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

[TP2000]

And here are the figures for the 8 films released by the various flagship studios of The Walt Disney Company.

In the case of The Marvels, the production budget of $275 Million was reduced in the tally posted above to only $220 Million, owing to a $55 Million rebate check given to Disney compliments of the British taxpayer for filming that movie in the UK. That $55 Million tax rebate was factored into the total loss of $223 Million for The Marvels.

Speaking of Marvel, you can see here how Guardians 3 was the only film from any Disney studio to make a profit in 2023.

 

[LittleBuford]

compliments of the British taxpayer

UK taxpayers pay nothing towards the scheme, which is actually of considerable benefit to the British economy. I don’t know why you keep framing it in these terms.

 

[TP2000]

After 11 days of release Migration has made about 5x its opening weekend and will have out grossed Wish by end of day tomorrow.

It's now pacing similar to Puss in Boots 2, which by the end of its second weekend (12 days of release) was at $61 million.

It's interesting to see how Wish compares with the three other films in its segment (family animation and/or musicals) over the '23 Holidays period. This is as of Monday, January 1st. A lot of schools have this week off, so it will be interesting to see where this chart ends up by next Sunday.

Wish bombed horribly, that much we already know without waiting for next Sunday.

 

[TP2000]

UK taxpayers pay nothing towards the scheme, which is actually of considerable benefit to the British economy. I don’t know why you keep framing it in these terms.

It was a tax credit given to movie studios by the British government. So the British taxpayers paid for it.

At least that's what the industry media described it as; a $55 Million subsidy given by the British government.

"They show that over the two-year period from the incorporation of the company to September 30, 2022, it spent $274.8 million (£221.8 million) and banked a $55 million (£44.4 million) subsidy from the government of the United Kingdom where the movie was made. This brought its net spending down to $219.8 million meaning that the movie will have to gross at least $439.6 million at the box office to break even as studios get around half of theater takings."

Disney Spent Over $270 Million To Make ‘The Marvels’

Disney has revealed that it spent more than $270 million on making 'The Marvels', the latest installment in its Marvel Comics superhero saga.

www.forbes.com

 

[Disney Irish]

Okay, gang, have we all recovered from last night?

I have. Sort of.

So while we all rehydrate, here is the 2023 Box Office Final Tally for The Walt Disney Company. In total, in 2023 Disney lost a total $1.284 Billion (with a B) from its 15 different movies released this past year via its stable of seven different studios.

At the global box office, the only film to make money for Disney in 2023 was Guardians 3, which had a net profit of $60 Million. Every single other movie from a Disney owned studio lost money.

In no particular order here are those studios and their films, using the format of production and marketing budgets combined, with 60% of the domestic box office take and 40% of the overseas box office take, equating to a profit or loss. All figures are in Millions of Dollars

Marvel Studios = $234 Million Loss
Ant Man: $200 Production/$100 Marketing, $129 Domestic, $100 Overseas = $71 Million Loss
Guardians 3: $250 Production/$100 Marketing: $215 Domestic, $195 Overseas = $60 Million Profit
The Marvels: $220* Production/$100 Marketing, $51 Domestic, $46 Overseas = $223 Million Loss

Walt Disney Pictures = $276 Million Loss
Haunted Mansion: $158 Production/$75 Marketing, $41 Domestic, $19 Overseas = $173 Million Loss
The Little Mermaid: $250 Production/$140 Marketing, $179 Domestic, $108 Overseas = $103 Million Loss

Pixar Studios = $74 Million Loss
Elemental: $200 Production/$100 Marketing, $93 Domestic, $133 Overseas = $74 Million Loss

Walt Disney Animation Studios = $216 Million Loss
Wish: $200 Production/$100 Marketing, $37 Domestic, $47 Overseas = $216 Million Loss

Lucasfilm Studios = $212 Million Loss
Indiana Jones 5: $300 Production/$100 Marketing, $105 Domestic, $83 Overseas = $212 Million Loss

Searchlight Pictures = $120 Million Loss
Chevalier: $46 Production/$15 Marketing, $2 Million Domestic, $200,000 Overseas = $58 Million Loss
Theater Camp: $8 Production/$4 Marketing, $2.4 Domestic, $300,000 Overseas = $9 Million Loss
Next Goal Wins: $10 Production/$5 Marketing, $4 Domestic, $300,000 Overseas = $10 Million Loss
Poor Things: $35 Production/$15 Marketing, $7 Domestic, $0 Overseas = $43 Million Loss

20th Century Studios = $116 Million Loss
The Boogeyman: $35 Production/$15 Marketing, $26 Domestic, $16 Overseas = $8 Million Loss
A Haunting In Venice: $60 Production/$30 Marketing, $25 Domestic, $29 Overseas = $36 Million Loss
The Creator: $80 Production/$40 Marketing, $25 Domestic, $23 Overseas = $72 Million Loss

2023 Grand Total = $1,284,000,000 Loss

And funny, not a one, none, zero, zilch, have been written down by Disney in their financials in all of 2023, and likely 2024. Which means if they are taking a loss on these, they are able to absorb those losses in a way that does not require a write down like other Studios.

Which means that Disney Studios are not in the dire financial troubles that you seem to allude to here.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Here are the figures for Searchlight.

Poor Things is still in theaters, and will gain a few more box office bucks in January, 2024. But according to Google, it will have a very limited overseas market and is only being released in the United Kingdom and Ireland this month. Much like other Searchlight releases, which have an extremely limited overseas presence and release schedule.

View attachment 761216

You have been corrected on Poor Things multiple times. The film has been nominated (and in some cases already won) more than 100 awards. It is a slow roll out. You claim that you never heard of the film until maybe a month ago and since then, you have been absolutely obsessed trying to prove that the film is a flop but you are incorrect.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Fantastic film. Killers, The Holdovers, and The Color Purple were all amazing and they all deserve to win best picture.

Will definitely see Flower Moon as soon as I can. If you get a chance, try to see The Iron Claw. A24 has not been promoting it much, but it is one of the best films of the year.

 

[Disney Irish]

Here are the figures for Searchlight.

Poor Things is still in theaters, and will gain a few more box office bucks in January, 2024. But according to Google, it will have a very limited overseas market and is only being released in the United Kingdom and Ireland this month. Much like other Searchlight releases, which have an extremely limited overseas presence and release schedule.

View attachment 761216

Just an FYI, which I believe you have been told before, Searchlight is for their award contender art house type films. Those type of films hardly ever breakeven let alone turn a profit. So while its interesting to look at what a Searchlight film did at the box office, its really not going to do much in terms of the overall profitability of Disney Studios.

 

[Prince-1]

Will definitely see Flower Moon as soon as I can. If you get a chance, try to see The Iron Claw. A24 has not been promoting it much, but it is one of the best films of the year.

Watched it already. Also a great film.

 

[Prince-1]

And not technically a Disney movie but who cares. Can’t wait for this…

Trailer for Mickey Mouse Slasher Film Drops on Same Day ‘Steamboat Willie’ Character Enters Public Domain

Horror comedy film 'Mickey's Mouse Trap' features Disney's iconic character as the killer.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[LittleBuford]

It was a tax credit given to movie studios by the British government. So the British taxpayers paid for it.

At least that's what the industry media described it as; a $55 Million subsidy given by the British government.

"They show that over the two-year period from the incorporation of the company to September 30, 2022, it spent $274.8 million (£221.8 million) and banked a $55 million (£44.4 million) subsidy from the government of the United Kingdom where the movie was made. This brought its net spending down to $219.8 million meaning that the movie will have to gross at least $439.6 million at the box office to break even as studios get around half of theater takings."

Disney Spent Over $270 Million To Make ‘The Marvels’

Disney has revealed that it spent more than $270 million on making 'The Marvels', the latest installment in its Marvel Comics superhero saga.

www.forbes.com

No, it’s tax relief they can claim back after completing production and having already paid the full amount of tax. They need to demonstrate that they have spent a certain amount in the UK, among other eligibility requirements, in order to qualify. The arrangement has helped to create thousands of jobs in the UK and boosted the economy.

The British taxpayer neither gives nor loses anything to sustain the scheme. Quite the opposite.

Film Tax Relief – British Film Commission

britishfilmcommission.org.uk

 

[TP2000]

You have been corrected on Poor Things multiple times. I really do not know what your problem is. The film has been nominated (and in some cases already won) more than 100 awards. It is a slow roll out. You claim that you never heard of the film until maybe a month ago and since then, you have been absolutely obsessed trying to prove that the film is a flop. As is usually the case, you are incorrect.

Poor Things was the only new film released by Disney since Thanksgiving, so it was mentioned because it showed up in the daily box office updates. Currently, it's in 12th place at the box office for January 1st

Do you now want me to mention the movie because of that weak box office showing?

Poor Things had a production budget of $35 Million. Assuming a very modest marketing budget of $15 Million, it will need $100 Million at the box office to break even. Currently, it is only at $11 Million total after three weeks in theaters.

Poor Things is on track to lose tens of millions of dollars for Searchlight. Any nominations it may receive mean nothing at the deposit window of the Burbank branch of Bank Of America. Poor Things is on a trajectory to lose a lot of money.

 

[TP2000]

No, it’s tax relief they can claim back after completing production and having already paid the full amount of tax. They need to demonstrate that they have spent a certain amount in the UK, among other eligibility tests, in order to qualify. The arrangement has helped to create thousands of jobs in the UK and boosted the economy.

The British taxpayer neither gives nor loses anything to sustain the scheme. Quite the opposite.

Film Tax Relief – British Film Commission

britishfilmcommission.org.uk

Where did the $55 Million that Disney got from the British government come from? Where does the money come from that the British government uses to pay for stuff like this? It grows on trees?

Or is Britain like most countries without access to a forest of money trees, in that it has to collect money from citizens via taxes in order to give money to others?

 

[Disney Irish]

You have been corrected on Poor Things multiple times. I really do not know what your problem is. The film has been nominated (and in some cases already won) more than 100 awards. It is a slow roll out. You claim that you never heard of the film until maybe a month ago and since then, you have been absolutely obsessed trying to prove that the film is a flop. As is usually the case, you are incorrect.

I saw Poor Things last night, really weird but interesting. Definitely an art house exploration into topics I cannot touch upon here. I can see why it got many award nominations.

 

[LittleBuford]

Where does the money come from that the British government uses to pay for stuff like this?

From the expenditure of the very production companies the scheme is meant to attract.

It’s an eminently capitalist initiative of a kind that should be very familiar to you as an American. I’m not sure why you’re pretending not to get it.

 

[TP2000]

From the expenditure of the very production companies the scheme is meant to attract.

It’s an eminently capitalist initiative of a kind that should be very familiar to you as an American. I’m not sure why you’re pretending not to get it.

I get it. It was a $55 Million subsidy payment given to Disney by the British government.

The only question seems to be where the $55 Million payment came from; the taxpayers of Great Britain, or the magical money trees growing in the back garden of 10 Downing Street.

Forbes Magazine explained it nicely.

"They show that over the two-year period from the incorporation of the company to September 30, 2022, it spent $274.8 million (£221.8 million) and banked a $55 million (£44.4 million) subsidy from the government of the United Kingdom where the movie was made. This brought its net spending down to $219.8 million meaning that the movie will have to gross at least $439.6 million at the box office to break even as studios get around half of theater takings."

Disney Spent Over $270 Million To Make ‘The Marvels’

Disney has revealed that it spent more than $270 million on making 'The Marvels', the latest installment in its Marvel Comics superhero saga.

www.forbes.com

 

[BuddyThomas]

I saw Poor Things last night, really weird but interesting. Definitely an art house exploration into topics I cannot touch upon here. I can see why it got many award nominations.

I don’t usually like art house movies but I thought this was absolutely gorgeous and pretty hysterical too.

 

[BuddyThomas]

And not technically a Disney movie but who cares. Can’t wait for this…

Trailer for Mickey Mouse Slasher Film Drops on Same Day ‘Steamboat Willie’ Character Enters Public Domain

Horror comedy film 'Mickey's Mouse Trap' features Disney's iconic character as the killer.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Thank you. I was not aware of this. Can’t wait.

 

[LittleBuford]

I get it. It was a $55 Million subsidy payment given to Disney by the British government.

The only question seems to be where the $55 Million payment came from; the taxpayers of Great Britain, or the magical money trees growing in the back garden of 10 Downing Street.

Forbes Magazine explained it nicely.

"They show that over the two-year period from the incorporation of the company to September 30, 2022, it spent $274.8 million (£221.8 million) and banked a $55 million (£44.4 million) subsidy from the government of the United Kingdom where the movie was made. This brought its net spending down to $219.8 million meaning that the movie will have to gross at least $439.6 million at the box office to break even as studios get around half of theater takings."

Disney Spent Over $270 Million To Make ‘The Marvels’

Disney has revealed that it spent more than $270 million on making 'The Marvels', the latest installment in its Marvel Comics superhero saga.

www.forbes.com

I see that you’re no more interested in good-faith discussion in 2024 than you were in 2023.

Enjoy your evening.

 

[Disney Irish]

I get it. It was a $55 Million subsidy payment given to Disney by the British government.

The only question seems to be where the $55 Million payment came from; the taxpayers of Great Britain, or the magical money trees growing in the back garden of 10 Downing Street.

Forbes Magazine explained it nicely.

"They show that over the two-year period from the incorporation of the company to September 30, 2022, it spent $274.8 million (£221.8 million) and banked a $55 million (£44.4 million) subsidy from the government of the United Kingdom where the movie was made. This brought its net spending down to $219.8 million meaning that the movie will have to gross at least $439.6 million at the box office to break even as studios get around half of theater takings."

Disney Spent Over $270 Million To Make ‘The Marvels’

Disney has revealed that it spent more than $270 million on making 'The Marvels', the latest installment in its Marvel Comics superhero saga.

www.forbes.com

The money comes from the taxes Disney paid to the UK Government, ie its Disney's money. Its basically a tax refund, no different than you getting a refund back on the taxes you paid to the US Government.