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

[Disstevefan1]

Disney also has a bunch of people online whose goal is to destroy Disney….who scan the internet with a fine tooth comb and pick apart anything that could fit their narrative

When I was in high school, they started the school's first football program.

In the locker room our coach told us there are faculty, staff, students and parents who did not want football here. He described them as vultures just waiting for a reason, any reason, to shut down the program and that we, the players that represent the football program must be careful not to give them anything they can use against us, to act, look, talk, be the best we can inside and out side school so they have nothing to use.

Disney need to coach their talent better.

 

[MagicMouseFan]

Well, good news, he didn't say what you misleadingly said he said.

Sorry for sharing this with the board, Casper. If I hadn’t, you would have never known about this misleading headlines that are everywhere. Sorry for bringing it to your attention.

I think maybe you should call Newsweek, Barstool Sports, and TMZ and tell them to stop running these headlines—because if anything, this could turn into a PR nightmare for Disney.

• Newsweek: Anthony Mackie Says Captain America Shouldn’t Represent ‘America’

• TMZ: ‘Captain America’ Star Anthony Mackie Says Role Doesn’t Rep ‘America,’ Faces Backlash

• Barstool Sports: Anthony Mackie Says the New Captain America ‘Represents a Lot of Different Things,’ But America Isn’t One of Them

 

[Agent H]

All the outrage about this is nonsensical Captain America represents a set of ideals that are applicable to the entire world not just America the government this is relatively fresh in my mind because I was just watching avengers earths mightiest heroes.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I take responsibility—I posted what I saw being discussed on Twitter, Newsweek, and TMZ, and I was shocked by it. So, I shared the news here. Now, Casper is attacking me for sharing it.

I think it’s clear that it’s best not to share any questionable or controversial information about Disney on this small board of 15 people. Moving forward, I’ll stick to posting positive news only here.

You posted a hateful twitter site.

The idea that I, of all people, would tell anyone to only make posts that are POSITIVE about Disney is utterly mad. I'm just looking for good faith and some level of critical thought about why the outlets you mentioned might be pushing deceptively edited clips of this moment.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Sorry for sharing this with the board, Casper. If I hadn’t, you would have never known about this misleading headlines that are everywhere. Sorry for bringing it to your attention.

I think maybe you should call Newsweek, Barstool Sports, and TMZ and tell them to stop running these headlines—because if anything, this could turn into a PR nightmare for Disney.

• Newsweek: Anthony Mackie Says Captain America Shouldn’t Represent ‘America’

• TMZ: ‘Captain America’ Star Anthony Mackie Says Role Doesn’t Rep ‘America,’ Faces Backlash

• Barstool Sports: Anthony Mackie Says the New Captain America ‘Represents a Lot of Different Things,’ But America Isn’t One of Them

Think about the group of websites you're referencing. Think about what they're doing and why they're doing it.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

You posted a hateful twitter site.

The idea that I, of all people, would tell anyone to only make posts that are POSITIVE about Disney is utterly mad. I'm just looking for good faith and some level of critical thought about why the outlets you mentioned might be pushing deceptively edited clips of this moment.

What was edited out?

 

[Disstevefan1]

this could turn into a PR nightmare for Disney.

• Newsweek: Anthony Mackie Says Captain America Shouldn’t Represent ‘America’

• TMZ: ‘Captain America’ Star Anthony Mackie Says Role Doesn’t Rep ‘America,’ Faces Backlash

• Barstool Sports: Anthony Mackie Says the New Captain America ‘Represents a Lot of Different Things,’ But America Isn’t One of Them

This is only the beginning, wait till the countless YouTube channels report this using these sources.

 

[MagicMouseFan]

I ask this sincerely: Why were you shocked by it?

Are we acknowledging that this board is just a small bubble of about 15 people while the real, meaningful discussions are happening elsewhere?

I want Captain America to succeed, I’ve even said so. But it frustrates me when Disney actors go off script and fail to sell a film. I’m starting to think it might actually be better for studios if actors skipped press junkets altogether.

That said, this is a great test of something we’ve discussed before on this board. Does negative publicity like this actually hurt a film? We talked about it with Snow White, and now we have Anthony Mackie’s comment:

(This is the clip most people will see)
“The new Captain America represents a lot of different things, but America isn’t one of them.”

This is the perfect opportunity to see if remarks like this have any real impact on a movie’s performance or if audiences don’t care at all. I honestly have no idea, but I’m curious to find out.

 

[brideck]

(This is the clip most people will see)
“The new Captain America represents a lot of different things, but America isn’t one of them.”

FWIW, this is the actual quote you would want:

"For me, Captain America represents a lot of different things, and I don't think the term 'America' should be one of those representations."

I'd also argue that the more important part of the quote would be this, since that's what he positively affirmed the character to represent for him:

"For me, Captain America represents a lot of different things... It's about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity, and integrity, someone who is trustworthy and dependable."

But I'll note that no one's really talking about that part of it, and those things are indeed what America should stand for.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Are we acknowledging that this board is just a small bubble of about 15 people while the real, meaningful discussions are happening elsewhere?

I want Captain America to succeed, I’ve even said so. But it frustrates me when Disney actors go off script and fail to sell a film. I’m starting to think it might actually be better for studios if actors skipped press junkets altogether.

That said, this is a great test of something we’ve discussed before on this board. Does negative publicity like this actually hurt a film? We talked about it with Snow White, and now we have Anthony Mackie’s comment:

(This is the clip most people will see)
“The new Captain America represents a lot of different things, but America isn’t one of them.”

This is the perfect opportunity to see if remarks like this have any real impact on a movie’s performance or if audiences don’t care at all. I honestly have no idea, but I’m curious to find out.

Why do you keep manufacturing a quotation?

 

[MagicMouseFan]

This is only the beginning, wait till the countless YouTube channels report this using these sources.

I think this is a great test, the perfect case study.

Obviously, what we all say on this message board doesn’t move the needle of public perception. But what about YouTube, X, or major outlets like Newsweek?

We’ve discussed before with Snow White how negative press can impact a movie’s success… or not.

We’re all hyper-aware of the industry because we are a small group of super fans.

So the real question is: Will Anthony Mackie’s comments make a difference to the average moviegoer? Will they actually affect ticket sales in North America? we’ll find out.

 

[Chi84]

Why do you keep manufacturing a quotation?

Because what was actually said does not further the agenda. Same with what Zegler said about Snow White. Nothing wrong with either of the actual quotes - just the headlines trying to get clicks.

 

[MagicMouseFan]

FWIW, this is the actual quote you would want:

"For me, Captain America represents a lot of different things, and I don't think the term 'America' should be one of those representations."

I'd also argue that the more important part of the quote would be this, since that's what he positively affirmed the character to represent for him:

"For me, Captain America represents a lot of different things... It's about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity, and integrity, someone who is trustworthy and dependable."

But I'll note that no one's really talking about that part of it, and those things are indeed what America should stand for.

My main point is that this isn’t the conversation Disney wants leading up to the release of Captain America.

Right now, no one is talking about how excited they are to see the movie because of an awesome trailer. instead, everyone today is talking about this…

Anthony Mackie says Captain America shouldn't represent "...

"For me, Captain America represents a lot of different things, and I don't think the term 'America' should be one of those representations," said the actor.

www.newsweek.com

But… is it really everyone talking about it? Or is it just a small group of hypersensitive superfans (us) talking about it? That’s the real question.

 

[Chi84]

Are we so thin-skinned as a country that we need to misquote actors trying to sell a fictional film to a foreign audience? Not every country thinks of America in the way we do. Just get over it.

 

[erasure fan1]

Mackie was clearly trying to appeal to an international audience by making the character more about morality than patriotism (which is totally valid), but I think his comments were a poor choice of words since there are legions of online racists who will jump at the chance to twist his words and get the online outrage machine fired up.

I agree. But isn't that the whole point of why Disney needs to prep the actors better for these type of situations? Disney is, and always has been, a target. When you're at the top, it's easy to get headlines with anything that could be seen as negative.

Who took the beat down for the whole childhood obesity push? It wasn't Burger King, Wendy's, Taco bell... or any of the major fast food players. It was McDonald's. Why? Because they were the biggest target that would garner the most attention from the headlines.

I'm a Mackie fan so I'll give him the benefit on this one. But that's what Disneys PR team should be for right? They should be all over the questions that are most commonly asked. What does this character mean to you seems to come up a lot. So you just ask him. Then Coach the answer incase his answer is worded awkwardly. I don't think Mackie is going rogue or anything. It's a poorly worded answer that Disney 100% could have avoided in my opinion.

 

[Chi84]

I agree. But isn't that the whole point of why Disney needs to prep the actors better for these type of situations? Disney is, and always has been, a target. When you're at the top, it's easy to get headlines with anything that could be seen as negative.

Who took the beat down for the whole childhood obesity push? It wasn't Burger King, Wendy's, Taco bell... or any of the major fast food players. It was McDonald's. Why? Because they were the biggest target that would garner the most attention from the headlines.

I'm a Mackie fan so I'll give him the benefit on this one. But that's what Disneys PR team should be for right? They should be all over the questions that are most commonly asked. What does this character mean to you seems to come up a lot. So you just ask him. Then Coach the answer incase his answer is worded awkwardly. I don't think Mackie is going rogue or anything. It's a poorly worded answer that Disney 100% could have avoided in my opinion.

You can have all the coaching in the world and in the end we're dealing with human beings who are going to say things that can be twisted and taken out of context. The true question is why are we even reading about this given the circumstances of what was said and where.

 

[LittleBuford]

I want Captain America to succeed, I’ve even said so. But it frustrates me when Disney actors go off script and fail to sell a film. I’m starting to think it might actually be better for studios if actors skipped press junkets altogether.

I'm sure actors have been saying surprising or unwise things about the films they star in for years (which doesn't mean I think Mackie said anything wrong). What's changed is that certain online agitators are now ready to pounce on any decontextualised snippet that might fuel the outrage machine. The answer as I see it is not for actors to be reined in or censured (unless their statements cross a line, as Zegler's post-election outburst did), but for the public to keep things in perspective.

 

[MagicMouseFan]

I'm sure actors have been saying surprising or unwise things about the films they star in for years (which doesn't mean I think Mackie said anything wrong). What's changed is that certain online agitators are now ready to pounce on any decontextualised snippet that might fuel the outrage machine. The answer as I see it is not for actors to be reined in or censured (unless their statements cross a line, as Zegler's post-election outburst did), but for the public to keep things in perspective.

Solid comment! I agree.

The real question is: Does what an actor says actually affect ticket sales when it goes
Viral for the average moviegoer?

I have no idea. In fact, before these comments, I was on record saying this movie would do great.

And if Captain America performs well despite the controversy, then I see no reason Snow White shouldn’t do well either.

 

[MagicMouseFan]

You can have all the coaching in the world and in the end we're dealing with human beings who are going to say things that can be twisted and taken out of context. The true question is why are we even reading about this given the circumstances of what was said and where.

Because we all want to know the answer to this question, “When an actor’s comments go viral, do they actually affect ticket sales for the average moviegoer?”

 

[Willmark]

I'm sure actors have been saying surprising or unwise things about the films they star in for years

(Note: using you through here is not implying you as a poster.)

They have.

I think it’s quite a bit like the movie Jurassic Park “your scientists were in such a rush to find out if they could, they never stopped to ask if they should.”

Meaning just because you can say something doesn’t mean you should.

What's changed is that certain online agitators are now ready to pounce on any decontextualised snippet that might fuel the outrage machine.

What’s changed is celebrities used to be remote. Now any one of them can connect to any fan or put something out for the world to see in seconds. Social media has revealed they are no different than anyone else and everything that comes along with that.

That ties into my point above.

The answer as I see it is not for actors to be reined in or censured (unless their statements cross a line, as Zegler's post-election outburst did), but for the public to keep things in perspective.

The answer is (at least to me) unbridled free speech, in the marketplace of ideas the best ones win. We don’t live in that world unfortunately.

It should come as no surprise that if the mantra of the last several years of “free speech doesn’t protect you from the consequences of your actions” that’s its turned around and used in kind. Not what I would want, but not surprising that it has unfolded that way.

At the same time no one should be surprised that those that don’t agree with them are going to use it for their own ends. And here I don’t see either “side” as having any better intentions than the other.

For my own part I can kinda get what he’s trying to say, he’s just not doing it very well.

Doesn’t bother me one way or the other than to comment it was likely not the best move a few weeks out from the release of the movie.