News Disney’s Boy Trouble: Studio Seeks Original IP to Win Back Gen-Z Men Amid Marvel, Lucasfilm Struggles

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If we have to discuss this “content problem” at all I would say it’s best suited for a couple pages of the box office thread.

That thread is a dead end…unfortunately

It’s just a constant lecture about redefining “success” and “failure”

 

[Stripes]

Ok…

You do understand that the thread was created about a “content problem”, right?

Where would you like it to go?

Yes, it was about how Disney wants to create more original content that appeals specifically to Gen Z males.

Somehow the thread got derailed into discussing what Gen X males want.

Specifically, the Gen X males want Disney to focus more on the franchises that they care about rather than focus on creating a “Star Wars” for a new generation. Does that about cover it?

 

[Disney Irish]

No offense meant to OP or anyone else in particular but I find this thread particularly annoying. All we’ve done is go down the same old list of reasons why Disney content is “unappealing” that we often discuss (and sometimes debunk) in the box office thread under the disguise of discussing this article that I’ve already voiced my distaste for.

I think the original topic is valid and interesting.

Unfortunately as often happens it devolved into the typical complaining about Disney Star Wars and an attempt at gatekeeping regarding the franchise.

 

[Agent H]

That thread is a dead end…unfortunately

It’s just a constant lecture about redefining “success” and “failure”

I don’t think that’s true. “Flashes back to the period of time around The release of Snow White”

 

[Disney Irish]

That thread is a dead end…unfortunately

It’s just a constant lecture about redefining “success” and “failure”

Hate to break it to you, but none of us here on this site get to define what is a success or failure. That is done by the industry. And the industry is changing whether you like it or not. They make the rules, we just follow them. Don't like it, don't play the game, sorry.

 

[networkpro]

Hate to break it to you, but none of us here on this site get to define what is a success or failure. That is done by the industry. And the industry is changing whether you like it or not. They make the rules, we just follow them. Don't like it, don't play the game, sorry.

And the "Industry" has an interesting dichotomy to endure, they may produce the media, but the nebulous "public" gets to vote with their dollars whether to purchase it or not thus becoming the Arbiters of profitability.

 

[Tha Realest]

No offense meant to OP or anyone else in particular but I find this thread particularly annoying. All we’ve done is go down the same old list of reasons why Disney content is “unappealing” that we often discuss (and sometimes debunk) in the box office thread under the disguise of discussing this article that I’ve already voiced my distaste for.

Maybe it’s because Disney has finally learned the lessons from their missteps and seems to be obviously pivoting away from those mistaken movements, the same movements which many of these posters claimed weren’t mistakes or misguided attempts.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yes, it was about how Disney wants to create more original content that appeals specifically to Gen Z males.

Somehow the thread got derailed into discussing Gen X males want.

Specifically, the Gen X males want Disney to focus more on the franchises that they care about rather than focus on creating a “Star Wars” for a new generation. Does that about cover it?

The point is not “what Gen x males want”

That applies to Star Wars. Which is not like the others and never will be. But it’s only been 26 years of trying to tell those fans what they want and getting the “nope”.

I’m sure they’ll break soon

Now as far as the content for males…the fact it’s even being brought up shows you how bad Disney management has been here.

 

[Tha Realest]

Hate to break it to you, but none of us here on this site get to define what is a success or failure. That is done by the industry. And the industry is changing whether you like it or not. They make the rules, we just follow them. Don't like it, don't play the game, sorry.

The explicit message of the article is Disney views its own attempts and efforts as unsuccessful. Hence the correction.

 

[Disney Irish]

And the "Industry" has an interesting dichotomy to endure, they may produce the media, but the nebulous "public" gets to vote with their dollars whether to purchase it or not thus becoming the Arbiters of profitability.

And yet its how those dollars are being spent that is what is leading to the industry changing. Which is what has been discussed in many threads over the last couple years including this one and the box office thread. Less dollars spent at theaters and more at home is what is leading to less of a box office and more focus on streaming in recent years and in the years to come.

That is hard for some to accept because then they won't be able to call the balls and strikes as easily and shout into the ether at who is to blame.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don’t think that’s true. “Flashes back to the period of time around The release of Snow White”

Keep going back. It really started in 2023 when things turned sour

 

[Disney Irish]

The explicit message of the article is Disney views its own attempts and efforts as unsuccessful. Hence the correction.

And I'm not disputing the article, only the poster who claims that others in the box office thread are trying to redefine the criteria for success or failure. My point is that the industry is doing that, we're just commenting on it. If the poster doesn't like the industry changing the rules for success or failure, well take it up with the consumer that is driving that change.

 

[TsWade2]

Yoo hoo! I have a good one! Why not make an animated feature about this Japanese Hero named Momotaro: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momotarō I think that would be a great animated feature for Gen Z boys.

 

[Stripes]

Now as far as the content for males…the fact it’s even being brought up shows you how bad Disney management has been here.

How is that?! I think it’s great that Disney wants to build new original franchises for Gen Z!

As a member of Gen Z, I never gave a rip about Star Wars until I saw Rogue One.

But I particularly love great original content that is not connected to a preexisting franchise. Maybe Disney’s market research has found similar tastes among my peers?

 

[CoastalElite64]

The point is not “what Gen x males want”

That applies to Star Wars. Which is not like the others and never will be. But it’s only been 26 years of trying to tell those fans what they want and getting the “nope”.

I’m sure they’ll break soon

Now as far as the content for males…the fact it’s even being brought up shows you how bad Disney management has been here.

The point people are making is that Disney wont capture gen-Z by doing what appeals to gen-X.

Then Star Wars was brought up because they tried the pandering to gen-X boomers in the sequel trilogy and it failed for gen-Z.

Then gen-X boomers started saying only Skywalkers are real Star Wars and younger posters pushed back and some wise elder posters too.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

How is that?! I think it’s great that Disney wants to build new original franchises for Gen Z!

As a member of Gen Z, I never gave a rip about Star Wars until I saw Rogue One.

I also love great original content that is not connected to a preexisting franchise. Maybe Disney’s market research has found similar tastes among my peers?

But you missed the whole history of Star Wars…which is becoming kinda repetitive. If you don’t want to learn it…cool…but the “but…but…” isnt gonna get you anywhere.

As far as content for males…content is good.

But it should never be present as a gender “need”…good content doesn’t have a gender label. And it’s now a two sided problem…born as a reaction to terrible suggestive things indicated by studio execs, directors and creative heads over the last 10 years.

How about you not SAY outloud that you want to actively antagonize demos that contain billions of people?…like ever?

Mmmmmmm K?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The point people are making is that Disney wont capture gen-Z by doing what appeals to gen-X.

Then Star Wars was brought up because they tried the pandering to gen-X boomers in the sequel trilogy and it failed for gen-Z.

Then gen-X boomers started saying only Skywalkers are real Star Wars and younger posters pushed back and some wise elder posters too.

So we’re back to wading through bad descriptors and things never said again?

And do tell who a “wise older poster” who pushed back on the history is?

But let me go to the bathroom first before so I’m prepared…

 

[Stripes]

But you missed the whole history of Star Wars…which is becoming kinda repetitive. If you don’t want to learn it…cool…but the “but…but…” isnt gonna get you anywhere.

As far as content for males…content is good.

But it should never be present as a gender “need”…good content doesn’t have a gender label. And it’s now a two sided problem…born as a reaction to terrible suggestive things indicated by studio execs, directors and creative heads over the last 10 years.

How about you not SAY outloud that you want to actively antagonize demos that contain billions of people?…like ever?

Mmmmmmm K?

This is another one of your posts where I genuinely can’t figure out what you’re trying to say.

Actively antagonize? What are you even saying? Obviously you’re aware that there are plenty of films and TV shows that have a target demographic in mind. The target demographic for Frozen is young girls, for Cars it’s young boys.

There are a lot of properties where the targeted gender is more neutral. In fact, a lot of properties that lean towards boys are, in fact, quite popular among girls as well. The same is not true in reverse.

My brother’s fiancée absolutely loves Cars far more than he ever did.

 

[Stripes]

 

[Agent H]

I think the original topic is valid and interesting.

Unfortunately as often happens it devolved into the typical complaining about Disney Star Wars and an attempt at gatekeeping regarding the franchise.

The explicit message of the article is Disney views its own attempts and efforts as unsuccessful. Hence the correction.

I’m not sure how much I trust the article is even correct. They say they have sources and I’m not saying variety doesn’t have reliable sources in general but I don’t think young men represent a large part of the reason Disney hasn’t been doing as well when it comes to the box office. There are lots of other possible reasons. If young men are the problem then why did lilo and stitch make so much more money than thunderbolts for example? What did stitch have in that regard that thunderbolts didn’t?