A Terror-rific Spirited 13th (ToT fans have lots to fear)...

[ford91exploder]

The whole gimmick of a theme park, it's big defining characteristic, is theme. I just don't understand why so many fans dismiss it as irrelevant and cheer straying from theme.

Because they are so desperate for something NEW from Disney they will accept anything at all uncritically

 

[Earl Sweatpants]

The whole gimmick of a theme park, it's big defining characteristic, is theme. I just don't understand why so many fans dismiss it as irrelevant and cheer straying from theme.

Probably because the mass-consuming average "fan" is probably only caring about rides that go ZOOM! Never mind that it sticks out like a sore thumb in its surroundings.

 

[PorterRedkey]

Why would you ever think Chappie and George K give a damn?

I know they don't care, but they should.

 

[SorcererMC]

Don't worry the crew at Zerohedge and Seeking Alpha are already dissecting it and not in a way that would curry Disney's favor.

I'll have to check those out. I hope that someone is taking a realistic look at it because I've had enough of the articles that basically say 'the ship is taking on water, but don't worry, it's Disney, everything is great!'. Kind of like that puff piece article linked to earlier.

ETA: I mean, how can TWDC be both the exception and the rule when it comes to the changing media/entertainment industry landscape?

 

[Earl Sweatpants]

I know they don't care, but they should.

Psshhhh...they don't get paid to care.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

Just as a general comment on the wave of reboots...I'm not assuming they will all be terrible films, but rather just against them in principle. I don't understand why its so hard for Disney to at least attempt to line up a slate of original films. Yes, I understand that reboots make money and that they're less "risky" then an original idea, but it just seems like they're looking for a way to make a quick buck so Iger can cash his huge bonus in the remaining years he has.

This is just me personally, but I wish Disney would go back to making movies like Heavyweights, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, The Big Green, etc.

Well, they had been making original films but had a long stretch of critical and commercial failures. They then started making the live action remakes which outperformed those original films, so it makes sense they'd drain that well dry.

D't get me qrong, I'd like to see them get back to making quality original films, as well, but I thibk there's room for both.

 

[DinoInstitute]

Actually, I can and I did. And this isn't about proving each other wrong. This is an opinionated topic, there is no right or wrong.

Did you actually read my post? With the exception of Cars Land, I never made an excuse for the others you mentioned. I said to compare those to GotG going into Hollywood Land is a little absurd.

And so because there are a few attractions in the park that don't quite fit, we should continue to put more things in that also don't fit and make things worse?

You realize you are quoting my first reply to you, not the follow up after you replied to me the first time, right?

 

[FigmentJedi]

Well, they had been making original films but had a long stretch of critical and commercial failures. They then started making the live action remakes which outperformed those original films, so it makes sense they'd drain that well dry.

D't get me qrong, I'd like to see them get back to making quality original films, as well, but I thibk there's room for both.

I just want them to make more theme park ride movies. Surely Pirates isn't the only lucrative film franchise you can get out of the Park Originals.

 

[Bairstow]

I can't imagine why the studio is acting more risk-adverse lately...

http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2012/03/disneys-john-carter
http://movieweb.com/box-office-bombs-2015-tomorrowland-fantastic-four/
http://www.slashfilm.com/steven-spielberg-brand/

 

[Earl Sweatpants]

Well, they had been making original films but had a long stretch of critical and commercial failures. They then started making the live action remakes which outperformed those original films, so it makes sense they'd drain that well dry.

D't get me qrong, I'd like to see them get back to making quality original films, as well, but I thibk there's room for both.

There is room for both, and as I said in a different post, I think Disney needs a true creative person at the helm...not someone who is only looking out for the corporate bank account (and ultimately his own bonus). Now sure, even a true creative person has to be mindful of making money for the company he works for, but that's what Walt did so well. He took risks creatively and nothing has ever paralleled his legacy since.

All Iger and co. has cared about is swelling the stock price. Their "legacy" will amount to little more than major acquisitions of outside companies instead of putting money into the creative talents of the companies own people.

 

[PorterRedkey]

Psshhhh...they don't get paid to care.

Oh they care, they just care about the bottom line and not the guests.

 

[Earl Sweatpants]

I can't imagine why the studio is acting more risk-adverse lately...

http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2012/03/disneys-john-carter
http://movieweb.com/box-office-bombs-2015-tomorrowland-fantastic-four/
http://www.slashfilm.com/steven-spielberg-brand/

What I find interesting is that all three movies did better internationally than domestically. They also all made back their production costs +. But I also think each one was an attempted swing for the fences home run, which is not a reliable movie making strategy.

I never thought I'd actually agree with something Eisner said, but he was right in his initial Disney film "singles and doubles" approach. To put it another way, I was once told by a successful pizza maker that the mentality that kept him in business was "fast nickels are better than slow dimes".

Sure, Disney needs its blockbuster summer/holiday offerings, but it also has to realize not every film is realistically going to set new BO records. And if your next 20 projects are all going to try and be the same kind of thing, you're going to burn out your audience. Superhero fatigue is a real* thing.

*OK, slightly made up.

 

[TeddyinMO]

Just as a general comment on the wave of reboots...I'm not assuming they will all be terrible films, but rather just against them in principle. I don't understand why its so hard for Disney to at least attempt to line up a slate of original films. Yes, I understand that reboots make money and that they're less "risky" then an original idea, but it just seems like they're looking for a way to make a quick buck so Iger can cash his huge bonus in the remaining years he has.

This is just me personally, but I wish Disney would go back to making movies like Heavyweights, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, The Big Green, etc.

You mean like Tomorrowland, Inside Out, Good Dinosaur, Finest Hours, Zootopia, The BFG, Queen of Katwe, Moana, Born in China and Coco?

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Which just proves that a CREATIVE person needs to run Disney...not someone with $$ blinders.

Rumor has it they are thinking of extending Iger's contract (again)

 

[Earl Sweatpants]

Rumor has it they are thinking of extending Iger's contract (again)

I've heard...and I cry.

 

[IanDLBZF]

Rumor has it they are thinking of extending Iger's contract (again)

How do you know that? From what I have read, there are ZERO plans to renew that contract and he has said that many times before. He is retiring in other words.

 

[Earl Sweatpants]

You mean like Tomorrowland, Inside Out, Good Dinosaur, Finest Hours, Zootopia, The BFG, Queen of Katwe, Moana, Born in China and Coco?

Spread out over several years...
4 Real movies (one sorta DL-inspired movie, one Roald Dahl adaptation)
3 Pixar Movies (so that doesn't quite count)
2 Animated Features
1 Nature Documentary (throw away)
...yeah. Exactly like that.

 

[Earl Sweatpants]

How do you know that? From what I have read, there are ZERO plans to renew that contract and he has said that many times before. He is retiring in other words.

Plenty of speculators (arguably back in April) all saw Tom Staggs' departure as signal that Iger would be asked to postpone his retirement. He himself has said he has no "current plans" to extend...but we'll see what happens.

 

[FigmentJedi]

I can't imagine why the studio is acting more risk-adverse lately...

http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2012/03/disneys-john-carter
http://movieweb.com/box-office-bombs-2015-tomorrowland-fantastic-four/
http://www.slashfilm.com/steven-spielberg-brand/

Note how all three movies had terrible advertising and marketing.
John Carter had the nondescript title and didn't feel the need to lean on the Pixar connection or Burroughs.
Tomorrowland had a viral campaign that ended up being about two years before release thanks to the movie being pushed back in favor of Star Wars and Maleficent that had no followup.
And I didn't really see much ads for BFG.

 

[TeddyinMO]

Spread out over several years...
4 Real movies (one sorta DL-inspired movie, one Roald Dahl adaptation)
3 Pixar Movies (so that doesn't quite count)
2 Animated Features
1 Nature Documentary (throw away)
...yeah. Exactly like that.

Right, we are on the internet. Never let facts get in the way of a your opinion!

For the record, during the same three year period (2015-2017) in addition to the list above, Disney is releasing:
5 MCU movies
3 Star Wars movies
3 remakes
4 true sequels
2 DreamWorks partnership movies

That's a very diverse listing of movies that includes sure-fire blockbusters, smaller "singles and doubles" movies and a few risks. And considering Disney had 3 of the top 5 movies in 2015 and currently has 4 of the top 6 for 2016 with Star Wars and Moana to go, I think the strategy is working quite well.