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Disney (and others) at the Box Office - Current State of Affairs
- Thread starter Disney Analyst
- Start date
Disney Irish
Premium Member
By a mere $80M globally, numbers I posted earlier were domestic which showed combined all Disney studios actually beat Uni. Also noted in the article every other studio is over $1B or more below Disney and Uni. So everyone else was vying for 3rd place.
Obviously with its lower number of releases for 2024 it'll be a reset year for Disney. But check back in 2025 and see if they have lowered budgets and regain their status as box office champ.
_caleb
Well-Known Member
My point is that a good number of people are convinced that Disney as a company and Disney films in particular are all working to motivate societal changes they don’t agree with.
And this, in my opinion, is a big reason Disney’s films haven’t done as well at the box office recently.
It’s not word of mouth in the sense of people watching the films and warning others about those films, its social commentators all feeding folks the idea that Disney is sneakily working to change audiences’ minds about moral issues through family entertainment that appears innocuous but is actually subversive.
So when Iger says, “The focus should be entertainment over messaging,” they all hear “we’ll stop secretly trying to brainwash kids now.”
I think the “messaging” happening with Disney films was talking as much/more about their inspirations (like they did with Strange World being a pulp sci-fantasy) or about how awesome it was to have 3 female leads in The Marvels. I don’t think it was an admission that they’d been trying to indoctrinate people into an ideological mindset.
But I guess we all see everything through our own perspectives. And I think enough disaffected Disney fans see a conspiracy here.
And this is why, when Iger first made that statement (that they’re calling an admission), I wrote:
TP2000
Well-Known Member
This is going to make it harder to get to that $100 Million net profit that was banked by the Deadline article @Prince-1 references for The Little Mermaid so that it could break even after losing a lot of money at the box office.
How much did they make from PVOD for Mermaid in '23? Anyone know? Anyone care?
My local Target doesn't sell DVD's, but they now sell vinyl records. I can't remember the last time I saw a DVD section in a big box store, it's had to have been at least two years.
_caleb
Well-Known Member
I’ve been surprised recently by how many here have indicated that they still buy DVDs and Blu-Ray disks. I know some have been burned by losing access to movies they bought through streaming platforms, but I haven’t even thought about DVDs in a long time.
Sounds like there will be one fewer places to pick up that Disney DVD with FastPlay (which always seemed to do the opposite of what it seemed like it should do).
And I've been watching tons of DVDs. Love owning my own content. Haven't bought a brand new one in years though. Probably not since I bought the last season of Homeland. Mostly I buy second hand ones from Goodwill stores on Ebay from all the people cleaning out their collections.
The only reason I haven't bought new ones is that there really hasn't been new content in years that I cared enough to spend the money on.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
I think @_caleb made his point pretty reasonably, acknowledging subjective readings on both “sides”:
Yes. And I made my point.
LSLS
Well-Known Member
LOL. Ok, sure. Warner Bros. Records only cared about the artistic freedom and the chart number they could brag about. Making money was a distant third in their care, just as all major companies operate. I worked in music, you are way off. Money was the ONLY thing they considered. Chart success is something the artist would be happy about (as they make very little money off their album sales, their money comes from the touring/merch, or at least that's how it was 20 years ago), that is not the measure the studio would use.
If you want to specify chart success (which you did NOT specify originally), then #6 would qualify for that most likely, but that does not mean the studio considers that song/album an overall success, which was my entire point.
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Tha Realest
Well-Known Member
But years from now they will be on tour, and friends, while playing at the Idaho state fair on an unusually balmy summer night, that song will finally reach profitability when it’s played during the encore.
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
Bets on them making a comeback sort of like records have?
Andrew C
You know what's funny?
Prince-1
Well-Known Member
They will stay dead like 8-track tapes and cassettes.
Willmark
Well-Known Member
Considering they are a digital format there will likely always be some value to them if for no other purpose than (purposes which will likely run afoul of the rules here.)
To add: I think don’t vinyl (not saying you, just further musing) is a good comparison here either. It has gotten tremendously popular sure, but I’m not convinced that’s it’s anything but an isolated case in the overall media formats as it were.
CinematicFusion
Well-Known Member
Disney has committed to increasing the representation of LGBTQ and transgender characters in its future projects. Karey Burke, the President of Disney General Entertainment, stated that the company aims to portray at least 50% of their future characters as either LGBTQ or another form of underrepresented minority. This commitment is part of Disney’s broader effort to enhance diversity and inclusivity in its content. The company has also faced some backlash from the LGBTQ community in the past, but they are now taking more significant strides towards diversity, with plans to make these changes visible by the end of 2022 .
During Disney’s D23 Expo, a range of upcoming projects was announced from various Disney franchises, including Marvel, Star Wars, Lucasfilm, Disney+, Pixar, and Disney Animation. While specific details about the inclusion of LGBTQ and transgender characters in these projects weren’t explicitly mentioned in the source, the overall direction of Disney’s content strategy suggests a continued and growing focus on inclusive representation .
• For details on Disney’s plans to portray at least 50% of their future characters as either LGBTQ or another form of underrepresented minority, you can visit ScreenGeek.
• To learn more about the announcements from Disney’s D23 Expo and the company’s broader inclusivity efforts, you can check out the coverage on Out.
• For further insights into Disney’s “Reimagine Tomorrow” campaign and their commitment to diversity, visit Starts at 60.
These sources provide more context and details about Disney’s ongoing efforts to increase representation in its media content.
Disney and Pixar have been making strides in casting transgender actors for roles in their films and television shows. For instance, Pixar Animation Studios has sought voice actors to portray a transgender teen character named Jess, a 14-year-old transgender girl, for an upcoming animated project. This casting call is part of Disney’s effort to build a lineup of inclusive productions for the LGBTQ+ community and follows the company’s commitment to inclusion and diversity .
Furthermore, Disney has also shown its commitment to diversity and inclusion in other areas, such as theme parks and various entertainment media, highlighting a broader shift in their approach to representation. This progression aligns with their “5th key of Inclusion,” which focuses on enhancing acceptance and diversity within the company.
Disney has begun to introduce transgender characters in its television shows and films. One notable example is the character Raine Whispers from the animated series “The Owl House,” who is voiced by transgender and non-binary actor Avi Roque. Raine Whispers is described as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, making them Disney’s first non-binary character in an animated series. This move is part of Disney’s broader efforts to include more diverse and inclusive representations in its content.
• “Star vs. the Forces of Evil” (2017) featured same-sex couples.
• “Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors” (2018) introduced America Chavez, a Latina lesbian superhero.
• Pixar’s short film “Out” (2020) on Disney+ centered around a gay main character.
• “The Owl House” (2020s) featured a bisexual protagonist, Luz Noceda, and other LGBTQ characters.
• “DuckTales” (2020) confirmed Lieutenant Penumbra as a lesbian character.
• “Strange World” (2022) included Ethan Clade, the first gay lead character in a Disney animated film.
• “Elemental” (2023), a Pixar film, introduced Lake Ripple, the first non-binary character, and their girlfriend Ghibli.
These representations reflect Disney’s ongoing efforts to include more diverse characters in its content .
Disney’s influence in its recent films has often been a topic of debate, reflecting societal issues that may not be universally accepted or understood. Several examples highlight this:
1. Representation of Native Cultures and Cultural Appropriation: Films like “Moana” (2016) and “Encanto” have faced criticism for merging the cultures of several Pacific peoples into one and altering elements of another culture for entertainment purposes. Critics argue that this results in the erasure and commodification of Indigenous and marginalized peoples and cultures. In response, Disney has been increasingly working in cooperation with members of the cultures represented in their films, like with the Sami population for “Frozen II” to ensure a respectful portrayal of the Indigenous people .
2. Controversial Character Depictions in Theme Parks: Disney’s decision to remove characters like Trader Sam from the Jungle Cruise attraction due to their portrayal as caricatures of indigenous islanders reflects a broader shift towards inclusivity. This change was part of Disney’s effort to foster a more welcoming environment by reexamining attractions that may no longer seem appropriate in today’s context .
Disney’s influence on societal norms and changes through its films and policies is multifaceted and significant. The adaptations of classic tales and novels by Disney often incorporate societal and cultural messages about gender and social hierarchy.
Moreover, Disney has had a considerable impact on society in various ways, not just through its film narratives. The company has contributed to the rise in popularity of animations, which have influenced the trajectory of animated entertainment worldwide. Disney’s parks and resorts also significantly impact local economies by creating job opportunities and boosting tax revenues. In terms of social responsibility, Disney engages in charitable works, collaborating with NGOs to support various causes such as creativity, tolerance, and healthy living. The company’s influence extends to encouraging creativity and imagination beyond just movie-making .
These examples highlight Disney’s role in shaping and reflecting societal values through its films and broader corporate actions.
CinematicFusion
Well-Known Member
End of the day… does the story bring a large audience to the theater? Does the show sell Disney plus subscriptions?
It’s a business and there are tons of options for customers. Highly competitive field
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
In TWDC, stories are NOT created based on this criteria.
TWDC creates their art, releases it, and calls it a success.
Their business is based on this criteria. Artistic merits are great, but it alone does not keep a company in business.
Walt understood this, "We make money to make more movies."
If you don't make money on any of your art, you can't continue.