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

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I suppose Netflix will be going bankrupt any day now then

You really gotta search for the midway point between

“Everything the COMPANY does is a hit!”

And

“Well that’s it…they’re gonna go bankrupt”

There are many poorly run enterprises that last for a long time in profitability. But their futures diminish over time to the point they may go away.

I can think of one that is about the poster child of that…particularly with what’s going on in their 55% gravy train division. Bankruptcy is not imminent…but bad decision making brings other things you don’t want into play.

I’m shocked at the daily misunderstanding of the key point being Made?…this time in Box office and DTC…but it will happen for all other parts of the business today…agian….because the day is young.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Now imagine the larger profit if Disney licensed their content to Netflix or Amazon or Apple for distribution. What would the overhead be on that?

This also doesn’t even account for original programming and content.

It also has nothing at all to do with the fact that the increase in OI was almost exclusively due to raising prices.

Wow. You put the goal posts on a brand new continent.

You went from "internal payments between segments is a scam and hiding huge deficits" to "they coulda made more if they did something different."

I'm done with you. Have a good day.

 

[Disney Irish]

They make less off those - gross - now than they made of fees and ads on linear in 2010…

Again…the truth is out there

Costs might be “a tad” more…especially if you’re rolling out flops that you are supposed to “profit” off of left and right. Only Hulu is actually working as it stands

Whole lot of goal post moving this morning, where were we talking about linear in this discussion? I thought this was about whether a movie is making it to profitability off of DTC? Which as has been discussed, they do in the cases where the shortfall from theatrical is $10M-$20M.

Also Hulu IS D+ bubba, has been officially in the US since March 2024, and now officially around the world as of October 2025. So if Hulu is "working" then by extension so is D+, as they are linked together.

 

[Nevermore525]

When was the last earnings period where theatrical distribution had higher revenue than home distribution and licensing for the studios sector?

I’ve seen as far back as 2011 and over any rolling 4Q period the box office revenue has never exceeded that of content licensing or home distribution.

 

[LittleBuford]

I saw Wicked: For Good yesterday. Those of you planning to see it are in for a treat. It is every bit as good (!) as Part 1 and deserves to make oodles of money.

 

[TP2000]

Well you enjoyed doing comparisons for similar movies at opposing studios in the past….Both Predator and The Running Man were science fiction action movies staring Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 80’s…but I guess this time it does not fit your narrative

I don't know that I've ever cared about Paramount Studios in the past, but as I did go to Carowinds several times in the 90's, let's do it!

I actually had no idea what The Running Man was until yesterday, as I haven't seen a single commercial for it yet. Turns out, it's a remake of the original 80's movie starring Richard Dawson (whom I adored!) and Arnold Schwarzenneger. Who knew?!

Is anyone getting commercials for The Running Man on their algorithms or TV sets? Or is it just me?

Predator: Badlands - $105 Production, $136 Global Box Office = $63 Million loss and narrowing
The Running Man - $110 Production, $28 Global Box Office = $124 Million loss and narrowing

 

[Disney Irish]

I don't know that I've ever cared about Paramount Studios in the past, but as I did go to Carowinds several times in the 90's, let's do it!

I actually had no idea what The Running Man was until yesterday, as I haven't seen a single commercial for it yet. Turns out, it's a remake of the original 80's movie starring Richard Dawson (whom I adored!) and Arnold Schwarzenneger. Who knew?!

Is anyone getting commercials for The Running Man on their algorithms or TV sets? Or is it just me?

Predator: Badlands - $105 Production, $136 Global Box Office = $63 Million loss and narrowing
The Running Man - $110 Production, $28 Global Box Office = $124 Million loss and narrowing

View attachment 893317

I can't speak for everyone but I've been seeing ads for Running Man for about a month now.

Also I think the idea was to compare the 1987 Arnie Running Man with the 2025 Powell Running Man, as you like to do.

 

[TP2000]

I can't speak for everyone but I've been seeing ads for Running Man for about a month now.

Also I think the idea was to compare the 1987 Arnie Running Man with the 2025 Powell Running Man, as you like to do.

Oh.

You would think with my algorithm tracking all the times I've watched reruns of Match Game '74 (and '73, and '77, and '75, and '76) and giving a Thumbs Up because Richard Dawson always went to the mat for contestants when the judges got too buzzer happy, that they'd think I might want to see the remake of Richard Dawson's classic The Running Man in theaters.



Or, actually, the algorithm is probably smarter than that. Still, has there ever been a man who was both a game show celebrity panelist and celebrity host that was more endearing to America? I say no! Algorithms be damned.

 

[Disney Irish]

Still, has there ever been a man who was both a game show celebrity panelist and celebrity host that was more endearing to America? I say no! Algorithms be damned.

Depends on which generation you ask.

Some would say Drew Carey, some Steve Harvey, others Bob Barker. Quite a few game show hosts who were also panelists over the years.

 

[coffeefan]

It's rumored to have the first teaser for Doomsday too.

Your post made me do a double-take and think... "Did I miss something? Is The Running Man from a Disney studio?"

I had to do a 3 second Google search to learn and... nope. Phew! You scared me for a second.

I'm not sure any of us Disney fans care about The Running Man, as it's produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Does Paramount even still have a licensing agreement with a theme park chain? Does it still have branding at Carowinds?

Back to Google... nope. Paramount Pictures has no theme parks left, and not even a licensing agreement with a park today. What was your point on the weak box office of The Running Man again?

I'd like to think many of us who post here enjoy movies in general. I quoted your post, since it had the weekend numbers, but I didn't mean to direct it at you. DKampy did bring up an interesting comparison though.

 

[TP2000]

Depends on which generation you ask.

Some would say Drew Carey, some Steve Harvey, others Bob Barker. Quite a few game show hosts who were also panelists over the years.

Sure, but few stuck up for contestants quite like Richard Dawson. He was always a doll, whether he was host or panelist.

But as much as I adore Richard Dawson, my goal in life was to be able to enter a room/party/event like Kitty Carlisle always did on To Tell The Truth. Talk about always making an entrance! She was fantastic at that. Life goals...

 

[Disney Irish]

Sure, but few stuck up for contestants quite like Richard Dawson. He was always a doll, whether he was host or panelist.

But as much as I adore Richard Dawson, my goal in life was to be able to enter a room/party/event like Kitty Carlisle always did on To Tell The Truth. Talk about always making an entrance! She was fantastic at that. Life goals...

That game show was mostly before my time, so I never saw it or her.

But if you want to walk/float into a room and kiss everyone like her, I sure hope you're at the right place as some might not take kindly to a random kiss from a random guy.

 

[TP2000]

But if you want to walk/float into a room and kiss everyone like her, I sure hope you're at the right place as some might not take kindly to a random kiss from a random guy.

You clearly haven't been to one of my dinner parties.

 

[Disney Irish]

You clearly haven't been to one of my dinner parties.

Nope, and if I was I'd politely decline a kiss and shake your hand instead.

 

[Disney Irish]

It was certainly the free love era with Richard Dawson’s random kissing as well

Yeah, I'm familiar with Dawson's "signature" kissing of female contestants.

European Vacation even parodied it, which I always found funny.

 

[Ghost93]

I saw Wicked: For Good yesterday. Those of you planning to see it are in for a treat. It is every bit as good (!) as Part 1 and deserves to make oodles of money.

I saw the movie last night as well. While I think it's as good in quality as part 1, I don't know if it will have the rewatchability factor of the first part in movie theaters.

Having never seen the Broadway show before, I was surprised and how unrelentingly sad and dark the second part was. In many ways, Wicked: For Good was the more sophisticated film, but for those drawn more to the "fun" aspects of the first film, this would be a harder one to sit through. I CRIED so much in the last third of the film, lol.

I think Wicked and Wicked: For Good will pair nicely as a double feature in both theaters and TV reruns.

 

[LittleBuford]

I saw the movie last night as well. While I think it's as good in quality as part 1, I don't know if it will have the rewatchability factor of the first part in movie theaters.

Having never seen the Broadway show before, I was surprised and how unrelentingly sad and dark the second part was. In many ways, Wicked: For Good was the more sophisticated film, but for those drawn more to the "fun" aspects of the first film, this would be a harder one to sit through. I CRIED so much in the last third of the film, lol.

I think Wicked and Wicked: For Good will pair nicely as a double feature in both theaters and TV reruns.

I agree it’s not as lighthearted as the first film—I too was crying quite a bit. Regardless of whether the general public will want to see it more than once, I’m already planning my next trip to the cinema.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Sure, but few stuck up for contestants quite like Richard Dawson. He was always a doll, whether he was host or panelist.

But as much as I adore Richard Dawson, my goal in life was to be able to enter a room/party/event like Kitty Carlisle always did on To Tell The Truth. Talk about always making an entrance! She was fantastic at that. Life goals...

A pant suit?!

Quelle outrement!

 

[Phroobar]

My theater is doing a double feature of Wicked and Wicked for Good on Thursday. It starts at 11am and goes for five and quarter hours. The $5 movie tomorrow is the original Wizard of Oz.

Too bad Disney doesn't re-release Return of OZ.
Or maybe that is a good thing.

 

[LittleBuford]

My theater is doing a double feature of Wicked and Wicked for Good on Thursday. It starts at 11am and goes for five and quarter hours. The $5 movie tomorrow is the original Wizard of Oz.

Too bad Disney doesn't re-release Return of OZ.
Or maybe that is a good thing.

I love all four of the films you mentioned. Return to Oz is an underrated gem!