News Bob Iger is back! Chapek is out!!

[MerlinTheGoat]

I merely pointed out that there have been unfortunate incidents on Iger’s watch as well that can also be considered negligent.

In case there's any misunderstanding, I detest Iger as well, as much if not moreso than Eisner. There have also been multiple close call incidents while he was CEO. Falling chunks of concrete rockwork at Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom about a decade ago. No guests were hit, but they fell in areas that guests frequently pass through. It's why the Tree of Life and Splash Mountain had temporary netting/tarps for a while.

Iger isn't innocent of playing roulette with people's safety either IMO, but he's been luckier at the very least. I assume he's at least prioritized certain aspects of vehicle/mechanical inspections to avoid a repeat of Eisner's scandals. He hasn't had a situation like the Big Thunder, Space Mountain or Columbia yet. Incidents that were directly traced back to executives intentionally signing off on the removal of routine safety inspections that they knew would imperil guest safety. I'm worried it could get to that again, but the evidence hasn't surfaced yet.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Iger is hosting a town hall on Monday to discuss the road ahead. Over/Under on him using the phase "extremely hardcore?"

This is what I am hoping Iger will announce on Monday: If Disney wants to improve/properly market their films (especially animated films) and move right on ahead with highly-detailed park projects like expanding north of Big Thunder Mountain in Florida, DisneylandForward, EPCOT additions, and my dream projects like an Adventureland Moana expansion and South America and Australia expansions for Animal Kingdom (both in Florida), they’re going to have to sell off 20th Century Studios, Searchlight Pictures, and 20th Television, along with their IPs. (I know I’ve been saying this many times, but I think it should be crucial to turning Disney around after two sucky years under Chapek.)

 

[TwilightZone]

EPCOT Center in the mid-late 90s. While I very much enjoyed some exhibits in Innoventions (especially Alec Tronic, he appealed to my love for robotics and classic Disney attractions), overall it was kind of lesser than Communicore before it and was the first sign of things to come. Then Horizons lost its sponsor that year and became a "seasonal" attraction (more like it was operated intermittently over next 5 years to help offset the other attractions being closed). Then World of Motion closed in 96, Universe of Energy got a really inferior and stupid overhaul with Ellen that same year, then Imagination in 98, and Horizons' final permanent closure in 99. EPCOT used to be a wonderful park, and they absolutely razed it under Eisner...

I actually prefer 90s epcot overall, maybe it's because I am a 99' baby, but I find Innoventions, Test Track, and Irons Spaceship Earth vastly more interesting than their predeccessors (though World of Motion does seem like it was fun, and should have never closed). Now 00s Epcot is another story, where everything in innoventions was being tossed out for cheapo stuff due to lack of sponsors, leading to the only attraction left fitting the original concept being Sum of all Thrills. Ellen overstayed its welcome and felt squarely rooted in the 90s. While YOUR imagination was a misstep, I'd argue that JIWF is even worse. A "temporary" attraction filled with inside jokes about the terrible ride it replaced, and making Figment's personality worse in order to catch in with the company's idea of what was "hip and cool" at the time. Keeping the big wand over epcot and the ugly pin center. The downgrade of the entire Spaceship Earth experience, with a script that speaks down to its audience and a terrible downgrade of an ending after the stunning Irons ending. So much terrible stuff happened in the early 00s and very little of it has been fixed or replaced over time.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

I actually prefer 90s epcot overall, maybe it's because I am a 99' baby, but I find Innoventions, Test Track, and Irons Spaceship Earth vastly more interesting than their predeccessors (though World of Motion does seem like it was fun, and should have never closed). Now 00s Epcot is another story, where everything in innoventions was being tossed out for cheapo stuff due to lack of sponsors, leading to the only attraction left fitting the original concept being Sum of all Thrills. Ellen overstayed its welcome and felt squarely rooted in the 90s. While YOUR imagination was a misstep, I'd argue that JIWF is even worse. A "temporary" attraction filled with inside jokes about the terrible ride it replaced, and making Figment's personality worse in order to catch in with the company's idea of what was "hip and cool" at the time. Keeping the big wand over epcot and the ugly pin center. The downgrade of the entire Spaceship Earth experience, with a script that speaks down to its audience and a terrible downgrade of an ending after the stunning Irons ending. So much terrible stuff happened in the early 00s and very little of it has been fixed or replaced over time.

I'll make a special exception for Irons' Spaceship Earth, I forgot that was 94. That is my favorite narration and had the best descent by far. While I am very nostalgic for Tomorrow's Child and I realize a lot of people prefer it, the spectacular classical Bach arrangement in Irons version is incredible. Combined it with the shimmering fiber optic city of light, it's a hauntingly beautiful yet uplifting scene that actually makes me tear up a bit.

 

[Rich Brownn]

I didn't say people haven't seen it. I'm saying people don't talk about it.

I've seen it... This website is the only place I have ever engaged in a conversation about the films in any shape or form.

EDIT: Let me re-phrase... I didn't mean that nobody has seen it... I just haven't met anyone that remembers much of it or HAS seen it.

You must know someone who has seen it... unless they live under a rock somewhere . Seriously though, the *reissue* of it this year took in $30 million on a weekend - better than most new films. And, ironically, one of the biggest complaints thrown at the film is probably one of the reasons for its success - that it's a trope (white man saves savages). It doesn't require lengthy translations or understanding - everyone, everywhere could pretty much get the story right away. <The 3D of course was the major sell - and will be again this time judging from showtimes. The 3D showtimes vastly outnumber the 2D ones, reversing the trend>

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

While obviously a ton of people have seen Avatar, it's one of those movies that most people either don't remember or don't care about the plot. It's the visuals that carried it and impressed people. Even the "positive" reviews largely admitted to this.

The pretty scenery did make it a really good choice for a theme park environment though.

I don't plan on watching the sequel due to my dislike of the first movie's plot. But it'll be interesting to hear the feedback to see if they addressed that flaw with the first. I wouldn't bet against its success, but it'll also be interesting to see if it can match or surpass the financial success of the first too.

 

[Tom P.]

James Cameron was a good filmmaker once, when limited budgets forced him to be creative. Aliens, Terminator 2, those were masterpieces. But once he basically had a blank check to spend, starting around the time of Titanic, he became obsessed with pretty visuals and everything else suffered. It might make for some decent theme park rides, but it also makes for some uninteresting movies.

 

[Schmidt]

While obviously a ton of people have seen Avatar, it's one of those movies that most people either don't remember or don't care about the plot. It's the visuals that carried it and impressed people. Even the "positive" reviews largely admitted to this.

The pretty scenery did make it a really good choice for a theme park environment though.

I don't plan on watching the sequel due to my dislike of the first movie's plot. But it'll be interesting to hear the feedback to see if they addressed that flaw with the first. I wouldn't bet against its success, but it'll also be interesting to see if it can match or surpass the financial success of the first too.

This old argument. Avatar was great including the story and the plot was fantastic.

 

[pdude81]

Haha. Low budget films like Aliens and T2. I didn't like Titanic either but let's try to use arguments based in reality

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

My favorite Disney low budget film is John Carter.

As for Avatar 2 - I can see this going a couple of different ways.

Personally, I think it’ll get to where it needs to be - but barely. I’d be shocked if it surpasses Avatar. A $3 Billion Box Office in todays climate would be staggering.

I’m thinking it passes TFA and creeps up to Titanic numbers and settles in around 2.3.

I’ve seen domestic opening week projections anywhere from $130-$170 Million.

Of course there’s always the chance of a monumental start then a fade.

Should be interesting.

 

[MisterPenguin]

To be honest, I am kind of surprised Disney green-lit an animated sci-fi adventure in the first place. That seems almost the perfect recipe if you were shooting for box office failure.

Disney keeps trying to have a popular IP which it can transform Tomorrowland into!

 

[G00fyDad]

Movie quality is where we are at in this conversation about Chapek leaving?

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Disney keeps trying to have a popular IP which it can transform Tomorrowland into!

Must say I'm surprised they never put a better Stitch attraction into the Tomorrowlands. Every time I go to the parks, I swear Stitch seems to be one of if not the most popular character judging by his appearance on apparel and merchandise!

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Must say I'm surprised they never put a better Stitch attraction into the Tomorrowlands. Every time I go to the parks, I swear Stitch seems to be one of if not the most popular character judging by his appearance on apparel and merchandise!

Figment has entered the chat.

 

[flynnibus]

Right, but it would have been something that Chapek had to approve.

No

 

[JoeCamel]

Movie quality is where we are at in this conversation about Chapek leaving?

A couple of laps around star bores is in the offing, predictable drift around here

 

[Heppenheimer]

To be honest, I am kind of surprised Disney green-lit an animated sci-fi adventure in the first place. That seems almost the perfect recipe if you were shooting for box office failure.

Disney feature animation does not have a particularly good track record with sci-fi. Lilo and Stitch is the only example I can think of that did particularly well and was generally positively received, and that was almost despite the sci-fi elements of the plot, which was more focused on Hawaii than anything else.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Disney feature animation does not have a particularly good track record with sci-fi. Lilo and Stitch is the only example I can think of that did particularly well and was generally positively received, and that was almost despite the sci-fi elements of the plot, which was more focused on Hawaii than anything else.

Yes, I find it hard to think of that so much as a sci-fi film as the setting so rooted in Hawaii to the point of even playing up the Elvis connection. The film also kind of falls apart at the end when the spaceships show up and things start going crazy.

Stitch as a character also kind of eclipsed the film he was in, which is another reason I'm surprised they haven't tried to do more with him in the parks to keep building him up as a character in his own right.

 

[The Mom]

Posters are getting way off topic - shocking, I know.

 

[MisterPenguin]