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

[Minnesota disney fan]

OK, but you framed it in terms of times having changed, as if referring to some generally observable social/cultural shift that has turned sexuality from a non-issue into an issue. If that wasn't what you meant, I'm not sure what the point of your post was.

It means that the views have changed. It was a non issue when I went to school. It was accepted and no one every commented negatively while at school. I'm sure there was murmurings out side of school. But nothing was acted on. I'm happy that I lived where I did and was a teenager in that time frame.

 

[Chi84]

Yes, it was a rural school near an air force base, so we had the base kids too. Really, it was like that and I'm glad I lived in a time when that was possible. I know not everyone did.

You lived in a situation where that was possible. I doubt it had to do with the “time.”

 

[TP2000]

He knows anyway. He's posted on its elsewhere:

As @Chi84 has noted, we have to stop pretending that honest discussion is the aim here. If it were, the goalposts wouldn't keep moving. It really isn't worth engaging with.

I was just about to use my time in the Service, but you beat me to it.

I actually wanted to stay in, because I had a boyhood/young adult interest in being an airline pilot and in those days the military was the only career path to get there. But by the time I was 20 I knew I was an avowed homosexual and got out of the Service as fast as my draft board let me.

Would I have liked to have stayed in and make a career out of it and parlay that into a job as a glamorous jet pilot? Yes, and I bet I would have been good at it. But it wasn't an option for gays then, and I had to protect myself as best I could. So I got out of the Service and worked moving furniture for a year while I tried to figure out what to do with my life.

Was that fun? No. But compared to the similar civil rights struggles of the 1960's and 70's, it was very mild and very manageable. We also had the best bars in town, and this was decades before the bridal parties started crashing them, so that helped make the era more enjoyable. And certainly memorable.

 

[brideck]

At least twice, with that same phrasing of needing "a family man" for the job. I still remember what those bosses looked like, and the office I was in when it was said, as if it was only a month ago.

That's because we tend to remember traumatic events in vivid detail.

I'm sorry that you had to be caged like that in the society that you grew up in. Even if upon reflection you don't feel it was that big of a deal (after all, you're still alive... which is a super low bar to be setting), I'm sorry that you had to live through that.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

You lived in a situation where that was possible. I doubt it had to do with the “time.”

I disagree. Things were simpler then compared to now. Mores were different. I know that not every school was like that and I feel fortunate that's all.

 

[Chi84]

It means that the views have changed. It was a non issue when I went to school. It was accepted and no one ever commented negatively while at school. I'm sure there was murmurings out side of school. But nothing was acted on. I'm happy that I lived where I did and was a teenager in that time frame.

Are you completely certain that your perspective was the same as the people you’re discussing?

 

[LittleBuford]

It means that the views have changed. It was a non issue when I went to school. It was accepted and no one every commented negatively while at school. I'm sure there was murmurings out side of school. But nothing was acted on. I'm happy that I lived where I did and was a teenager in that time frame.

I'm glad you went to an accepting school. Clearly, what you experienced cannot be generalised to society at large, especially when discrimination against gay people was written into the law. Nor can you really speak for your gay school-mates, whose perception may well have been quite different from yours.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

Are you completely certain that your perspective was the same as the people you’re discussing?

um, what???

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Really wondering how much less this movie would’ve made without Harrison Ford in the cast.

Disappointed?

 

[Chi84]

I disagree. Things were simpler then compared to now. Mores were different. I know that not every school was like that and I feel fortunate that's all.

Things were simpler then because people who were discriminated against simply accepted their position in society and felt lucky if no one commented or acted upon their prejudices. I lived through those days too.

 

[TP2000]

That's because we tend to remember traumatic events in vivid detail.

I'm sorry that you had to be caged like that in the society that you grew up in. Even if upon reflection you don't feel it was that big of a deal (after all, you're still alive... which is a super low bar to be setting), I'm sorry that you had to live through that.

Thank you, that's kind. But honestly, it's all water under the bridge now.

At this point, it just makes me chuckle. I made a good living for myself, inherited some family stuff, and am comfortably retired. I wasn't chased around the desk like some secretaries were at the time, I wasn't told to use a different bathroom in the basement like Blacks were, and I wasn't told I would not be seated in a swanky restaurant or told by the bank I could not buy a house in a certain neighborhood.

I get it, to Americans under 40 being gay fifty years ago must sound like it was horrible. It wasn't. It was far better and easier than being Black in Alabama, or a pretty girl in an office full of jerks, or a Jew trying to move into a restricted neighborhood like La Jolla. It all had its very funny moments, and it built great humor and character.

And I bet Steve the family man who got the job in '79 ended up getting divorced anyway. I never had to pay alimony.

 

[Chi84]

um, what???

I should have said your view of the situation. You already admitted there “may have been murmurings.” How do you know something like ”no one ever commented negatively while at school?” No one? Ever?

 

[TP2000]

Jeez, I'm still waiting for The Numbers to download the box office for Captain America from yesterday!

It never takes this long, and we still need the total 4 day holiday weekend tally to go off of. If only to get us all back on topic!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Ok we’re waaaay OT now, and @Minnesota disney fan shared their personal opinion of their own experience. No one can dispute that experience in that town.

Others of us have experienced different things, and we know gay people had no rights in the 60’s.

As always, happy to take the discussion private.

 

[brideck]

Jeez, I'm still waiting for The Numbers to download the box office for Captain America from yesterday!

It never takes this long, and we still need the total 4 day holiday weekend tally to go off of. If only to get us all back on topic!

Anecdotally, it was a really busy weekend at the theater when I was there. Much more so than the last couple of weekends, anyway. We finally saw Wicked on Saturday and our screening was pretty much full (smaller theater -- 40-50 seats).

From the estimates, it looks like A Complete Unknown, One of Them Days, Mufasa, and Heart Eyes (of all things) had really good holds.

 

[TP2000]

Success, finally!

Here's the box office for yesterday, Presidents Day, and the final 4 day holiday weekend tally for Captain America 4.

Now discuss! But try not to use Google if you have any questions. Plan to do research, and show your bibliography please.

The Numbers - Daily Box Office Chart for Tuesday September 23, 2025

Daily Domestic Box Office Chart for Tuesday September 23, 2025

thenumbers.com

 

[brideck]

So if we take the B- Cinemascore as gospel, what does that normally mean for opener multiplier? Between 2.5x and 3x?

2.5x would put Cap somewhere in $500m WW territory, which is in the neighborhood of break-even based on the documented budget. [Potentially worth noting that The Marvels (B score) only ended up with 2.3x of open, but Cap doesn't seem to have quite the same headwinds in the discourse.]

For me, getting to around break-even for something with this much development churn is a win. Keeps the Marvel train chugging along for those who partake.

 

[Disstevefan1]

the documented budget.

 

[Disney Irish]

So if we take the B- Cinemascore as gospel, what does that normally mean for opener multiplier? Between 2.5x and 3x?

2.5x would put Cap somewhere in $500m WW territory, which is in the neighborhood of break-even based on the documented budget. [Potentially worth noting that The Marvels (B score) only ended up with 2.3x of open, but Cap doesn't seem to have quite the same headwinds in the discourse.]

For me, getting to around break-even for something with this much development churn is a win. Keeps the Marvel train chugging along for those who partake.

I don't think $500M is farfetched, I don't even think $600M is out of the realm of possibilities. With no competition for the next month it'll be interesting to watch.

This honestly might be one of the few times where the Cinemascore might be less than accurate.

 

[MisterPenguin]

So if we take the B- Cinemascore as gospel, what does that normally mean for opener multiplier? Between 2.5x and 3x?

2.5x would put Cap somewhere in $500m WW territory, which is in the neighborhood of break-even based on the documented budget. [Potentially worth noting that The Marvels (B score) only ended up with 2.3x of open, but Cap doesn't seem to have quite the same headwinds in the discourse.]

For me, getting to around break-even for something with this much development churn is a win. Keeps the Marvel train chugging along for those who partake.

A B- usually means a 2.9 multiplier. So, likely to just break even.