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

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Little mermaids budget is being stated in some trade articles now as $287 million…one was quoted here last week for another reason

Which means total break even number would be like $715 mil…

I doubt that number is a guess. Disney is probably forced to acknowledge the math on whatever writedown they’re gonna claim on a ledger…somewhere

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Disney Sinks $300 Million Into ‘Over Budget’ ‘Little Mermaid’ Movie

Disney has revealed that the cost of making the live action version of The Little Mermaid swelled to nearly $300m by the end of August last year, eight months before the movie opened.

www.forbes.com

They had to give numbers to get UK insurance payouts…

So that offset some loss…but they still lost more than we wrestled with when it flatlined on June 15th and people claimed it “was just getting started”…

 

[DKampy]

It's actually worse than that because like I pointed out. The article said it wouldn't break even in the low $400s. So I take that as it would break even in the mid $400s, correct? So let's say that mid is around $450mil. That means they're getting almost a 90% world-wide box-office take as an average? In what world does that make any sense? I don't care how reliable the source is, the conclusion doesn't add up. It doesn't pass the smell test as they say. And I even showed an article pointing out that theaters were mad at Disney for demanding 65% for a star wars that was coming off of one of the biggest movies in history. The little mermaid is not star wars so it's very doubtful it commanded that high a percentage.

The article never said anything about break even would be mid 400… in fact it explicitly mentioned 560 would be the breakeven

 

[TsWade2]

Yoo hoo: https://collider.com/wish-global-box-office-81-million/ I was going to gloat at you guys for saying I told you so, but I can’t. This whenever you guys read the article I post, you guys be the judge, so…….happy criticizing! Toodleloo!

 

[erasure fan1]

The article never said anything about break even would be mid 400… in fact it explicitly mentioned 560 would be the breakeven

I'm going to guess you didn't read both articles. That tends to happen.

From deadline

At that level, per finance sources, off a reported $250M production cost and $140M global marketing spend, The Little Mermaid could very well break-even. However, anything in the low $400M global threshold and this fish is apt to be sinking to a loss of around $20M.

So unless I'm misunderstanding what they are trying to say, it seems fairly cut and dry.

 

[erasure fan1]

Ooh, ooh, can we make up numbers to show the Galactic Starcruiser was a massive moneymaker next?

This is fun!

Honestly, I think that actually happened. Lol

 

[BuddyThomas]

When was that? I visit the parks regularly and it’s usually 55-85 minute waits. As I type this I just checked the app and it’s showing a 35 minute wait currently.

Extra significant in that it was part of Disneys core demographic.

It was during gay days weekend in September. It was a four hour wait throughout the weekend. We had to purchase the lightning thing or whatever it’s called for $25 each just to ride it without the wait.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Again…it’s the delivery and not understanding the vehicles for DEI…

Here’s what wrong with: “bigots and trolls in America downed (insert Disney 2023 flop title here)”

It covers the whole planet…cause these movies are sucking in all countries.

That’s what he’s trying to explain as the fallacy of the argument…along with others.

And some of yinz…repeatedly…keep trying to rephrase it and blame the 5 Angry American guys…over and over again.

Wait, you think bigotry is unique to America?

NO ONE IN THIS THREAD IS SAYING THE CONTROVERSY IS THE PRIMARY REASON DISNEY'S FILMS ARE STRUGGLING.

I am.

I just won’t give air to “they’ve p!zzed off 40%!”

You’re not paying attention.

Now:

You missed the part where it didn’t fail because of that ?

Forced DEI is certainly a possibly and creating backlash…stated or hidden

No…it’s more Disney than anyone else

Nice try though

Make up your mind?

 

[BuddyThomas]

Saw a trailer for Poor Things last night that I hadn’t seen before. In it Emma Stone appears as herself interview-style talking about why she took the part and how it represents a woman’s experience, empowerment, etc.

I know Disney also used Waititi in the Next Goal Wins trailer, made sense for him to crack a joke or two, but it’s kinda wild that you have an actor in this trailer explaining the message of the movie beforehand and essentially telling viewers it’s not offensive, presumably because the studio realizes it’s going to polarize. Is this how Disney handles any material that’s even remotely unconventional and challenging? Might as well have Emma Stone say it’s the arthouse Barbie and leave it at that.

Ummmmm, Poor Things is 92% positive on Tomatoes right now and this film is expected to get multiple awards nominations, so you can calm down.

 

[DKampy]

Ummmmm, Poor Things is 92% positive on Tomatoes right now and this film is expected to get multiple awards nominations, so you can calm down.

With many saying Emma Stone is a front runner to win

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Wait, you think bigotry is unique to America?

Did I say that? No. But you assume movies are viewed the same everywhere as they are in North America

Some are far better…some are terribly worse.

I am.

You’re not paying attention.

The red hat society is NOT 50% of the US. Half the people are generally ambivalent to politics…and about a quarter of those that are engaged think bigotry is “cool”. The people are near the cities…and most of the cities don’t actually give a rats about mermaid color.

Make up your mind?

Because I can consider more than one thing?

Yeah….I’ll “own” that.

 

[erasure fan1]

Because I can consider more than one thing?

Yeah….I’ll “own” that.

That's the stinger for a lot of people here.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Ooh, ooh, can we make up numbers to show the Galactic Starcruiser was a massive moneymaker next?

This is fun!

…it’s been done

Some fools were claiming it was “fully booked” for 9 months…

…yeah…cause Disney decided it was “unmagical”…they’re not about money

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Your pattern of comments about Bailey make it clear I was wrong to ever give you the benefit of the doubt.

You are who you appear to be.

You don’t know a damn thing about me…

But I know it when some will spend all their time twisting everything a corporation does to be “indisputable” because they can’t separate their whole existence from it

(Translation: I wouldn’t tweak ya if you hadn’t made a fool of yourself making apologies for failure. That is background noise that kills any adult discussion…

I tried to let you come around…you won’t take it because you see “evil” without any other problem.

But it’s not gonna happen. So hit the button and unburden your pretenses)

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

On top of this, very few people know the actual financials at play.

It was reported a while back the Disney budgets include costs related to running the business, i.e. something like janitorial services in the facilities is factored in. The Spider-Verse budgets only include the direct costs of making the movie. Something like that.

Not to mention the special effects budgets that Disney pays to ILM, in other words, pays themselves. A portion of those costs are actually profit for another division. Just like Disney+ fees offset some budget costs.

They lost money on every movie this year but guardians 3…
Which felt like the LAST of the high point MCU movies as badlands was played

 

[Casper Gutman]

You don’t know a damn thing about me…

But I know it when some will spend all their time twisting everything a corporation does to be “indisputable” because they can’t separate their whole existence from it

(Translation: I wouldn’t tweak ya if you hadn’t made a fool of yourself making apologies for failure. That is background noise that kills any adult discussion…

I tried to let you come around…you won’t take it because you see “evil” without any other problem.

But it’s not gonna happen. So hit the button and unburden your pretenses)

I know what you write and how it reflects on you. I know that, absurdly, you’re accusing me of defending everything Disney does despite spending years and years agreeing with me as I constantly criticized the parks.

 

[Trauma]

Your pattern of comments about Bailey make it clear I was wrong to ever give you the benefit of the doubt.

You are who you appear to be.

What’s wrong with this comment ?

Didn’t Bailey get a lot of money for the movie?

Makes sense she would get a Benz.

It’s what my wife drives and she loves it.

 

[CinematicFusion]

Disney Sinks $300 Million Into ‘Over Budget’ ‘Little Mermaid’ Movie

Disney has revealed that the cost of making the live action version of The Little Mermaid swelled to nearly $300m by the end of August last year, eight months before the movie opened.

www.forbes.com

They had to give numbers to get UK insurance payouts…

So that offset some loss…but they still lost more than we wrestled with when it flatlined on June 15th and people claimed it “was just getting started”…

I bet Hallee still gotta Benz though

300 million to make mermaid
140 million to market it.
So they lost 41 million on the film.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

300 million to make mermaid
140 million to market it.
So they lost 41 million on the film.

Depending on the split and final costs…in that range

The important part is the that it’s been reported it was close to $300 “when they last checked in October 2022”…
…yikes.

It was a loser…it didn’t spawn a series…which i believe to be their intent.

Same as remake Poppins

Same exact bad decision and bad mistake

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

What’s wrong with this comment ?

Didn’t Bailey get a lot of money for the movie?

Makes sense she would get a Benz.

It’s what my wife drives and she loves it.

He’s right I was looking to rankle (mission: accomplished…heck of a job, Brownie!!)

But the source of my mischief was he and a couple of decorated excuse makers were talking about “Hallee” back in May…

As if they were her agent…uncle…demented stalker…or all of the above?

Where does that get off? I find THAT abusive…
Don’t act like you have “more right” in your opinions by feigning personal privilege…
…and that’s what that trick was about.