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

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yet it was done with Rogue One and TFA.

Ewwwww…you misinterpreted one big time there…

…but don’t feel bad…Bob and everyone at LFL fell for it too and it’s partly to blame for disaster upon disaster since

 

[CinematicFusion]

Most want to feel they are taken away from the real world and get lost in a fantasy.
Love, sci-fi,horror, adventure… doesn’t matter.

But if they leave the theater feeling that they have somehow been preached to, or don’t identify with the main characters… that’s a problem.

 

[Willmark]

So straightforward! Why, do you suppose, why they don’t do more of those?

Not really the question. The question is what should in your opinion (and others) and do with Disney movies to make them profitable?

Plenty of people on one “side” has said what they should do, certainly the other “side” must have ideas.

 

[Willmark]

Most want to feel they are taken away from the real world and get lost in a fantasy.
Love, sci-fi,horror, adventure… doesn’t matter.

But if they leave the theater feeling that they have somehow been preached to, or don’t identify with the main characters… that’s a problem.

I mean a sad old man, lonely man, alone his run down dwelling with no friends, no love life or offspring with no reason to exist? With a side kick who can literally do everything! /sarcasm

Oh wait that was Luke in TLJ.

Can’t imagine why no one was lining up to see Indy 5.

Disney fooled me once on a movie, it’s going to be long, long time before they receive the benefit of the doubt.

And is always this isn’t “Disney ruined my childhood!” Simply put, they released a movie that had I no idea what they were doing. If I had? I would have never watched it in the first place let alone paid money for it (that’s not to say I would pirate it, simply I wouldn't put down my money to watch it.)

I’ll eventually watch Dial of Destiny on Disney+ but I am in no rush to do so. Disney+ is for my wife for the most part. And this is from someone who has seen Raiders of the Lost Ark over easily over 200 times.

 

[DKampy]

Most want to feel they are taken away from the real world and get lost in a fantasy.
Love, sci-fi,horror, adventure… doesn’t matter.

But if they leave the theater feeling that they have somehow been preached to, or don’t identify with the main characters… that’s a problem.

Yeah cause Oppenheimer was set in the fantasy realm

 

[Casper Gutman]

Wait 3 years and then Create characters and a story line that resonates with the die hard, core Star Wars/Marvel fans that honors the Marvel Comics/and respects the vision of Star Wars by George Lucas…. And crowds will come.
Respects the core audience and the others will follow.

Absolutely nothing Marvel has done doesn’t respect the comics or their fans. They have been close to reverential. The screaming faction generally has no idea about the comics, their history, or their present state. They just scream.

 

[Casper Gutman]

You know who is “best” for a lead role in a film? A reliable movie star. Not a TV series lead. Decades of experience demonstrates this.

Man, this will come as a shock to Tom Hiddleston, Chris Pratt, and Chris Hemsworth. And Robert Downey Jr, of course, who was the furthest thing from “reliable” and could only get cast on TV. Probably shouldn’t cast Chris Evans either - he’s no star.

 

[Casper Gutman]

My point is Marvel isn’t appealing to the core audience with the crap they have been tossing out with Eternals, Marvels, Antman. Core audience knows quality storytelling… and that isn’t it.

Last Indiana Jones was a terrible story because…

Spoiler

Nazis could have tied up Indy at start of film, successfully completed the mission and still failed because it only takes you to one place in time. Pointless.

The outcome of Raiders of the Lost Ark would have been exactly the same if Indy was never involved. Well, not quite… the baddies might never have actually found the Ark at all without him.

 

[Casper Gutman]

The one concrete suggestion is creating a more financially diverse slate of films, and both sides agree on that. It won’t be nearly enough to right the ship, however.

 

[CinematicFusion]

Absolutely nothing Marvel has done doesn’t respect the comics or their fans. They have been close to reverential. The screaming faction generally has no idea about the comics, their history, or their present state. They just scream.

Disagree… and if you believe what you’re saying. Have Disney immediately stop making Marvel movies and walk away.

 

[Willmark]

And to any and all:

My personal measuring stick? I care far less about messaging personally than craptastic movies. Case in point: TLJ

Not only is it a bad SW movie, it’s a bad movie. Sure it looks great but it’s also filled with the most nonsensical story line ever.

And it’s truly the definition of YMMV.

 

[Casper Gutman]

It would have been quicker to just articulate what concrete steps you think Disney needs to take, which posters aren’t doing. Here, I’ll help - there is one other concrete suggestion: differentiate theatrical and D+ media more firmly, by significantly extending the period before a film appears on D+ and creating more distinctive material specifically for streaming. Along with creating a more financially diverse slate, that’s a concrete idea with which I agree - but it won’t be enough.

 

[_caleb]

I think audiences today are exactly the same as they were back then.

The demographics have changed a bit but people like good movies regardless of their age, race, gender, sexuality, etc.

It’s odd to me you think modern audiences wouldn’t love Jaws, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, etc. Why wouldn’t they?

As for how to fix Disney, they need a few hits to change opinions, I wrote in the Indy 5 thread that I thought Disney is suffering from its own failure, Indy 5 was much better than its box office indicates but after how horrible Indy 4 was I think people were hesitant to go.

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. I think that applies to Star Wars, Marvel, and now even Pixar and Disney Animation, people aren’t going because Disneys been putting out subpar movies for a few years and we don’t want to be fools again.

I’m surprised to hear that anyone would think this. People are not going to the movies like they used to. That’s been a 14-year trend. It’s not just that demographics are changing, technology has changed habits and preferences and storytelling itself.

Those classic movies are great, but they’ve been done again and again, with each iteration adding additional layers and effects and plot twists to try to make it feel fresh. A nostalgia play can work every once in a while (Top Gun: Maverick), but that’s not going to be a long-term solution for audiences these days (though I’m sure some studios will try).

 

[TalkingHead]

Rumor is Soul, Turning Red, and Luca are getting theatrical releases next year. Dunno if the proper response is to laugh or cry.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Rumor is Soul, Turning Red, and Luca are getting theatrical releases next year. Dunno if the proper response is to laugh or cry.

Well they might as well load up the schedule with re-releases, though I wouldn't have picked these three.

 

[Jedijax719]

Do they even have a November, 2024 animated release

 

[TalkingHead]

Well they might as well load up the schedule with re-releases, though I wouldn't have picked these three.

Certainly one way to beef up a thin release schedule, but seems like it will also add ammunition to the recent Disney flops narrative. Is it really worth perpetuating that story in exchange for Luca getting, what, $10m at the box office?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Certainly one way to beef up a thin release schedule, but seems like it will also add ammunition to the recent Disney flops narrative. Is it really worth perpetuating that story in exchange for Luca getting, what, $10m at the box office?

That's why I would pick older titles. If, for example, the first Santa Clause did comparable business to Nightmare Before Christmas' 30th anniversary release, no one would care or notice.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Rumor is Soul, Turning Red, and Luca are getting theatrical releases next year. Dunno if the proper response is to laugh or cry.

I love that idea. They’re strong films, the expense will be minimal, and it might go a small way to reasserting Pixar films as theatrical events (Elemental helped with that). Personally, I vastly prefer seeing movies in theaters.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I’m surprised to hear that anyone would think this. People are not going to the movies like they used to. That’s been a 14-year trend. It’s not just that demographics are changing, technology has changed habits and preferences and storytelling itself.

Those classic movies are great, but they’ve been done again and again, with each iteration adding additional layers and effects and plot twists to try to make it feel fresh. A nostalgia play can work every once in a while (Top Gun: Maverick), but that’s not going to be a long-term solution for audiences these days (though I’m sure some studios will try).

I’m not suggesting they remake them, I’m saying if they made original movies like those today they’d be just as successful as they were when they were released.

The audience of the 70s, 80s, and 90s is the same as the audience of today, come up with a great story (preferably original) and people will pay to see it. Harry Potter is the best recent example (although even that’s a decade old now), give people a great story and they’ll show up.