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

[Disney Irish]

I think a lot of things are amplified here that have very little bearing on the real world. To read certain people’s posts, you’d think Lightyear failed on the basis of a fleeting kiss in a brief flashback sequence, and not because it was dull and joyless.

Not to mention having very little to do with the character everyone wanted to see, and not being voiced by the actor who made the character what he was. Both of which were the biggest factors, not the other stuff.

 

[LittleBuford]

Not to mention having very little to do with the character everyone wanted to see, and not being voiced by the actor who made the character what he was. Both of which were the biggest factors, not the other stuff.

I understand why the character was different—he was meant to be the original, after all, rather than the toy version. It could have worked well if executed better. Alas, what they gave us was really plodding.

 

[Disney Irish]

I understand why the character was different—he was meant to be the original, after all, rather than the toy version. It could have worked well if executed better. Alas, what they gave us was really plodding.

I understand the concept they were going for, but it was just stupid in the way they did, execution as you mentioned. Could have been done better and with Allen being the voice, would have performed a whole lot better even with the minor kiss controversy.

 

[TP2000]

....it's NEVER stated in the movie that the character is nonbinary. Furthermore, Wade uses "her" as a pronoun to discuss the nonbinary character in question.

I'm not an expert on the latest 2SLGBTQQIA+ lingo, and there's no "N" in that acronym, but wouldn't the fact that she is described as a "she" by Wade during introductions make her by definition binary?

She is a girl. Wade's sister, in fact. And while it's not said out loud in the movie, it is implied through blatant coding that would make Paul Lynde blush that her girlfriend is linked to her romantically and not just a platonic gal pal girlfriend. So what part of her story is non-binary?

This reminds me of the backstory for the queue in Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Some intern at WDI wrote up a whole bunch of inane backstory for the log ride that is vaguely and/or barely mentioned or alluded to in the queue. And in the world of a Parks Blog post a year or two before the ride opened, it exists. But now while actual paying customers are waiting in line for the actual log ride, that fabricated backstory is either unseen, unexplained, or ignored entirely.

Wade's sister being non-binary by declaration of an actress on Instagram 6 months before the movie came out in theaters seems just like that. But if that's what the kids want with "representation" today, then so be it. It seems all rather silly and pandering to me, but then perhaps my expectations are too high for what "representation" actually is?

 

[TP2000]

I could see Wicked beating it - it has such a momentum right now.

The thing with Wicked Vs. Moana 2 is that Wicked has very weak box office overseas, compared to the USA.

The lone exception seemingly being the UK, with modest box office so far of $36 Million, or a third of its total overseas take.

But just across the Channel and Wicked has weak European box office, and extremely weak Asian box office. Wicked seems to mainly be an American phenom, with a small outpost of decent box office in the UK likely owing to London's West End theater scene. It's definitely not big in Germany or Japan, unlike David Hasselhoff.

Wicked (2024) - Financial Information

Financial analysis of Wicked (2024) including budget, domestic and international box office gross, DVD and Blu-ray sales reports, total earnings and profitability.

www.the-numbers.com

 

[Miss Rori]

Sorry, I haven’t been following. What sources confirmed the reanimation and decision not to air? Doesn’t Disney usually keep that information close?

Some of the animators who worked on the film spoke to IGN about the film's production.

Inside Out 2 Was the Hit Pixar Needed, but the Laid-Off Employees Who Crunched on It Are Still Hurting - IGN

Inside Out 2 is the highest-grossed animated film ever. But behind the scenes, Pixar workers grappled with crunch, layoffs, and an avoidance of LGBTQ+ themes. Our report of the tumultuous making of the sequel to one of the most beloved Pixar films ever.

www.ign.com

 

[Miss Rori]

But just across the Channel and Wicked has weak European box office, and extremely weak Asian box office. Wicked seems to mainly be an American phenom, with a small outpost of decent box office in the UK likely owing to London's West End theater scene. It's definitely not big in Germany or Japan, unlike David Hasselhoff.

Non-animated/Disney musicals tend to be tough international sells. Bear in mind that Wicked hasn't been released in Japan yet (I believe they're waiting until March on that), and the musical is rather popular there, so it could do well.

 

[celluloid]

Non-animated/Disney musicals tend to be tough international sells. Bear in mind that Wicked hasn't been released in Japan yet (I believe they're waiting until March on that), and the musical is rather popular there, so it could do well.

Also, Wicked in US had Thanksgiving. There was not a Thanksgiving time holiday break outside of the very US Holiday. So the non-Disney/animated musical thing holds true and has done very well considering. It will buiild.

 

[LittleBuford]

Non-animated/Disney musicals tend to be tough international sells. Bear in mind that Wicked hasn't been released in Japan yet (I believe they're waiting until March on that), and the musical is rather popular there, so it could do well.

It hasn’t come out in Germany yet either (where the musical is also very popular), but why let facts get in the way of well-articulated spin?

 

[LittleBuford]

On Wicked's performance in the UK and Ireland:

Wicked cast its spell on UK-Ireland audiences this weekend, bringing in £13.7m in its debut – the best-performing opening weekend for a stage-to-screen adaptation in the territory, and the biggest opening weekend of 2024.​

The musical was released at 701 sites, for a site average of £19,543 for Universal. It beat previous stage-to-screen record holder Les Misérables, with £8.1m in 2013. Wicked also knocked Deadpool & Wolverine off its 2024 opening weekend top spot, bringing in £12.6m for Disney in July.​

​

It is also the third-highest opening for a musical ever in the UK and Ireland, behind Beauty And The Beast (£19.7m, March 2017) and Frozen 2 (£15.1m, November 2019) and the third-highest opening weekend for a PG certificate film, behind Beauty And The Beast and The Lion King (£16.7m, July 2019). It is also Universal’s third-highest opening weekend of all time.​

Well deserved! I'm a Disney fan through and through, but this, not Moana 2, is the film that ought to be taking the world by storm.

‘Wicked’ shines with biggest opening weekend of 2024 at UK-Ireland box office

The musical has also broken the box office record for best-peforming debut for a stage-to-screen adaptation in the territory.

www.screendaily.com

 

[TalkingHead]

Some of the animators who worked on the film spoke to IGN about the film's production.

Inside Out 2 Was the Hit Pixar Needed, but the Laid-Off Employees Who Crunched on It Are Still Hurting - IGN

Inside Out 2 is the highest-grossed animated film ever. But behind the scenes, Pixar workers grappled with crunch, layoffs, and an avoidance of LGBTQ+ themes. Our report of the tumultuous making of the sequel to one of the most beloved Pixar films ever.

www.ign.com

Considering how weak the Oscar race is this year, there’s a chance that a more ambitious-riskier Inside Out sequel might’ve become the first animated Best Picture winner. Not that Disney would trade that for the box office…

 

[Farerb]

An animated film will never win Best Picture, no matter how good it is, and at this point they have been sanitized so much that they aren't even being considered for a nomination.

 

[TsWade2]

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.

Yeah, don't get your hopes up! Look: https://www.ign.com/articles/inside...mployees-who-crunched-on-it-are-still-hurting

 

[Miss Rori]

An animated film will never win Best Picture, no matter how good it is, and at this point they have been sanitized so much that they aren't even being considered for a nomination.

Sad but true. There are lovely, mature animated films being produced internationally but they'll never be considered in the American-centric Oscar race for Best Picture, and American feature animation just doesn't have "the sauce" or whatever The Kids are calling it these days to get that far.

 

[BrianLo]

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

The Canadian Pixar arm that was closed about a decade ago was in Gastown. I visited them.

I was about to come into this thread hot and heavy that people were off their rockers saying WDAS Canada was in a bad location… it’s probably more desirable than Burbank in some ways. I’m glad to see you shut that down.

 

[BrianLo]

Current Wicked tally seems to be more of a lack of midweek family phenomenon (but it’s doing stellar and deserves to)!

Deadline still has Moana 2 at 60M this weekend and Wicked at 32. Either way, both are major, major accomplishments for this weekend. Moana 2 will have the best post Thanksgiving performance weekend of all time and Wicked will have I think the third just behind Frozen 2, which was also in week three… but it could very well topple that for second all time if this momentum keeps up!

I know there’s been some tit for tat leading up to these two, but it’s really a case of both being phenomenal box office successes. There is no loser here.

 

[LittleBuford]

The Canadian Pixar arm that was closed about a decade ago was in Gastown. I visited them.

I was about to come into this thread hot and heavy that people were off their rockers saying WDAS Canada was in a bad location… it’s probably more desirable than Burbank in some ways. I’m glad to see you shut that down.

That may have been my fault for misunderstanding what @TP2000 was getting at.

 

[DKampy]

Considering how weak the Oscar race is this year, there’s a chance that a more ambitious-riskier Inside Out sequel might’ve become the first animated Best Picture winner. Not that Disney would trade that for the box office…

As much as I liked Inside Out 2 (and I do think it”s a great movie)it will never happen….most likely won’t even get nominated…. It’s not as weak as you might think

 

[Ghost93]

I think the Wild Robot (or some other movie) will win the Oscar over Inside Out 2. I do think Inside Out 2 is worth of a nomination, however, for Best Animated Feature. Unlike Moana 2, Inside Out 2 is actually a good movie.

 

[DKampy]

An animated film will never win Best Picture, no matter how good it is, and at this point they have been sanitized so much that they aren't even being considered for a nomination.

Never say never. I think it could happen at some point….Beauty and The Beast and Up have already been nominated… I think one of the Toy Story’s has as well…. I think a win will eventually happen… it won’t be this year though