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

[_caleb]

It seems to me that movie trailers have always tried to focus on different aspects of a film because they're trying to promote the film to a variety of audiences. If a movie contains elements of adventure, they make a trailer highlighting that. Romance? Make a romantic trailer. Comedy, focus on the funny parts. Isn't this normal?

 

[Joel]

Bad movie? Make a bad trailer.

 

[_caleb]

Bad movie? Make a bad trailer.

Or my favorite: bad movie with a great trailer!

 

[BuddyThomas]

Anyway, I decided to buy a ticket to The Marvels for tonight. Seeing it in RPX. It was either that or the new holiday slasher flick, It's a Wonderful Knife, which I almost went to for the title alone, LOL.....but the reviews for that one are crashing from the mid-90's to the mid 50's, while the reviews for The Marvels are slowly increasing (now up to 62% positive). And anyway, how bad can a movie be when the preview shows a cute space cat swallowing a man whole.

 

[DKampy]

Anyway, I decided to buy a ticket to The Marvels for tonight. Seeing it in RPX. It was either that or the new holiday slasher flick, It's a Wonderful Knife, which I almost went to for the title alone, LOL.....but the reviews for that one are crashing from the mid-90's to the mid 50's, while the reviews for The Marvels are slowly increasing (now up to 62% positive). And anyway, how bad can a movie be when the preview shows a cute space cat swallowing a man whole.

Plus apparently there is a planet where everyone sings… sounds like my type of wacky adventure

 

[BrianLo]

Well.. the films are available for free for Disney's core audience from the comfort of their couch.. and still aren't as popular as their peers. I think the results speak for themselves.

This isn't actually true though. New Disney/Pixar animated films (and their better films in general) *on streaming* are far more popular than their peers.

The reason is of course what you suggested. But Disney definitely owns the streaming film audience.

 

[flynnibus]

This isn't actually true though. New Disney/Pixar animated films (and their better films in general) *on streaming* are far more popular than their peers.

The conversation was about the newer disney / pixar films vs their peers from the same studio. Call em siblings if you want… but the covid excuses don’t hold anymore. These films are readily available to this core audience… and they still are not picking up steam.

 

[BrianLo]

The conversation was about the newer disney / pixar films vs their peers from the same studio. Call em siblings if you want… but the covid excuses don’t hold anymore. These films are readily available to this core audience… and they still are not picking up steam.

Oh sorry, my bad. Yes it has been difficult to top the unrelenting re-watches of Frozen, Moana and Coco.

Though Encanto, Turning Red, Luca (and if it holds up Elemental) did so for a year or more on streaming.

I think Encanto is the real one that sticks long term in the zeitgeist.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Plus apparently there is a planet where everyone sings… sounds like my type of wacky adventure

Just got out. It’s not a masterpiece but I wasn’t expecting one. However, it’s very fun. The three women playing the Marvels are fantastic and have excellent chemistry. Action from
beginning to end. The cat and then later the multiple cats steal the show. Again, it doesn’t move the Earth but it’s fun and it’s short for a superhero movie. I had fun, and what more do you want from something like this?

 

[DKampy]

A modest return on investment?

Some of us go for entertainment and enjoyment and don’t think about box office while in the theater, then again you dislike movies, yet obsessed with box office

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Would those who have seen it say it’s similar in tone to Guardians?

(Lots of comedy based on the interaction between the characters).

 

[Willmark]

Some of us go for entertainment and enjoyment and don’t think about box office while in the theater, then again you dislike movies, yet obsessed with box office

Or some are investors and want to see Disney turn a profit rather than burn money on movie after movie.

 

[ABQ]

Would those who have seen it say it’s similar in tone to Guardians?

(Lots of comedy based on the interaction between the characters).

Only if the characters were screaming at each other for the entire movie. Not sure why Gunn did that in Guardians 3.

 

[The Mom]

The argumentative/snide posts have been deleted, as will posts delving into social/political issues.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Would those who have seen it say it’s similar in tone to Guardians?

(Lots of comedy based on the interaction between the characters).

Yes.

But a lot less... rough.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Would those who have seen it say it’s similar in tone to Guardians?

(Lots of comedy based on the interaction between the characters).

It has a lot of humor but I wouldn’t put it at the level of Guardians.

 

[_caleb]

The argumentative/snide posts have been deleted, as will posts delving into social/political issues.

Things like audience perception, attitudes, and trends seem relevant to a discussion about how Disney is faring at the box office.

 

[tcool123]

Would those who have seen it say it’s similar in tone to Guardians?

(Lots of comedy based on the interaction between the characters).

I would say it was pretty funny and enjoyable but nowhere gotg level. Better than the first Cap Marvel tho !

 

[TP2000]

Some of us go for entertainment and enjoyment and don’t think about box office while in the theater, then again you dislike movies, yet obsessed with box office

And that's exactly why I am thankful to @Disney Analyst for creating this thread. The other movie threads were being cluttered with too much solid box office data and commentary on that data, so this thread is great!

I've never been much of a movie fan, but when I enjoy a movie I really enjoy it. And "obsessed" is a rather inaccurate term to describe my recent interest in Disney's suddenly disastrous box office results. I think the more accurate way to describe it is as an "enthusiasm" or "new hobby".

But don't worry, I've had a long list of little enthusiasms or hobbies in my life. This recent enthusiasm may pass just suddenly as my previous interest and attempts at Bonsai or calligraphy or that one time I bought a $400 Vitamix at the Orange County Fair and was convinced I would prepare fresh herbal-juice concoctions every morning.

 

[TP2000]

Here's how yesterdays $6.6 Million in box office sales for the Thursday preview showings of The Marvels stacks up historically to other recent Marvel and other superhero movies.

Thursday Preview Box Office

2023, The Marvels = $6.6 Million
2023, The Flash = $9.7 Million
2023, Guardians 3 = $17.8 Million
2023, Quantumania = $17.5 Million
2023, Shazam = $3.4 Million
2022, Black Adam = $7.6 Million
2022, Thor 3 = $29.0 Million
2019, Captain Marvel = $24.9 Million (adjusted for inflation)

At least The Marvels beat Shazam on its Thursday preview.

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