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

[Stripes]

If this is all true that means Star Wars: The Force Awakens - the most successful and broadly liked of the new sequels - did nothing for you. Nor did Star Wars Rebels.

Yes, that’s correct.

Of course, I went to see The Force Awakens but I was shocked by how terrible Rey, Finn, Han Solo, and Kylo were in the film. Right from the very beginning the acting from all four actors was terrible, the dialogue was cringe. It was just bad.

Never saw Rebels.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If this is all true that means Star Wars: The Force Awakens - the most successful and broadly liked of the new sequels - did nothing for you. Nor did Star Wars Rebels.

Well it was crap

 

[Agent H]

Even @DisneyWarrior27 used to think Variety was a trustworthy source.

The only Star Wars film that’s in active production is one starring Ryan Gosling. Not the one that’s been in development for years by the gender studies documentarian, or the other film series (?) featuring Rey.

I still think variety is a largely trustworthy source. I personally don’t buy what this article is selling.

 

[easyrowrdw]

They didn't need to be a part of the story in such a big way. It was to the detriment of the movies.

Mando was already established when they used fan service for a call back.

I’m sorry, I don’t know who they is in your first sentence. Han, Luke, and Leia? I don’t think the sequels were great either.

The hook of Mando is the reminder of characters from the OT. They started to differentiate it all but then they shifted away from original characters to bring back old ones. And that led to spin-offs with more old characters. That’s what I was meaning.

 

[Disney Irish]

The Industry is certainly changing…

But the problem is all of that stuff that’s repeated ad nauseum is being done as an excuse for Disneys big studios faltering.

It turned on a dime and became “the thing” when they started pumping out crap.

I’m afraid our friend is suffering from untreated PMCDS…

Post marvel collapse derangement syndrome.

Funny since this is mostly the same stuff talked about here in this forum since 2018 when D+ was first announced and while the MCU was still hot and Disney could do almost no wrong at the box office. Some of it is probably still in the original D+ thread. So yeah keep telling yourself all this is somehow “new” as an excuse because Disney and Marvel aren’t rocking the box office like pre-pandemic days. It only became more talked about after the pandemic due to more posters noticing it, which is when you started pushing back on the change, only recently (within the last couple months) even acknowledging the change was happening to the industry. But several of us were talking about it long before that.

 

[JustAGuy]

If Disney wants to win over the Gen Z crowd. Do this:

1. Make a Kingdom Hearts anime
2. Hire the best selling manga authors (Ex: Kishimoto, Tite Kubo, Hiromu Arakawa, etc) and ask them to make an outline or pitch for an original anime.
3. Make a manga or anime branch and produce your own stuff. But don’t neuter it. You want a ip to that will get you Jujutsu Kaisen or Demon Slayer levels of success. Then you can’t pull your punches.

 

[DisneyWarrior27]

If Disney wants to win over the Gen Z crowd. Do this:

1. Make a Kingdom Hearts anime
2. Hire the best selling manga authors (Ex: Kishimoto, Tite Kubo, Hiromu Arakawa, etc) and ask them to make an outline or pitch for an original anime.
3. Make a manga or anime branch and produce your own stuff. But don’t neuter it. You want a ip to that will get you Jujutsu Kaisen or Demon Slayer levels of success. Then you can’t pull your punches.

And make a fully 2D/hand-drawn animated movie again for theaters.

Though, what film, I’m not sure.

 

[JustAGuy]

And make a fully 2D/hand-drawn animated movie again for theaters.

Though, what film, I’m not sure.

At this point honestly. I have no idea if it’s worth the risk. 2D films now don’t make as much money as cgi films. I mean make it, if it’s a good story. But it needs to be original Lion King levels good, and it needs to be something that can only be made using 2D. But at this point, I would save traditional animation for shows over films.

Only because the new Looney Tunes film, probably scared Disney away from 2D even more than before.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I’m sorry, I don’t know who they is in your first sentence. Han, Luke, and Leia? I don’t think the sequels were great either.

The hook of Mando is the reminder of characters from the OT. They started to differentiate it all but then they shifted away from original characters to bring back old ones. And that led to spin-offs with more old characters. That’s what I was meaning.

Mando is like 90% thinly veiled OT fan service…

But hey…whatever works

 

[DisneyWarrior27]

At this point honestly. I have no idea if it’s worth the risk. 2D films now don’t make as much money as cgi films. I mean make it, if it’s a good story. But it needs to be original Lion King levels good, and it needs to be something that can only be made using 2D. But at this point, I would save traditional animation for shows over films.

Only because the new Looney Tunes film, probably scared Disney away from 2D even more than before.

It is worth the risk.

Especially IF Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies’ The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender is a box office hit when it comes out October 9th, 2026.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It is worth the risk.

Especially IF Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies’ The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender is a box office hit when it comes out October 9th, 2026.

What’s the engagement for the trailers on TikTok?

$750 mil plus guaranteed like fantastic four?

 

[DisneyWarrior27]

What’s the engagement for the trailers on TikTok?

$750 mil plus guaranteed like fantastic four?

Since we have no trailer yet, we won’t know til we get one.

 

[Disney Irish]

It is worth the risk.

I mean its easy to say that when its not your money on the line.

Especially IF Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies’ The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender is a box office hit when it comes out October 9th, 2026.

That is an established franchise with an already engaged fan base.

Lot harder to do the same thing when trying to create something original AND then also trying to do it with an animation style that has proven to not be as popular as it once was with the general public.

 

[JustAGuy]

I mean its easy to say that when its not your money on the line.


That is an established franchise with an already engaged fan base.

Lot harder to do the same thing when trying to create something original AND then also trying to do it with an animation style that has proven to not be as popular as it once was with the general public.

Agreed. A shame really, but I wonder if people look at Traditional animation the same way they look at Star Wars now.

More of a television thing than a film thing. (Considering that anime and cartoons are the only thing still keeping it alive.)

 

[DisneyWarrior27]

Agreed. A shame really, but I wonder if people look at Traditional animation the same way they look at Star Wars now.

More of a television thing than a film thing. (Considering that anime and cartoons are the only thing still keeping it alive.)

I doubt they do since they want that medium back on the big screen.

 

[Disney Irish]

I doubt they do since they want that medium back on the big screen.

And who is "they" in your comment?

Because I don't see very many actually begging (outside of Disney Fan boards) to have traditional animation back on the big screen.

 

[Phroobar]

Agreed. A shame really, but I wonder if people look at Traditional animation the same way they look at Star Wars now.

More of a television thing than a film thing. (Considering that anime and cartoons are the only thing still keeping it alive.)

Hopefully Disney doesn't find out about One Piece and try to buy it.

 

[Disney Irish]

Hopefully Disney doesn't find out about One Piece and try to buy it.

Actually I believe they tried back in 2016 to acquire it but a deal couldn't be reached, at least according to the reports at the time.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Hopefully Disney doesn't find out about One Piece and try to buy it.

As a huge One Piece fan that would've been my biggest nightmare LOL

 

[Phroobar]

As a huge One Piece fan that would've been my biggest nightmare LOL

We love it around here too. It was so cool to see it during Universal Studio's Fan Fest.