plus is not going anywhere

 

[CaptJackSparrow]

Is an 80m opening bad?

Isn’t this movie kind of a budget version of a Marvel Film?

This seems like a pretty solid opening for that type of film.

 

[Phroobar]

Why is Snow White not on digital yet? What is Disney waiting for?

Does Bob Iger still think it’s 2003 with the 3 month window?

They are still working out a deal with the virus scanning companies to not flag it.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

How can an opinion be wrong?

Mostly everyone is free to express their opinion here. Some, not so much

Opinions are not wrong

Opinions conveyed as “personal truth” usually are

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Is an 80m opening bad?

Isn’t this movie kind of a budget version of a Marvel Film?

This seems like a pretty solid opening for that type of film.

Depends on what you’re comparing it too.

Compared to the Marvels $45 million opening weekend it’s solid, compared to other post Covid MCU flicks (that aren’t sequels) it’s about average, compared to the Avengers peak when they consistently had $250 million (or more) opening weekends it’s pretty bad.

I think it’s a good example of how expectations for the MCU overall have become far more realistic, there was a time you just expected a MCU film to be a billion dollar + blockbuster, now if one makes $500 million and makes a profit it’s considered a win.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Is an 80m opening bad?

Isn’t this movie kind of a budget version of a Marvel Film?

This seems like a pretty solid opening for that type of film.

Considering the earning lifespan of most movies is a month…if you’re lucky…then this is not good

But we will see. If the buzz is good they can capitalize on little competition for now

 

[Disney Irish]

Depends on what you’re comparing it too.

Compared to the Marvels $45 million opening weekend it’s solid, compared to other post Covid MCU flicks (that aren’t sequels) it’s about average, compared to the Avengers peak when they consistently had $250 million (or more) opening weekends it’s pretty bad.

I think it’s a good example of how expectations for the MCU overall have become far more realistic, there was a time you just expected a MCU film to be a billion dollar + blockbuster, now if one makes $500 million and makes a profit it’s considered a win.

Problem is too many have expectations still at pre-pandemic levels. I’ve long argued that the pandemic should have reset expectations back to realistic level, and it has for every other studio that doesn’t have a mouse mascot (even with the same budgets). One wonders why expectations can’t be reset to realistic levels for Disney.

 

[Disney Analyst]

So these new… proposed tariffs on movies? Is Hollywood itself exempt, can they still film in Canada, the UK, etc.?

Are foreign films going to suddenly have crazy ticket prices?

What’s the madhatter doing?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Problem is too many have expectations still at pre-pandemic levels. I’ve long argued that the pandemic should have reset expectations back to realistic level, and it has for every other studio that doesn’t have a mouse mascot (even with the same budgets). One wonders why expectations can’t be reset to realistic levels for Disney.

I missed the official announcement that box office totals were automatically reduced by half from the plague 5 years ago?

Do you have the clip of Iger at Sun valley officially decreeing it?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Is an 80m opening bad?

Isn’t this movie kind of a budget version of a Marvel Film?

With a $180 million production budget, it's only a little less than the typical Disney produced Marvel movie

It was expected to open around $80 million, and the current projection is $76 million

That's not bad. Not great either. It's fine and should play well until competition comes on Memorial Day weekend.

It shouldn't have a massive 2nd weekend drop off either.

 

[Casper Gutman]

With a $180 million production budget, it's only a little less than the typical Disney produced Marvel movie

It was expected to open around $80 million, and the current projection is $76 million

That's not bad. Not great either. It's fine and should play well until competition comes on Memorial Day weekend.

It shouldn't have a massive 2nd weekend drop off either.

It beat projections.