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

[LittleBuford]

The employees and their families?

Is there anything to suggest that they're unhappy with their location? It's not like they were forced to move there from another site; it was a newly created branch of WDAS when it opened.

@Disney Analyst, who knows better than any of us, has indicated that it's a pleasant enough area. Yes, it may not be as glamorous (if that's the right word) as the Burbank headquarters, but the space had already been occupied by a company specialising in visual effects long before Disney took it over.

 

[LittleBuford]

The employees and their families?

Also, in your quotation of me, why did you bold the word "dangerous" in relation to Vancouver? That was in reference to Paris.

 

[Disney Analyst]

It closed almost two years ago.

Perhaps I'm wrong, but it seems to me that you're trying to undermine the legitimacy of the Vancouver studio because of its downtown location. Please note that the now-closed Paris studio, responsible for some of the animation in such esteemed films as The Hunchback of Notre Dame, was located in a somewhat dangerous suburb of the city. As long as the work they produce is good, who cares whether the Vancouver team's location is swanky or not?

Oh it's actually a nice area. Yaletown is fancy, expensive to live. Lots of fancy restaurants.

 

[LittleBuford]

Oh it's actually a nice area. Yaletown is fancy, expensive to live. Lots of fancy restaurants.

Then I must correct myself and declare the setting of the Vancouver branch of WDAS to be swanky after all!

 

[celluloid]

Is there anything to suggest that they're unhappy with their location? It's not like they were forced to move there from another site; it was a newly created branch of WDAS when it opened.

You said "who cares?"

I was giving an example of who might care. It is that simple. Don't look too much into it.

 

[Ghost93]

It won't be long before Disney makes a successful animated movie with queer characters. Pixar already did it with Elemental. Anyone who thinks we are about to experience a longterm retreat from representation is kidding themselves or betraying their own ideological unease. The march of progress is unstoppable.

I don't think Elemental counts as that queer character was blink and you miss it.

Strange World had decent-ish gay representation, although because the movie as a whole was rather bad/bland, it unfortunately didn't have the impact it should have.

To date, I think Nimona on Netflix is the best queer representation I've seen in a family film. I can't see Disney making an animated movie like that with such prominent gay characters and LGBT themes in the current climate. Maybe in about six years, if the pendulum swings back in a more progressive direction, the company will once again consider taking a stab at significant representation.

 

[LittleBuford]

I don't think Elemental counts as that queer character was blink and you miss it.

As was the offending kiss in Lightyear.

To date, I think Nimona on Netflix is the best queer representation I've seen in a family film. I can't see Disney making an animated movie like that with such prominent gay characters and LGBT themes in the current climate. Maybe in about six years, if the pendulum swings back in a more progressive direction, the company will once again consider taking a stab at significant representation.

I can't comment on Nimona, as I haven't seen it.

I'm not even talking about significant representation, just any representation at all. Some here are acting as if we'll never see a queer character again in a Disney family film, forgetting that the Beauty and the Beast remake already gave us one back in 2017. I think such characters will be the norm rather than the exception in the years ahead, paving the way for something more substantive that builds on what Strange World introduced (and even that was very mild by my estimation).

 

[TP2000]

It closed almost two years ago.

Oh, really? I just did a 5 second Google search for the Disney studio there, and it offered that street view screenshot, with a place called Yaletown Distillery on the ground floor. It looked fun. And as of the July, 2024 passby of a Google Street View car, it looked like a going concern. What's in there now, I wonder?

Perhaps I'm wrong, but it seems to me that you're trying to undermine the legitimacy of the Vancouver studio because of its downtown location.

You are very wrong, unfortunately. I visited old friends in Vancouver regularly in the 70's and 80's, and skied Whistler with family regularly into the 00's. I know the city fairly well, at least in its late 20th century format. It can't have changed that much.

Over in the Disneyland forum for the past few years, @Disney Analyst and I have had several nice chats about Vancouver.

I had assumed that the Disney computer animation outpost there was in some dreary suburban office park, in Burnaby or somewhere. Across from a Tim Horton's drive-thru and a TGIFriday's.

I was surprised that it was in a downtown hipster neighborhood, as urban real estate is rather dear in Vancouver. I spent about 5 seconds Googling, and the image that popped up on Street View had a distillery off the lobby with "small batch gin" advertised, so you can imagine my excitement.

The rest is up to you, as that's about all I know on the Disney animation outfit in Vancouver. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, and a message board post is just a message board post.

 

[TP2000]

Oh it's actually a nice area. Yaletown is fancy, expensive to live. Lots of fancy restaurants.

That's exactly what it looked like as I panned around on the Google Street View. A trendy hipster neighborhood.

Disney must pay a pretty penny to be there. Which surprised me (see above post), as until I did that Google search earlier today, I had just assumed the Disney operation in Vancouver was in some cheap office park in the suburbs somewhere.

 

[TP2000]

For those keeping score at home....

Earlier today I also Googled the word "pansexual", slightly against my will.

It seems my hunch was right, and it's just the 21st century version of a Bisexual. Except instead of playing hard to get at Last Call like in my day, they are actually fairly easy to get during all operating hours at any bar in town. Who knew?!

 

[Disney Irish]

Oh, really? I just did a 5 second Google search for the Disney studio there, and it offered that street view screenshot, with a place called Yaletown Distillery on the ground floor. It looked fun. And as of the July, 2024 passby of a Google Street View car, it looked like a going concern. What's in there now, I wonder?

View attachment 829166

Another 5 seconds of searching, I know a whole 10 seconds out of your day must be exhausting, would have shown you that a new Michelin restaurant was opening up in that location called Nightingale sometime this year, hopefully it has by now.

Nightingale is opening a second location in Yaletown | Dished

Dished received confirmation that Nightingale will be opening in Yaletown at the former location of Yaletown Distillery Bar + Kitchen.

dailyhive.com

 

[Animaniac93-98]

To date, I think Nimona on Netflix is the best queer representation I've seen in a family film.

It's also a really good movie as a whole. With its strong lead heroine, magical elements, touching moments and fantasy world building, it's a better "Disney" movie than a lot of actual Disney movies of late.

 

[Disney Irish]

It's also a really good movie as a whole. With its strong lead heroine, magical elements, touching moments and fantasy world building, it's a better "Disney" movie than a lot of actual Disney movies of late.

It was originally a Disney movie under Blue Sky before being cancelled due to delays.

 

[Farerb]

I didn't care about the movie to be honest. It felt like the people who made are people who were constantly on Tumblr.

 

[TalkingHead]

Dunno if it was posted already but Snow White’s budget is $240M according to Variety.

 

[DKampy]

I don't think Elemental counts as that queer character was blink and you miss it.

Strange World had decent-ish gay representation, although because the movie as a whole was rather bad/bland, it unfortunately didn't have the impact it should have.

To date, I think Nimona on Netflix is the best queer representation I've seen in a family film. I can't see Disney making an animated movie like that with such prominent gay characters and LGBT themes in the current climate. Maybe in about six years, if the pendulum swings back in a more progressive direction, the company will once again consider taking a stab at significant representation.

Except if Elemental was not well received then the same people that had an issue with the blink and you miss it kiss in Lightyear would of taken issue with the blink and you miss it non binary character in Elemental.. those that have biases go after low hanging fruit…. The real issues of Stranger World and Lightyear not succeeding did not have anything to do with lbgtq+ representation

 

[erasure fan1]

This however is very subjective when talking about quality, lets use the example of Moana 2 since its recent. You may not feel its a quality film and thus isn't a worthy sequel and living up to the quality of the original.

That's correct. But remember, this was all about my response to why people here have issues/complain about sequels. The overall reception to Moana 2 is mediocre. That doesn't mean everyone hates it. You can tell it was a Frankensteins monster just pieced together from something else. So yes I don't think it's a worthy sequel.

That doesn't mean I was saying that the public doesn't want originals, just that they aren't taking the much risk of seeing them in theaters when they come out.

Again I think we agree. I was responding to "everyone complains" about sequels and Disneys originals all flopped. So when I say no one wants originals, that was a general statement based on what was being insinuated. I think you are right with they won't take the risk to see an original. Because that's exactly what I said. Disney has a poor track record with originals. That's why people are staying away. Not because they don't want them. That was the whole point of what I said. And what you are saying reaffirms my point.

What I gathered from your post is that you are ok with sequels only if there is a "story" to tell, and be a good story, otherwise don't make a sequel. And that was what I was commenting on, just saying the public doesn't seem to care that much about the story overall, just that they are getting to see their favorite characters again. So in that regard, cash grab or not, Disney is giving the public what they want, even if you think the quality of the story is lacking and not worthy of the original.

I get that. There are many many people that will just go see Moana because, Moana! I'll push back on them giving the public what they want. They aren't really. People don't want a mediocre at best sequels. Yea people get to see their favorite characters. But when it's mediocre to poor, it devalues everything else. It's a slow erosion. Disney is supposed to be better than, it's Elsa, no one will care if it's meh.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Another 5 seconds of searching, I know a whole 10 seconds out of your day must be exhausting, would have shown you that a new Michelin restaurant was opening up in that location called Nightingale sometime this year, hopefully it has by now.

Nightingale is opening a second location in Yaletown | Dished

Dished received confirmation that Nightingale will be opening in Yaletown at the former location of Yaletown Distillery Bar + Kitchen.

dailyhive.com

WAIT! stop!! I didn’t see this?! Nightingale is getting a second spot?! Omg. It’s one of our favourite places.

Thank you Disney friends for teaching me things about my home

That's exactly what it looked like as I panned around on the Google Street View. A trendy hipster neighborhood.

Disney must pay a pretty penny to be there. Which surprised me (see above post), as until I did that Google search earlier today, I had just assumed the Disney operation in Vancouver was in some cheap office park in the suburbs somewhere.

I also did not realize it was there… I walk by it all the time. Oops.

 

[Miss Rori]

It won't be long before Disney makes a successful animated movie with queer characters. Pixar already did it with Elemental. Anyone who thinks we are about to experience a longterm retreat from representation is kidding themselves or betraying their own ideological unease. The march of progress is unstoppable.

After it was confirmed that part of the overworking of the animators on Inside Out 2 was their having to reanimate scenes so absolutely no one would even think Riley's admiration of Val was a queer crush because corporate higher-ups blamed Lightyear's failure on The Kiss, and they decided not to air an episode of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur because it focused on the transgender girl character, I seriously doubt we will see a Disney animated feature with queer characters of honest significance. (Scraps of representation as in Elemental are so easy to cut.) Disney has long tended towards the reactionary in their creative choices, and after all the mud slung at them for tossing out a few diversity crumbs there's no incentive for them to change, especially not right now.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Dunno if it was posted already but Snow White’s budget is $240M according to Variety.

Thought it might be higher due to the reshoots.