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

[Disney Irish]

You can't disagree that a film was a hit and Disney did not want that one even though it was. It may be a could have but is also a should have in their business mind.

I mean you can. But you are really grasping.

Thank you for the points you did make.

I'm not disagreeing with the film being a hit with its audience that saw it. Nor do I disagree that Disney didn't want to make the film themselves. These are provable facts.

What I disagree with is the rest, based on the suppositions and assumptions being made. Its your opinion, its fine, but I disagree with it. Trust me there are plenty around here that disagree when I make a supposition or assumption. So its fine to just agree to disagree.

But again thank you for the discussion on this.

 

[Tha Realest]

Barbie Pop-Culture Anecdote:

Last night I picked up my little sister and her husband at Lindbergh field, and her two sons and their wives arrive tonight to begin our big Family Summer Pow-Wow at the beach house. While waiting for all their luggage at the baggage carousel, she didn't talk about her sons arrival or meal planning logistics or tennis court reservations for our hugely important Family Doubles Generational Smackdown Tournament. And she didn't even really ask how I was doing in my old age.

Instead, she first and foremost wanted to know that I had confirmed we still had reserved seats for Barbie, and wanted to see on my phone the exact time and seating arrangements in the theater.

Priorities, apparently.

My wife is taking my daughter this Friday (chaperoning for my daughter and her friends) For reference, I have seen maybe a half dozen, possibly a dozen movies with her. She just is generally not into them.

Earlier tonight, family friend of my wife’s that’s in her mid-70’s reached out to see if she could go see Barbie with my wife and daughter (she didn’t know of the already scheduled girls’ outing).

The WOM and multigenerational pull on this one is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

 

[Tha Realest]

Exactly. This is a perfect thread to discuss that issue more broadly.

And the facts and data of the box office are hard to argue against. They tell the story very clearly.



We'll likely never know why Disney refused to release it, but it is a fact that Disney owned Sound of Freedom after its 2019 purchase of 20th Century Fox. If Disney had released it themselves, they would have made an extra $60 Million in profit and counting as of yesterday's box office receipts. In a summer where Disney is losing hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office, that would have helped.

Or is $60 Million not worth it any longer to Disney because they are just so successful at everything else they do?

Given how they “marketed” other in the can films acquired from 20CF, I have a feeling they would have 1) unceremoniously dropped it with no fanfare or marketing spend in the theaters, and 2) would have shot down any sort of faith-based outreach efforts that seem to have helped make this film a wild success.

 

[celluloid]

Have we heard Aqua's song back on the radio yet? It has to be coming witha ton of remixes and songs using it as a sample. It will probably go right back into the top 40.

 

[Ghost93]

People paid double the price to see Avatar, MCU films etc... in 3D and Imax, motion theaters, laser projections. Some went because there was a marathon or trivia night. We will never be ale to break down those numbers.

Not everyone that has gone to see Sound of Freedom has particpated in that.

Let. It. Go.

A gimmick is a gimmick.

And even if Sound of Freedom only earned half of the box office revenue. Pretend it only deserves half if it makes you happier, still a smash hit for its budget.

I don't think Sound of Freedom would have been as big of a hit if Disney released it. Part of what's fueling it at the box office is the sentiment, "This is the movie that anti-family Disney company DOES NOT WANT YOU TO SEE!!! Let's send those evil libs a message by supporting a powerful film released by a good Christian studio!"

I won't deny the box office success of Sound of Freedom (although I think the "pay it forward" call to action is a total scam), but I think Disney passing on it is part of why the movie became so appealing to Middle America. Definitely not the whole reason (I believe people were genuinely moved by the film), but I definitely think it's a factor.

 

[DKampy]

Have we heard Aqua's song back on the radio yet? It has to be coming witha ton of remixes and songs using it as a sample. It will probably go right back into the top 40.

I get music from Spotify rather than radio… but I was in a store that had our local top 40 station on they did play the Aqua song and even announced it as the 2023 version

 

[celluloid]

I get music from Spotify rather than radio… but I was in a store that had our local top 40 station on they did play the Aqua song and even announced it as the 2023 version

Wild that it was initially announced by the studio that the song would not be used. Good thing they changed if that was ever true.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I get music from Spotify rather than radio… but I was in a store that had our local top 40 station on they did play the Aqua song and even announced it as the 2023 version

An awful Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice remake of Barbie World (with Aqua's version in the background) is #27 on Billboard Top 100.

But the original song hasn't hit the top 100 yet.

Speaking of Disney and the Top 100... Encanto is regularly showing up in Nielsen's Top Ten streaming movies still.

 

[Bullseye1967]

I don't think Sound of Freedom would have been as big of a hit if Disney released it. Part of what's fueling it at the box office is the sentiment, "This is the movie that anti-family Disney company DOES NOT WANT YOU TO SEE!!! Let's send those evil libs a message by supporting a powerful film released by a good Christian studio!"

I won't deny the box office success of Sound of Freedom (although I think the "pay it forward" call to action is a total scam), but I think Disney passing on it is part of why the movie became so appealing to Middle America. Definitely not the whole reason (I believe people were genuinely moved by the film), but I definitely think it's a factor.

I really enjoyed the movie and the last time I was in a church was a funeral 7 years ago.

 

[DKampy]

Wild that it was initially announced by the studio that the song would not be used. Good thing they changed if that was ever true.

I have heard that too…Who knows… maybe Aqua recorded a new version to cash in without it being tied to the movie… or the radio station lied to align with the Barbie craze…it did not sound any different to my ears

 

[DKampy]

An awful Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice remake of Barbie World (with Aqua's version in the background) is #27 on Billboard Top 100.

But the original song hasn't hit the top 100 yet.

Speaking of Disney and the Top 100... Encanto is regularly showing up in Nielsen's Top Ten streaming movies still.

I have heard the Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice version… it sounds like they are just rapping over the record… this was all Aqua

 

[DKampy]

Ok… I just looked it up… there is a Tiesto remix of Barbie Girl that credits Aqua as the artist… I am guessing this is what I heard

 

[TP2000]

I really enjoyed the movie and the last time I was in a church was a funeral 7 years ago.

I haven't seen the movie, but honestly don't have plans to. It's just too dark and dreary of a topic for me, but I believe it truly is a real problem often fueled by wealthy elites who lecture us about our own moral failings. I didn't even know that movie existed until it randomly started showing up at the top of the box office charts on July 4th.

Who knew it was going to be a thing? Obviously not me. I was asked to leave my church over 40 years ago because of my "chosen lifestyle", and I never went back. Ironically, that same mainstream Protestant church in downtown Seattle now has rainbow flags flying on it.

Funny how that works for churches if the collection plates threaten to run dry, isn't it?

 

[TP2000]

An awful Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice remake of Barbie World (with Aqua's version in the background) is #27 on Billboard Top 100.

Why do you keep mentioning Barbie in this thread? Why aren't you talking about the #52 song on the Billboard Top 100, "Peaches & Eggplants" by Mr. Yung Nudy? Or #78 "Pound Town 2" by Ms. Sexxy Red?

Of course, I kid. No really Mr. Penguin, I kid.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Why do you keep mentioning Barbie in this thread?

Because it's a Barbie world. It's fantastic!

 

[Disney Irish]

I'd like to remind people that Disney puts out their low to mid budget films primarily through 20th Century and Searchlight banners.

There are 5 more films being released this year through those banners, barring any shift in schedules due to the strike.

A Haunting in Venice
The Creator
Next Goal Wins
Magazine Dreams
Poor Things

Not saying these are going to blow the doors off the box office, but it shows Disney does actually release low to mid budget films. Between these two studios, unless I've missed some, they will have released 8 low to mid budget films in 2023, which in my opinion is about average for most major studios these days.

So its not all tent poles. I know they get the flashy headlines and biggest condemnation from fans, especially on this board. But Disney is a huge company that has many movies released every year, many that go under the radar on these forums.

And personally I think the first 3 on the list above might end up doing well.

 

[celluloid]

I'd like to remind people that Disney puts out their low to mid budget films through 20th Century and Searchlight banners.

There are 5 more films being released this year through those banners, barring any shift in schedules due to the strike.

A Haunting in Venice
The Creator
Next Goal Wins
Magazine Dreams
Poor Things

Not saying these are going to blow the doors off the box office, but it shows Disney does actually release low to mid budget films. Between these two studios, unless I've missed some, they will have released 8 low to mid budget films in 2023, which in my opinion is about average for most major studios these days.

So its not all tent poles. I know they get the flashy headlines and biggest condemnation from fans, especially on this board. But Disney is a huge company that has many movies released every year, many that go under the radar on these forums.

And personally I think the first 3 on the list above might end up doing well.

That's fair. And I think that Venice certainly could, as it has slightly more appeal than Death on the Nile for its eerie vibe, but it is going to be surrounded by stiff horror competition for the Halloween season under Universal and others' subsidiaries. At least it is mature counter programing. They certainly don't market the searchlight releases too well.

Speaking of Searchlight. One that actually came out this year: Theater Camp sure was not marketed much and fizzled.

 

[Disney Irish]

That's fair. And I think that Venice certainly could, as it has slightly more appeal than Death on the Nile for its eerie vibe, but it is going to be surrounded by stiff horror competition for the Halloween season under Universal and others' subsidiaries. At least it is mature counter programing. They certainly don't market the searchlight releases too well.

Speaking of Searchlight. One that actually came out this year: Theater Camp sure was not marketed much and fizzled.

Searchlight, just like it was for Fox, is primarily for their award plays. Which is why they aren't widely marketed for the most part.

 

[celluloid]

Searchlight, just like it was for Fox, is primarily for their award plays. Which is why they aren't widely marketed for the most part.

So commercially, wouldn't that mean the focus is just on tent poles?

 

[LittleBuford]

It's just too dark and dreary of a topic for me, but I believe it truly is a real problem often fueled by wealthy elites who lecture us about our own moral failings.

Child trafficking?