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

[Phroobar]

I turned off the movie after the "I am Iron Man" scene, and the film didn't really make enough of an impression that I thought I needed to discuss it with anyone. It was fine, not really to my tastes, but I understood why people liked it. If there were any Marvel fans in my social circle at that time, I wasn't aware.

It did end with the traditional fight the monster with your same powers that every superhero movie did. The Wolverine had the same ending.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Right Bob. More supervision by executives always makes for a better movie. The man is clueless.

Tell me you don’t know how the MCU worked in a few easy phrases.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Anyone see this?

Bob Iger Comments on Disney's "Woke Agenda," Says Creators Have "Lost Sight" of Goals | the disney food blog

Disney CEO Bob Iger comments on "woke agenda" during New York Times conference.

www.disneyfoodblog.com

I find that AJ tends not to spread unsourced company rumors, so if this is true, then Iger seems to acknowledge some of the recent criticism has merit. And just to be clear, the quote does not mention him using the word "woke" (poor choice of headline).

 

[LittleBuford]

Anyone see this?

Bob Iger Comments on Disney's "Woke Agenda," Says Creators Have "Lost Sight" of Goals | the disney food blog

Disney CEO Bob Iger comments on "woke agenda" during New York Times conference.

www.disneyfoodblog.com

I find that AJ tends not to spread unsourced company rumors, so if this is true, then Iger seems to acknowledge some of the recent criticism has merit. And just to be clear, the quote does not mention him using the word "woke" (poor choice of headline).

It’s unfortunate he’s legitimised the “agenda” nonsense, but I’m not surprised.

On an unrelated note, I find AJ’s voice a delight to listen to, even if the content is repetitive.

 

[CinematicFusion]

We have seen this story before back in the 80s : Blind taste tests suggested that consumers preferred the sweeter taste of the competing product Pepsi-Cola, and so the Coca-Cola recipe was reformulated. The American public reacted negatively, and New Coke was considered a major failure.

 

[Heppenheimer]

It’s unfortunate he’s legitimised the “agenda” nonsense, but I’m not surprised.

On an unrelated note, I find AJ’s voice a delight to listen to, even if the content is repetitive.

My wife loves her videos. She once said they allow her to enjoy the food without worrying about the calories.

 

[Stitch's Grandfather]

We have seen this story before back in the 80s : Blind taste tests suggested that consumers preferred the sweeter taste of the competing product Pepsi-Cola, and so the Coca-Cola recipe was reformulated. The American public reacted negatively, and New Coke was considered a major failure.

And likewise, I think Disney will eventually get its mojo back, but I'm not sure if the answer is more direction from Eisner and the other top execs. It seems like it's better to have more releases, with smaller budgets, and reward the people behind the successful films with higher budgets and more responsibilities.

 

[Heppenheimer]

And likewise, I think Disney will eventually get its mojo back, but I'm not sure if the answer is more direction from Eisner and the other top execs. It seems like it's better to have more releases, with smaller budgets, and reward the people behind the successful films with higher budgets and more responsibilities.

Wasn't this more or less the strategy of Disney in the 60s maybe through the 90s? Churn out cheap, mostly forgettable but profitable live action films to pay the bills between their feature animation and more prestigious releases?

 

[Tony the Tigger]

There is no hatred for the film driven by sexism.
Disney made a marvel movie for women that women didn’t want to see. Don’t blame the teen boys who didn’t want to see it.
People arent forced to watch movies.

Why didn’t the women show up to see The Marvels like they did with Barbie?
That’s the real question.

Luckily Disney doesn't own the Barbie brand. They would try to find away to make it be universally liked by boys and girls and it would fail miserably because it would be made for no one.

Barbie was a well executed girl brand for women… that men went to see with their wives and daughters.

So a movie about men is for everyone, but a movie about women is only for women?

 

[CinematicFusion]

So a movie about men is for everyone, but a movie about women is only for women?

Barbie was a movie made for the female fans of that brand and it had global success.
Barbie hit its target market perfectly

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Barbie was a movie made for the female fans of that brand and it had global success.
Barbie hit its target market perfectly

So a movie about men is for everyone, but a movie about women is only for women?

 

[CinematicFusion]

.

 

[DKampy]

It’s unfortunate he’s legitimised the “agenda” nonsense, but I’m not surprised.

On an unrelated note, I find AJ’s voice a delight to listen to, even if the content is repetitive.

I agree… this is perhaps the most disappointing statement to come out of Disney… This will only add fuel to the fire of a certain sect…it certainly won’t help

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Wasn't this more or less the strategy of Disney in the 60s maybe through the 90s? Churn out cheap, mostly forgettable but profitable live action films to pay the bills between their feature animation and more prestigious releases?

Many of my favorite Disney movies are cheap movies from this era, Apple Dumpling Gang movies, the Herbie movies, the Kurt Russel movies, etc. They weren’t masterpieces but they were fun.

 

[Andrew C]

Many of my favorite Disney movies are cheap movies from this era, Apple Dumpling Gang movies, the Herbie movies, the Kurt Russel movies, etc. They weren’t masterpieces but they were fun.

 

[celluloid]

Wasn't this more or less the strategy of Disney in the 60s maybe through the 90s? Churn out cheap, mostly forgettable but profitable live action films to pay the bills between their feature animation and more prestigious releases?

80s too. And not forgettable.

Splash and Three Men and be attributed the company's success that went onto be the powerhouse.

Eisner new how to cultivate good stories with those budgets.

He visited the sets.

 

[el_super]

In the "It's not just Disney category" ...

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will face rough seas when swimming into theaters over Christmas as the superhero genre continues to struggle.​

​

Hollywood’s major tracking service shows the DC superhero sequel opening to $40 million over the four-day holiday weekend (Dec. 22-Dec. 25), according to sources with access to data compiled by the National Research Group. NRG also gives a range, which in this case is $36 million to $44 million.​

Universal and Illumination’s animated event pic Migration is tracking for a tepid $13 million four-day opening, or a range of $11 million to $15 million, according to NRG data. Like superhero fare, animation is struggling to find its footing in the post-pandemic era. There’s growing concern that families prefer to watch animation at home versus a potentially expensive trip to the movies.​

One bright spot is Warner Bros.’ The Color Purple, a musical adaptation produced by Oprah Winfrey, star of the original Steven Spielberg film. NRG shows the movie opening to $7 million on Christmas Day (WB is more bullish at $9 million). Both would be a strong start.​

‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ Tracking for Troubled $40M-$50M Christmas Opening

Animated holiday event pic 'Migration' is also facing major headwinds, while 'The Color Purple' shows promise.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[TP2000]

There is no hatred for the film driven by sexism.
Disney made a marvel movie for women that women didn’t want to see. Don’t blame the teen boys who didn’t want to see it.
People arent forced to watch movies.

Exactly. Especially when that same audience reaction plays out worldwide. Americans avoided The Marvels just as much as Mexicans and Frenchmen and Koreans. You can't blame a vast right-wing conspiracy for that. You must simply acknowledge that the movie was not what the audience wanted to see, or was interested in. Anywhere.

Why didn’t the women show up to see The Marvels like they did with Barbie?
That’s the real question.

Yup! The core question to why The Marvels bombed so badly. See above for the probable answer.

Luckily Disney doesn't own the Barbie brand. They would try to find away to make it be universally liked by boys and girls and it would fail miserably because it would be made for no one.

Agreed. Mattel did a great job with allowing Warner Brothers to make Barbie a fabulous movie. One of the things I was impressed with was how Mattel was willing to let the movie poke fun at itself and its decades of products and change for Barbie. Will Ferrell as Mattel CEO was hysterical. But can you imagine the puffed up and self-important execs at Disney allowing themselves to be poked fun of? They'd never allow it. Iger and his senior execs have egos that are far too big, and they take themselves and their products far too seriously now.

Which I maintain is a big part of the reason why Disney's products from movies to parks are floundering; they think they are too important and allow corporate bureaucracy to take themselves and their products far too seriously now.

Barbie was a well executed girl brand for women… that men went to see with their wives and daughters.

Agreed. And I maintain that Marvel should be a well executed boy brand for men... that women go see with their boyfriends, husbands and sons.

 

[TP2000]

Many of my favorite Disney movies are cheap movies from this era, Apple Dumpling Gang movies, the Herbie movies, the Kurt Russel movies, etc. They weren’t masterpieces but they were fun.

No love for The Ugly Dachshund? I loved that one! Anything with Suzanne Pleshette was a winner in my book, and she was brilliant in the Bob Newhart Show.

Disney used to do these movies perfectly. As you say, they weren't masterpieces, but they were great for the Disney brand and cemented it as an American icon that parents could instinctively trust with their children.

A brilliant strategy that worked until just recently. How do they get that back? Can they?

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

In the "It's not just Disney category" ...

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will face rough seas when swimming into theaters over Christmas as the superhero genre continues to struggle.​

​

Hollywood’s major tracking service shows the DC superhero sequel opening to $40 million over the four-day holiday weekend (Dec. 22-Dec. 25), according to sources with access to data compiled by the National Research Group. NRG also gives a range, which in this case is $36 million to $44 million.​

Universal and Illumination’s animated event pic Migration is tracking for a tepid $13 million four-day opening, or a range of $11 million to $15 million, according to NRG data. Like superhero fare, animation is struggling to find its footing in the post-pandemic era. There’s growing concern that families prefer to watch animation at home versus a potentially expensive trip to the movies.​

One bright spot is Warner Bros.’ The Color Purple, a musical adaptation produced by Oprah Winfrey, star of the original Steven Spielberg film. NRG shows the movie opening to $7 million on Christmas Day (WB is more bullish at $9 million). Both would be a strong start.​

‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ Tracking for Troubled $40M-$50M Christmas Opening

Animated holiday event pic 'Migration' is also facing major headwinds, while 'The Color Purple' shows promise.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

If there’s one thing Marvel should be thankful for it’s that they don’t have DC’s luck, 2 major superhero flicks this year, one starring a very controversial male actor and one featuring a very controversial female actor. Neither being overly controversial when filming started, the odds that 2 movies would be torpedoed in one year by their stars/costars personal issues feels unprecedented.