Disney (and others) at the Box Office - Current State of Affairs

[Disney Irish]

All of their major money losers(except the Chevalier outlier which failed) were remakes and sequels.

I don't think anyone is disputing this. What is being disputed is that Disney is only putting out sequels and remakes, which again is not true as over half of their releases this year have been or will be original content.

 

[Casper Gutman]

What's particularly funny is the folks championing WB as some sort of non-IP model. Zaslav has ordered that the studio's entire focus be not only IP but the biggest, most familiar IP only.

 

[Disney Irish]

What's particularly funny is the folks championing WB as some sort of non-IP model. Zaslav has ordered that the studio's entire focus be not only IP but the biggest, most familiar IP only.

Yep, as I mentioned Barbie actually took the release date that was originally scheduled for Coyote vs Acme a live action/animated Looney Tunes movie, its new release date is up in the air. Because you know those did so well last time with Back in Action and Space Jam 2 (neither of which making back their budgets).

 

[celluloid]

OK, so now the goalposts seem to have shifted to "original IP tentpoles." Hey, you know which studio has an original IP tentpole slated this year? Disney, with The Creator (and Wish). And you know which studio more consistently produced original IP tentpole hits then any other? Disney, with their animated films.

This conversation is infuriating, because the terms keep slipping from box office to diverse slates to non-IP originals to film quality and back again whenever its convenient. It's not a real discussion.

Well we can't predict the future we just go by what is there so far.
Which people agree that Disney has had the worst year of the major atudios. No goal posts other than which studio consistently has major budget failures and money pit releases.

Don't get hung up on conflating original and fresh. We could argue all day Barbie is not original due to its tongue in cheek connection to its namesake, but it is fresh in a world of saturation. As is Oppenheimer. Even Exorcist or Five Nights at Freddy's and Mario have basis, but are all fairly fresh for theatrical films of their franchise or premise. This is not a year of three Five Nights at Freddy's or Mario Universe spin off movies.

Also huh?
Universal markets their animated releases under Illumination as much or more than Disney, at a fraction production price too.

I wish they would have marketed Dreamworks' Ruby Gillman more, but again, it was not very fresh and like turning red of the sea.

Not a good year for mer folk turning profits. Aquaman 2 probably not changing that.

I am most interested to see what Creator does. A true Mid possibly fresh attempt from the studio.

 

[celluloid]

What's particularly funny is the folks championing WB as some sort of non-IP model. Zaslav has ordered that the studio's entire focus be not only IP but the biggest, most familiar IP only.

Who said WB was a non IP model studio? They were just as bad as Disney this year but thankfully they did a high concept where they let a director do her vision and put Evil Dead Rise to theaters because they knew it was good enough to be a mod hit.
Something fresh in the mess that is not oversaturated play.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The faux outrage machine returns…tomorrow is another day of excuses…until then

 

[TP2000]

This conversation is infuriating, because the terms keep slipping from box office to diverse slates to non-IP originals to film quality and back again whenever its convenient. It's not a real discussion.

If it helps any, I'm so simple-minded that I'm still stuck on box office data.

Because I don't generally go see movies, maybe only one or two per year, I don't have much else to go on but hard facts and real data.

And Disney's box office data has been horrifically bad this year. Thus... this thread.

 

[TP2000]

Did you like it? I thought it was very good. It seems a shame people aren’t giving it a chance.

Disney marketed the heck out of it before and during its opening.

For whatever reason, people looked at the product and said "Uh.... Nope, I'm going to spend my entertainment dollars elsewhere".

There's hardly any message more powerful than the message the free market can deliver.

 

[celluloid]

The sequels all made over a billion!!! Solo would have done a billion if Iger hadn't screwed up the release date!!! Star wars has never been more popular!!! They're only just ironing out their next slate of theatrical releases!!! Everything is just fine you hater!!!

Did I just about cover it all

You are supposed to use the phrases "Disingenuous" or "arguing in bad faith."

 

[TP2000]

I disagree with this sentiment, as I've said before.

Yes, but Disney having a Disney problem (a brilliant line, by the way) is the most glaring example of that. Disney is now on track to lose at least $600 Million on its 2023 box office releases by September. With only Wish and The Marvels and some smaller films from Searchlight left to salvage the rest of the calendar year.

Compare Disney's $600-ish Million loss so far in 2023 to...

If this is the case, then -

WBD has a WBD problem.

Warner Bros., 7 movies: Production $475, Marketing $238, Global Box Office $1,648, Box Office Take $824 = $111 Million Profit

Uni has a Uni problem.

Universal, 8 movies: Production $743, Marketing $372, Global Box Office $3,098, Box Office Take $1,549 = $434 Million Profit

Sony has a Sony problem.

Sony, 11 movies: Production $382, Marketing $191, Global Box Office $1,465, Box Office Take $697 = $169 Million Profit

Paramount has a Paramount problem.

Paramount, 5 movies: Production $698, Marketing $349, Global Box Office $1,525, Box Office Take $762 = $285 Million Loss

Lionsgate has a Lionsgate problem.

Lionsgate, 9 movies: Production $293, Marketing $147, Global Box Office $643, Box Office Take $322 = $218 Million Loss

The Numbers - Movie Market Summary for Year 2023

Annual Movie Market Summary for 2023

www.the-numbers.com

 

[celluloid]

Yes, but Disney having a Disney problem (a brilliant line, by the way) i

Thanks!

It becomes glaringly clear as when your tentpoles all come to a near screaching halt as they did not do you any favors, the studio will really struggle and that is ultimately why I first said the phrase. Besides just this year.

While they certainly could out of desperation, it would not be wise to continue with a LM 2, Guardians going on to just cost more on tv or film. Ant Man sequels are now showing done, HM sequel, not a good chance of that is there. Indy, ha. They can hope for Wish to give them enough to justify Wish 2 at the end of this year if Trolls 3 and Migration don't steal enough of its attention and people are willing to trust a Disney release.

Same lesson WB, Paramount and Uni have learned with a few of theirs this year.

I imagine The Marvels will suffer a similar fate.

Disney needed a least two of these to be a hit so they could get some sequels pumped in the next two or three years.

Barbie has that for WB.
Mario for Universal.(probably 2 with Migration, maybe more if these Blumhouse horror rock the house)

And their mids had some hits.



Disney. They have their problem tenfold. A loss this year with nowhere to go except pay those writers well and let them come up with some great specs and premises.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Hey, is it too early to debate why Marvels tanked?!

I mean…

The trailer looks like it’s in the tank on day 1

It looks to be slapstick? After they filmed captain marvel to be one of the more serious MCU films/characters?

That’s supposed to be endearing? “Subvert expectations?”

They have a ship called the “Hooptey”??
Is that like…”retro 90’s humor”?

When’s the last they tried a funny marvel movie? Oh right…love and forgettable?

Cause it’s really not a “funny” kinda genre…notable exception with guardians…who has its charm and closed out with a fine film that had almost zero humor. It is perfect.


If the Marvels is a great movie…it will succeed. If it’s anything less? It’s another flop.

Can’t wait for Bob to blame fired people he hired and/or the audience

 

[TP2000]

Hey, is it too early to debate why Marvels tanked?!

I watched the trailer today after reading a post about it here. I wish I hadn't.

As I understand it, Marvel is Disney's mega-budget studio aimed at 13 to 28 year old males.

This is their big winning box office strategy for Thanksgiving '23 with their core male demographic aged 13 to 28?

 

[Tha Realest]

Oppenheimer is Christopher Nolan, dude…

He’s probably the second most bankable director in Hollywood right now

Just curious, who would be the most bankable if not Nolan?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Just curious, who would be the most bankable if not Nolan?

A guy that releases a $2 billion dollar gross every 5 years or so

 

[Tha Realest]

A guy that releases a $2 billion dollar gross every 5 years or so

LOL! Ah, got it. I’m sorry, he does movies so infrequently he slipped my mind. But yes, Nolan is a franchise unto himself.

 

[DKampy]

Preaching to the choir. WB and Uni just had examples that it can be more consistent than Disney currently has itself in.

Barbie and Oppenheimer are even both hits surpassing most of Disneys biggest and we're released in the same week.

Unicorns are. It so rare when you can have multiple of them in a year from nearly every studio but Disney.

Back to what some here say. Everyone knows and repeat it since you like to say this in a hundred ways.

As of now:
Disney has a Disney problem.

I mean…

The trailer looks like it’s in the tank on day 1

It looks to be slapstick? After they filmed captain marvel to be one of the more serious MCU films/characters?

That’s supposed to be endearing? “Subvert expectations?”

They have a ship called the “Hooptey”??
Is that like…”retro 90’s humor”?

When’s the last they tried a funny marvel movie? Oh right…love and forgettable?

Cause it’s really not a “funny” kinda genre…notable exception with guardians…who has its charm and closed out with a fine film that had almost zero humor. It is perfect.


If the Marvels is a great movie…it will succeed. If it’s anything less? It’s another flop.

Can’t wait for Bob to blame fired people he hired and/or the audience

Guardians

 

[celluloid]

Guardians

Could I have some more context of why this with the quote?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Guardians

Ummm…did you actually read the quote…or we just messing today?

 

[DKampy]

Could I have some more context of why this with the quote?

Sorry… I did not mean to quote you… Sir asked when was the last time a Marvel movie went for funny