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

[Wendy Pleakley]

Im at least seeing more seats booked on Friday than Thursday.

I can't imagine there's much demand for the Thursday "preview" showings versus the weekend.

Thursday crowds I imagine are more for the big established franchises, like Marvel or Star Wars where people really really want to see it first in part because they're more prone to spoilers.

 

[LittleBuford]

You know, as someone who found her comments somewhat angering, it really doesn't have anything to do with her. Her comments making fun of the original film and saying how little she valued it pushed my buttons. Why? Because, as Iger informed us, the modern Walt Disney Company exists to be in the IP "mining" business. Iger/Chapek's Walt Disney Company is possibly too risk averse, lacking in creativity, or too incompetent to create new stories. Fine. If they want to cynically continue to go on "mining" IP it's their right as the owners of the business. The only thing audiences expected in return was for The Walt Disney Company to treat the intellectual property with respect.

In a way, Zegler's flippant comments seemed to show Disney couldn't even bother to do that bare minimum. They couldn't be bothered to pretend that they respected the original artists who created the very thing they were about to cynically exploit. And it was not only the original artists that were being exploited, no, it was the legions of fans who had grown to love it.

If you're going to cynically do some IP "mining," I expect you to put in that minimum effort.

I didn’t take Zegler to be speaking for Disney. I’m sure they didn’t welcome her remarks.

With one or two exceptions, I’m no fan of the remakes, but I don’t believe any of them reflects disrespect for the originals.

 

[Chi84]

To state—calmly and in a manner befitting an adult—“I think her comments on the original movie are totally off base” before elaborating on why.


Here are some direct quotations from this forum:

“She's never been put in her place or had anyone teach her respect.”

“People may be political about a snotty starlet who dissed the source material at company-sponsored media events.”

“What audiences and fans will not accept is outright contempt for the original. That contempt oozes out of everything that has emerged from her.”

“Yea, what part of you don’t crap in the same exact spots you eat and sleep doesn’t this twit understand…?!?!?!”

“Before Disney sends Rachel Zegler out on the talk show circuit this winter, they need to give her media relations lessons from Halle Bailey. If not just perform a personality transplant.”

“On the other hand, ‘It’s not 1937 anymore’ is a direct attack on the original film (and the people who love it).”

“Rachel Zegler said nothing new or bold or insightful. It's all so stale and predictable now. But somehow, and this is the magic of it all, she comes across to many as being this unlikable person. A real snot.”

“Because she's a snotty young person who just crapped on previous generations of artists who were far more accomplished than she is.”

These are just some of the posts (most of them by men in their 40s or older) that, to my mind at least, represent a rather extreme reaction to what Zegler said. No film is worth getting that worked up over.

Many of those same men (and others) made disparaging remarks about Halle Bailey. She also had the temerity to star in a Disney movie that showed women as less dependent on men.

 

[Farerb]

There hasn't been a good live action adaptation of Snow White. It's interesting to note that live action adaptations of Cinderella have been more successful.

 

[Chi84]

I didn’t take Zegler to be speaking for Disney. I’m sure they didn’t welcome her remarks.

With one or two exceptions, I’m no fan of the remakes, but I don’t believe any of them reflects disrespect for the originals.

And now we will be able to see the movie to judge for ourselves whether Zegler’s remarks accurately represented how it differed from the original.

 

[Farerb]

And now we will be able to see the movie to judge for ourselves whether Zegler’s remarks accurately represented how it differed from the original.

I read some of the reviews:

Spoiler

They keep the TLK part but they all believe Disney decided to add that in reshoots.

 

[Chi84]

I read some of the reviews:

Spoiler

They keep the TLK part but they all believe Disney decided to add that in reshoots.

Was there anything she said that contradicted how the movie was described in the reviews?

 

[WorldExplorer]

There hasn't been a good live action adaptation of Snow White. It's interesting to note that live action adaptations of Cinderella have been more successful.

Mirror Mirror wasn't terrible. It had the moments of seemingly-required, obnoxious "look how subversive we think we're being!" crud but other than that it was fun.

 

[Farerb]

Was there anything she said that contradicted how the movie was described in the reviews?

Both Rachel and Gal said in early interviews at D23 2022 that she wasn't going to be saved by the prince. I guess it's kind of still true cause the guy isn't a prince anymore.

 

[Chi84]

Both Rachel and Gal said in early interviews at D23 2022 that she wasn't going to be saved by the prince.

Was she saved by the prince? I haven’t read all of the reviews but I thought they changed the love interest.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Love this ad, I'm starting to think Lilo and Stitch could be the first billion dollar movie of the year.

 

[Agent H]

I read some of the reviews:

Spoiler

They keep the TLK part but they all believe Disney decided to add that in reshoots.

was there ever any doubt? I know they went on and on about how this movie would have a better love story but I couldn’t have imagined they would have removed that part.

 

[Farerb]

Was she saved by the prince?

Spoiler

If they guy kisses her to wake her up then yes. The only difference is that he isn't a prince.

 

[WoundedDreamer]

I didn’t take Zegler to be speaking for Disney. I’m sure they didn’t welcome her remarks.

With one or two exceptions, I’m no fan of the remakes, but I don’t believe any of them reflects disrespect for the originals.

Zegler was at a Disney event, speaking to Disney approved media, hyping her Disney movie project. A lead actress selling a film is definitionally speaking for Disney. One of the jobs of leading in a major movie is selling that major movie. The fact that Disney did not prepare her for these questions is nuts. Disney owns every part of a film. Its conceptual stage, filming, and ultimate release including media tours. That is all part of what it means to be a Hollywood star and a Hollywood studio.

It's possible that Zegler's views really were isolated and just her own. Perhaps everyone working on the modern Snow White adaptation, except Zegler, loves Snow White and appreciates the legacy they were dealing with. I find that unlikely though. Her making fun of the original signaled a deeper contempt that seemed to hang over the project.

Bob Iger's Disney raises prices at the theme parks while not even delivering functioning effects in return. I was just at Walt Disney World and Cosmic Rewind was the only E-Ticket in full working order. Every other E-Ticket is either desperately in need of refurbishment or had key effects broken. Charging what they do while not delivering on the basics signals contempt to me. Why shouldn't Disney have the same contempt for their cinema goers as well?

 

[Farerb]

was there ever any doubt? I know they went on and on about how this movie would have a better love story but I couldn’t have imagined they would have removed that part.

Spoiler

I read some theories that they might reverse the roles, meaning the guy is going to fall asleep and Snow White would wake him up.
Another theory was that she was going to lose her will to be a leader.
If they managed to change it for Maleficent, there was no reason to think they couldn't change it here.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

There hasn't been a good live action adaptation of Snow White. It's interesting to note that live action adaptations of Cinderella have been more successful.

Not a retelling of the original story but I loved how complex they made her in Once Upon a Time, she was strong, weak, vulnerable, uplifting, troubled, angry, even diabolical at times... and they still managed to keep true love as the most powerful thing in the world.

I wish they'd utilize D+ more for original things like Once Upon a Time, I love when they take familiar characters and place them in new situations or simply tell a different side of the story, probably why Cruella is still my favorite remake by far, it was a completely new story yet felt familiar.

 

[Chi84]

Spoiler

If they guy kisses her to wake her up then yes. The only difference is that he isn't a prince.

We can’t discuss it but what I read is significantly different and would support what she and Gal said.

 

[Farerb]

Not a retelling of the original story but I loved how complex they made her in Once Upon a Time, she was strong, weak, vulnerable, uplifting, troubled, angry, even diabolical at times... and they still managed to keep true love as the most powerful thing in the world.

I wish they'd utilize D+ more for original things like Once Upon a Time, I love when they take familiar characters and place them in new situations or simply tell a different side of the story, probably why Cruella is still my favorite remake by far, it was a completely new story yet felt familiar.

I agree. I also liked Once Upon a Time (before it became crap midway). Ginnifer Goodwin and Lana Parilla were great as Snow White and the Evil Queen.

 

[Figments Friend]

Film review: Disney's Snow White has a major 'identity crisis'

With its creepy CGI dwarfs and muddled tone, Disney's latest live-action remake is "not calamitous" but is a "a mind-boggling mash-up".

www.bbc.com

Fair film review for ‘Snow White’.
Two films for the price of one….interesting take.

-

 

[WoundedDreamer]

Film review: Disney's Snow White has a major 'identity crisis'

With its creepy CGI dwarfs and muddled tone, Disney's latest live-action remake is "not calamitous" but is a "a mind-boggling mash-up".

www.bbc.com

Fair film review for ‘Snow White’.
Two films for the price of one….interesting take.

-

Thanks for sharing! That was both an informing and a pretty funny review! I wonder if that split personality points to the reshoots... If nothing else, I think I'm going to need look out for more of Barber's reviews. Good writing is a reminder of how terrible a writer I am. It's pleasant to read something that makes you smile and keeps you engaged.