A Spirited Perfect Ten

[the.dreamfinder]

It hasn't even open here in Germany yet either. And it always puzzles me that UK and South Koreas are the major foreign markets that are being named (saw that a few times already), but they both have a smaller population than Germany. However, it appears that in the movie business those are considered big international names, I have noticed the same thing a few times in the past. Any idea as to why this is?

The simple answer, I would think, is that Germans don't buy tickets for Hollywood films at the same rate British and Korean moviegoers do. Here are a couple of examples comparing British, French, German and South Korean Box Office returns over the past two years where the final foriegn numbers are available. It's not a perfect means to compare markets, but it's the best I can do without the bells and whistles of a Rentrak account. With that account, I could say analyze domestic versus foreign's share of a given nations's annual BO for example. Also, tracking for some of these films cut off after a month or two of theatrical release so these numbers may not reflect FINAL grosses. Source: Box Office Mojo

France Pop: 66 Million
Germany Pop: 80 Million
South Korea Pop: 51 Million
United Kingdom Pop: 63 Million

Monsters University
France-$17,835,364
Germany-$13,725,624
South Korea-$5,411,358
United Kingdom-$47,166,338

Iron Man Three
France-$38,962,258
Germany-$24,368,143
South Korea-$64,211,513
United Kingdom-$57,074,453

Despicable Me 2
France-$40,876,376
Germany-$38,318,983

South Korea-$6,109,051
United Kingdom-$72,278,042


Hunger Games: Catching Fire
France-$29,672,593
Germany-$43,428,464
South Korea-$7,347,573
United Kingdom-$55,501,664

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug
France-$44,723,924
Germany-$88,076,370
South Korea-$16,392,050
United Kingdom-$70,275,514

Frozen:
France-$46,942,953
Germany-$48,273,440
South Korea-$76,695,633
United Kingdom-$64,733,660

The Lego Movie
France-$11,649,032
Germany-$13,186,119
South Korea-$1,054,276
United Kingdom-$56,890,654

Captain America: The Winter Soldier
France-$16,891,973
Germany-$12,477,139
South Korea-$30,177,601
United Kingdom-$32,230,026

The Grand Budapest Hotel
France-$11,245,985
Germany-$9,560,913
South Korea-$5,596,261
United Kingdom-$18,509,536

X-Men: Days of Future Past
France-$29,650,115
Germany-$16,126,929
South Korea-$33,716,901
United Kingdom-$45,595,814

 

[ParentsOf4]

You want to know why CEO Bob Iger is reluctant to name CFO Jay Rasulo as COO?

Jay Rasulo was in charge of Disney’s Parks & Resorts (P&R) from fiscal year 2003 through the first quarter of fiscal year 2010; effectively controlling P&R budgets for 8 years.

Bob Iger joined Disney in 1996.

• Average P&R gross margin from 1996 to 2002: 22.3%
• Average P&R gross margin from 2003 to 2010: 14.5%

Is it just a coincidence or maybe an indication that someone had difficulty playing nicely with theme parks?

The reality is that Paul Pressler first drove Disneyland and then P&R into the ground before his ignoble crash-and-burn at the Gap. Rasulo succeeded him. However, P&R had 7 of its 10 worst margin years under Rasulo, suggesting Rasulo didn’t know how to fix Pressler’s mess.

In addition, let’s not forget that the infamous pass on Harry Potter occurred under Rasulo, one of the biggest blunders in the history of theme parks.

Here’s another interesting tidbit for those of you wondering whether to cheer against Rasulo: During his 8 years, domestic P&R’s growth capex budget averaged a jaw-dropping 0.7% of domestic P&R revenue. Take away 2010 when (I have been told) some capex projects were ramrodded through over his objections, and Rasulo actually had a negative growth capex budget. In other words, his first 7 years of domestic P&R budgets were not even enough for park upkeep.

You want to talk about stagnation and penny-pinching at the theme parks? Jay Rasulo was king.

Rasulo might be fine as “Number Cruncher in Chief” but it’s understandable why Iger is reluctant to name him COO and his likely successor.

And anyone who loves WDW should be reluctant too.

 

[dhall]

It hasn't even open here in Germany yet either. And it always puzzles me that UK and South Koreas are the major foreign markets that are being named (saw that a few times already), but they both have a smaller population than Germany. However, it appears that in the movie business those are considered big international names, I have noticed the same thing a few times in the past. Any idea as to why this is?

Could it be historical per-capita movie attendance? I don't know how Germany compares to UK or S Korea with regard to total attendance for movies in English, but that would be one way that smaller populations can trump larger.

EDIT---

Look at @the.dreamfinder bringing the numbers!

 

[Magenta Panther]

You want to know why CEO Bob Iger is reluctant to name CFO Jay Rasulo as COO?

Jay Rasulo was in charge of Disney’s Parks & Resorts (P&R) from fiscal year 2003 through the first quarter of fiscal year 2010; effectively controlling P&R budgets for 8 years.

Bob Iger joined Disney in 1996.

• Average gross margin from 1996 to 2002: 22.3%
• Average gross margin from 2003 to 2010: 14.5%

Is it just a coincidence or maybe an indication that someone had difficulty playing nicely with theme parks?

The reality is that Paul Pressler first drove Disneyland and then P&R into the ground before his ignoble crash-and-burn at the Gap. Rasulo succeeded him. However, P&R had 7 of its 10 worst margin years under Rasulo, suggesting Rasulo didn’t know how to fix Pressler’s mess.

In addition, let’s not forget that the infamous pass on Harry Potter occurred under Rasulo, one of the biggest blunders in the history of theme parks.

Here’s another interesting tidbit for those of you wondering whether to cheer against Rasulo: During his 8 years, domestic P&R’s growth capex budget averaged a jaw-dropping 0.7% of domestic P&R revenue. Take away 2010 when (I have been told) some capex projects were ramrodded through over his objections, and Rasulo actually had a negative growth capex budget. In other words, his first 7 years of domestic P&R budgets were not even enough for park upkeep.

You want to talk about stagnation and penny-pinching at the theme parks? Jay Rasulo was king.

Rasulo might be fine as “Number Cruncher in Chief” but it’s understandable why Iger is reluctant to name him COO and his likely successor.

And anyone who loves WDW should be reluctant too.

Thank you for this insight - I had no idea.

But ...if Rasulo's not fit for the job, then who SHOULD we lovers of WDW be rooting for, do you think?

 

[jangirl]

New member here and first post.

Back in 2012, my youngest was 17 months and still figuring out the whole walking thing. We were walking by the old "Wonders of Life" building. She had tripped and fell, and of course started crying. Behind us were what my husband calls "suits" at Disney.(The ones that wear the suits and walk around with the litter grabbers). They proceeded to gush on my little walker and asked her if some ice cream would make her feel better. She of course said yes and they gave us a certificate for all of us to get ice cream at one of the vendors.

So there are some CM's that are still trying to make magic for guests.

 

[jangirl]

Please forgive the prigs who post here, I enjoyed your message.

 

[wm49rs]

Please forgive the prigs who post here, I enjoyed your message.

What "prigs" are you referring to? Only one person replied to their post....

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Thank you for this insight - I had no idea.

But ...if Rasulo's not fit for the job, then who SHOULD we lovers of WDW be rooting for, do you think?

Staggs isn't great, but he's better than Rasulo. The fact that Rasulo is still around, let alone seriously considered for any kind of promotion, is beyond me. His ineptitude and lack of vision has been displayed multiple times.

Fine, fine you guys - I'll take the job.

 

[unkadug]

Years ago, the PML was my personal playground.....

For what? Picking up ladies?

 

[George]

Years ago, the PML was my personal playground.....

I should note that I have had relations with all but 5 members of these here message boards (limiting this to over 18 of course). For those 5 unforunate souls, it is nothing personal. I am just not attracted to you.

 

[unkadug]

What "prigs" are you referring to? Only one person replied to their post....

And about a dozen liked her message.

 

[BrerJon]

Can you imagine someone like Mr. Iger, or his immediate underlings at Disney, doing that ......today?

At D23 a couple of years ago, if my memory is correct they had a comedy short film of Tom Staggs selling popcorn, being a Dapper Dan etc., stuff like that all done as a joke to show what it would be like if he worked in the parks for a day.

The sad thing is his predecessors actually would have done that, and not just for ten minutes to make a comedy video, but for a few hours to get the real experience.

 

[BrerJon]

i bet if she wasn't being such a spoiled brat, he would of tired to make her day magical by finding a table open.

From what I can tell she didn't want to eat, just wanted to go up and watch the chefs at work.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I should note that I have had relations with all but 5 members of these here message boards (limiting this to over 18 of course). For those 5 unforunate souls, it is nothing personal. I am just not attracted to you.

You never call! You never write!! I am not just a piece of meat!

 

[Hakunamatata]

I should note that I have had relations with all but 5 members of these here message boards (limiting this to over 18 of course). For those 5 unforunate souls, it is nothing personal. I am just not attracted to you.

Was it something I did with my hair?

 

[Nemo14]

It's not you - it's me.

 

[CinematicFusion]

Looks like we are getting a high end Fan Film from Disney in regards to Star Wars.
Disney has elected not to use George Lucas Story treatments.
I think this is a mistake. I would have liked to see Lucas vision come to life and complete his story from 1-9.
Disney had other ideas.
We will always wonder what Lucas story would have been like. Hopefully the 50 page treatment will surface.
Yes he wrote Phantom but he also wrote Empire and Raiders.

I always felt Lucas was a strong idea guy but lost his touch directing and screen writing as the years went on.
Prequels had a solid story but needed work.
Disappointed though that we won't see Story by: George Lucas on Ep. 7.

Here are Lucas’s comments, which me made to CinemaBlend in a recent interview:

“The ones that I sold to Disney, they came up to the decision that they didn’t really want to do those. So they made up their own. So it’s not the ones that I originally wrote [for Star Wars: The Force Awakens].”

 

[BrerJon]

Thank you for this insight - I had no idea.

But ...if Rasulo's not fit for the job, then who SHOULD we lovers of WDW be rooting for, do you think?

Nobody apart from Staggs and Rasulo has been given much airtime, so unless they parachute in an external candidate - unlikely given the vast variety of businesses involved - the next few months should be crucial in seeing if anyone else emerges.

Staggs is definitely the better option as he at least *likes* theme parks even if he doesn't understand them and has done a poor job - he's definitely been more than just Iger's 'yes man', which means the one hope for us lot here is that he appoints someone great to take over from him at P&R, and just rubberstamps their decisions.

Iger was seen as Eisner's lap-dog, but actually had his own agenda once the boss was gone - it's quite possible Staggs could be the same, whereas Rasulo has been at the top of things so long it's quite obvious by now that he couldn't run a bath successfully, let alone one of the largest cross-media corporations in the world.

 

[doctornick]

Staggs isn't great, but he's better than Rasulo. The fact that Rasulo is still around, let alone seriously considered for any kind of promotion, is beyond me. His ineptitude and lack of vision has been displayed multiple times.

Fine, fine you guys - I'll take the job.

I thought there was a rumor about Kathleen Kennedy at one point. I don't know if she'd be any good -- or how she'd treat the parks -- but I wouldn't be immediately dismissive of her if she were tapped.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Looks like we are getting a high end Fan Film from Disney in regards to Star Wars.
Disney has elected not to use George Lucas Story treatments.
I think this is a mistake. I would have liked to see Lucas vision come to life and complete his story from 1-9.
Disney had other ideas.
We will always wonder what Lucas story would have been like. Hopefully the 50 page treatment will surface.
Yes he wrote Phantom but he also wrote Empire and Raiders.

I always felt Lucas was a strong idea guy but lost his touch directing and screen writing as the years went on.
Prequels had a solid story but needed work.
Disappointed though that we won't see Story by: George Lucas on Ep. 7.

Here are Lucas’s comments, which me made to CinemaBlend in a recent interview:

“The ones that I sold to Disney, they came up to the decision that they didn’t really want to do those. So they made up their own. So it’s not the ones that I originally wrote [for Star Wars: The Force Awakens].”

The notion of Lucas having plotted out some massive epic is a lie. There are two sequels to Star Wars, Splinter of the Mind's Eye and The Empire Strikes Back. Of the existing films, he was least involved in The Empire Strikes Back. The original plan for many films was a twelve serial collection of mostly unconnected films, but one possibly on Obi-Wan Kenobi's earlier years with Anakin Skywalker AND Darth Vader.