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

[AdventureHasAName]

The trailer and advertising made this remake seem pretty faithful. I realise it isn’t, but in terms of attracting viewers, the marketing has leaned heavily into nostalgia. It seems unlikely to me that closeness (or otherwise) to the original is the determining factor here in why the film isn’t doing well.

I think it was almost impossible to hide what they did with false marketing. People are too online now; the story was how much of a screwup this film was (and how awful Zegler is), not how close it was to the original.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

The dwarfs are the only interesting characters in the original and Disney made them look weird.

Meanwhile, twenty years ago, Peter Jackson made this and everyone thought it was great (and it printed money).

 

[Chi84]

Meanwhile, twenty years ago, Peter Jackson made this and everyone thought it was great (and it printed money).

The Tolkien books told an exceptional story. The fact that Peter Jackson could bring that world to life the way he did was genius.

Now if the story involved Arwen forcing them to wash up before she would give them dinner, I’m not sure it would have been as exciting.

 

[LittleBuford]

I think it was almost impossible to hide what they did with false marketing. People are too online now; the story was how much of a screwup this film was (and how awful Zegler is), not how close it was to the original.

It strikes me as highly unlikely that the wider world knows nearly as much as we do about all the circumstances surrounding the project. Perhaps I’m wrong and the various controversies we’ve been discussing are well known to millions and millions of potential movie-goers across the world, but based on what I’ve seen among my own friends and family (none of whom follow any of this stuff), I very much doubt it.

 

[Disney Irish]

The difference is his suggestion was obviously intended as a joke, whereas your assertion was meant to be serious and is unintentionally funny.

The way that poster has been posing lately I doubt if it was meant as a joke. And even if it was, so what the point is still the same, it’s a rounding error at most.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

It strikes me as highly unlikely that the wider world knows nearly as much as we do about all the circumstances surrounding the project. Perhaps I’m wrong and the various controversies we’ve been discussing are well known to millions and millions of potential movie-goers across the world, but based on what I’ve seen among my own friends and family (none of whom follow any of this stuff), I very much doubt it.

I doubt many people knew to the extent that we did (those of us who actively follow Disney) but nearly every article discussing Snow Whites box office struggles talks about the controversial comments as one of the primary reasons, along with the dwarfs controversy, the casting controversy, the delays, etc. I think Average Joes had a general awareness of the issues surrounding the film, especially some of the widely reported things like “weird, weird” or the election comments.

I don’t think any one thing doomed this film but the combination of several smaller things taken together created an overall negative perception which likely lead to people simply staying home.

 

[Disney Irish]

Fair or not, she is going to be saddled with the stink of this failure and is likely viewed as a headache actor to deal with in terms of marketing and PR. Those are two big hurdles to overcome for studios.

She’s been supposedly rumored for a few Disney projects (MCU, Phantom of the Opera). Let’s watch and see if they sign her up to any of those soon.

All actors go through a period where they have to deal with failure, and she is going to be no different with this film. Does that make her undesirable by all Studios, doubt it.

As for future projects with Disney, maybe they don't hire her again. So what? Disney is not the only game in town, as I've been reminded on many occasions on this board. So just like consumers, actors have other choices in Studios as well. So maybe she works small budget films for awhile. Or maybe she does indy work. Or maybe she does voice acting. Or maybe she sticks to the stage for a bit. Point is that as an actor who by all accounts is talented and nice (PR stuff aside) she has choices, and I'm sure she'll be fine.

And if Disney does hire her again, I'm sure all of you guys will be on this board cursing the very ground she walks on when that announcement gets made.

 

[LittleBuford]

I doubt many people knew to the extent that we did (those of us who actively follow Disney) but nearly every article discussing Snow Whites box office struggles talks about the controversial comments as one of the primary reasons, along with the dwarfs controversy, the casting controversy, the delays, etc. I think Average Joes had a general awareness of the issues surrounding the film, especially some of the widely reported things like “weird, weird” or the election comments.

I don’t think any one thing doomed this film but the combination of several smaller things taken together created an overall negative perception which likely lead to people simply staying home.

I struggle to be convinced by the idea that this stuff gained traction in all the international markets where the film is performing just as badly. I'm sure the controversies and issues haven't helped matters (the leaked production photos in particular seem to have painted the project in an unflattering light), but I don't its chances of being a blockbuster would have been much better had others been cast in the role(s) played by Zegler and/or Gadot.

 

[erasure fan1]

I think Average Joes had a general awareness of the issues surrounding the film, especially some of the widely reported things like “weird, weird” or the election comments.

It was a bigger deal than many here want to give it credit for. Now could most people name Zegler as the problem? Probably not. It's more like, you mean that movie where that actress said...... As you say, it wasn't one thing that killed the movie. At the end of the day the movie is considered bad by most accounts. So any chance it had to bounce back from all the noise surrounding the film is probably gone. My world is an extremely miniscule percentage of the movie going world. But I think people are underselling the reach of her comments.

 

[TP2000]

And yet the Dwarfs seem not even to have been included in the film as originally shot. Imagine the press from casting seven well-known comedians in the key roles.

I actually like that idea! I wouldn't have minded one bit if that concept meant the Dwarves went co-ed, if they included some of my favorite comediennes like Kristin Wiig and Kate McKinnon.

The concept has great potential, co-ed or men only, but it's too late now.

Fair or not, she is going to be saddled with the stink of this failure and is likely viewed as a headache actor to deal with in terms of marketing and PR. Those are two big hurdles to overcome for studios.

No kidding. I can't imagine if I had that career track record at the tender age of 23.

I struggle to be convinced by the idea that this stuff gained traction in all the international markets where the film is performing just as badly. I'm sure the controversies and issues haven't helped matters (the leaked production photos in particular seem to have painted the project in an unflattering light), but I don't its chances of being a blockbuster would have been much better had others been cast in the role(s) played by Zegler and/or Gadot.

I could be snarky and remind us all that we've repeatedly been told The Hate/Rage NetworkTM controls the entire global marketplace of consumers and their wallets, but instead I think it's worth noting the British tabloids really went big on the Snow White saga and the scandals surrounding Miss Zegler.

There's years worth of headlines on Snow White like this now from London, back to '23. That blanket coverage likely had more of an impact on the European box office than any American podcaster in his mom's Midwest basement ever did.

Rachel Zegler pulls most desperate stunt yet as Disney remake flops

Woke Snow White star Rachel Zegler watched her own flop movie in an empty theater with a few friends as the Disney remake failed to pull in viewers after a series of controversies.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Go woke and go broke – the other Snow White-scale flops

Disney’s latest is flailing at the box office amid backlash to its progressive message... and history shows they should’ve seen this coming

www.telegraph.co.uk

Maps show just how bad Disney's 'woke' Snow White really is

Disney's latest Snow White adaptation is set to hit UK cinemas tomorrow - but no one is queueing up to watch the "woke" remake.

www.express.co.uk

 

[LittleBuford]

I could be snarky and remind us all that we've repeatedly been told The Hate/Rage NetworkTM controls the entire global marketplace

That would not only be snarky, but disingenuous and unfair, as the poster you’re mocking has repeatedly explained what he means, which certainly isn’t the crude claim you keep caricaturing it as.

 

[DKampy]

It strikes me as highly unlikely that the wider world knows nearly as much as we do about all the circumstances surrounding the project. Perhaps I’m wrong and the various controversies we’ve been discussing are well known to millions and millions of potential movie-goers across the world, but based on what I’ve seen among my own friends and family (none of whom follow any of this stuff), I very much doubt it.

I believe it is not just other places globally, but right here in the domestic market… I have the same results with my friends and family…. It’s all an echo chamber…. There are over 340 million individuals in the us….even the most popular YouTubers that discuss such matters don’t typically even come close to a million views…. And there is probably a lot of crossover views between them

Even my wife who is advent film goer…. Does not follow such gossip… when I mentioned it… her reaction was… it was way overblown and much ado about nothing

I think the bigger issue was a Snow White remake would be a much tougher sell then the films from the renaissance era… then the trailer did not do the film any favors as the cgi dwarves were very oft putting

 

[TP2000]

That would not only be snarky, but disingenuous and unfair, as the poster you’re mocking has repeatedly explained what he means.

Yes, and it's my absolute favorite excuse for free market failure.

It's better than any ist or phobe you can throw out, as those are meaningless words now that don't have the power they once did in 2015.

The network thing is better, and even harder to grasp or quantify or prove. Which I'm sure is part of the point of it.

 

[Disney Irish]

Yes, and it's my absolute favorite excuse for free market failure.

It's better than any ist or phobe you can throw out, as those are meaningless words now that don't have the power they once did in 2015.

The network thing is better, and even harder to grasp or quantify or prove. Which I'm sure is part of the point of it.

Or as some of us have been trying to say, its not any one thing its a death by a thousand cuts situation. And none of it is 100% provable, its all just opinions.

 

[TP2000]

Or as some of us have been trying to say, its not any one thing its a death by a thousand cuts situation. And none of it is 100% provable, its all just opinions.

We'll just never know why Snow White flopped so badly. We'll just never know.

 

[LittleBuford]

Yes, and it's my absolute favorite excuse for free market failure.

It's better than any ist or phobe you can throw out, as those are meaningless words now that don't have the power they once did in 2015.

The network thing is better, and even harder to grasp or quantify or prove. Which I'm sure is part of the point of it.

I don’t think you’re actually interested in understanding what it is.

 

[Disney Irish]

We'll just never know why Snow White flopped so badly. We'll just never know.

So "death by a thousand cuts" isn't knowing? Poppycock, I think you just want to attribute it to one particular thing and anything else is just dismissed.

 

[Trauma]

I struggle to be convinced by the idea that this stuff gained traction in all the international markets where the film is performing just as badly. I'm sure the controversies and issues haven't helped matters (the leaked production photos in particular seem to have painted the project in an unflattering light), but I don't its chances of being a blockbuster would have been much better had others been cast in the role(s) played by Zegler and/or Gadot.

I think some international markets are not as forgiving of race swapping as we are here in the states.

Mermaid also struggled in some international markets.

 

[TP2000]

I don’t think you’re actually interested in understanding what it is.

I had an uncle who was convinced in his very old age in the 1990's that "the Bilderbergers" were controlling everything and guiding free markets and Billions of consumers and voters across the planet and it was all part of their grand plan that could never be stopped.

You could not shut him up about it, and there was no reasoning with him. We just did tight smiles at Thanksgiving until he got it out of his system for the evening. His Bilderberger rants usually lasted 5 minutes or less, thank goodness.

Similarly, I don't understand how The Hate/Rage NetworkTM controls the global box office. But at least it's entertaining!

 

[TP2000]

I think some international markets are not as forgiving of race swapping as we are here in the states.

Mermaid also struggled in some international markets.

Yes. I can go back and check if need be, but I seem to remember that Little Mermaid did horribly in Mexico and Latin countries, as well as in Asia. They really had no interest in seeing it.