Disney Animation getting out of the "Princess" business

[Optimus Mouse]

It appears that after "Tangled" Disney Animation is getting out the "Princess" and fairy-tale business. This is very interesting, as the past few years have seen WDW jump head-first into this arena. I wonder if D.A. will continue with the direct-to-DVD releases of their princess-themed franchises, and if so, will they be enough to sustain an interest in the princess/fairy phenomena in the parks?

Another interesting tidbit from the article is that they rebranded "Tangled" to appeal to young males. I wonder if the parks are concerned about the same type of gender skewing.

LATimes article: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-et-1121-tangled-20101121,0,6692508.story

 

[Tigger1988]

Expect a retraction from the LA Times soon.

A headline in today’s LA Times erroneously reported that the Disney fairy tale is a thing of the past, but I feel it is important to set the record straight that they are alive and well at Disney and continue this week with Tangled, a contemporary retelling of a much loved story. We have a number of projects in development with new twists that audiences will be able to enjoy for many years to come. - Ed Catmull

 

[MAF]

Hmm this doesn't give me much hope for Tangled then. :shrug: Seems almost as if they are admitting failure in advance.

 

[_Scar]

Tangled already has a 100% review on RT with 7 reviewers so far and I've heard FANTASTIC things about this film... like Best Picture good.

I wouldn't be surprised if the acclaim made this whole article disappear.

 

[Tom]

I saw an ad for Tangled last night on NBC that was a parody of a prescription drug commercial. It was pretty entertaining.

I think they're really reaching out to a larger audience, and I bet they get it. The CG animation will make it "cooler" than a traditionally animated princess feature.

 

[MAF]

Just like Princess and the Frog was supposed to usher in the rebirth of hand-drawn animation...

 

[JustInTime]

Just like Princess and the Frog was supposed to usher in the rebirth of hand-drawn animation...

And PatF should have. Tangled will be a big deal. I attempted to meet her about 10 times over the course of 3 days in the MK last week. She had wait times over an hour to an hour and a half. And the movie is not even out yet. The lines almost reached the castle (bear in mind most rides were walk ons so it was slower days in the park). I never got to meet her. I have a feeling this one is gonna be a hit.

 

[imagineer boy]

I really think the Disney film formula needs to be reinvented like it was in the 90s. I liked PatF but it felt like it was trying too hard to immulate the formula of the 90s rebirth animated movies.

Right now Walt Disney Animation needs fresh young new talent and not washed up has beens from the 90s era.

 

[Krack]

This is all a reaction to the Princess and the Frog. Jim Hill has discussed it several times in the past year. When the Princess and the Frog underperformed (against Disney's internal expectations) last year, the requisite finger pointing started and the blame landed squarely on the film's title. Disney convinced themselves (rightly or wrongly) that by putting the word "Princess" in the title, the company had basically signaled to young boys that "you can pass on this one, you're not going to like it anyway" - and that it resulted in diminished ticket sales. The edict went out that all future films would be certain to market themselves to boys, as well as girls, regardless of topic.

That is why the marketing for Tangled (which is basically Disney's Rapunzel), has almost entirely focused on the male protagonist (Flynn Rider?) and basically screamed "Hey guys, this is a movie about a guy rescuing a princess." My personal opinion is it's the animated feature film equivalent of Disney saying "Well, we're making boatloads of cash selling princess makeovers, so now we're gonna force feed pirate makeovers to little boys ... because we all know boys like to play dress up as much as girls."

Don't think for a second Disney is leaving the princess business; they are just re-branding it because they think boys will love it as long as it's not marketed as a princess film.

 

[JustInTime]

I really think the Disney film formula needs to be reinvented like it was in the 90s. I liked PatF but it felt like it was trying too hard to immulate the formula of the 90s rebirth animated movies.

Right now Walt Disney Animation needs fresh young new talent and not washed up has beens from the 90s era.

Sorry, but which washed up has beens are you talking about? Surly not anyone with the Animation department or John Lasseter. John is Disney's only hope these days. He is a genius.

 

[imagineer boy]

Sorry, but which washed up has beens are you talking about? Surly not anyone with the Animation department or John Lasseter. John is Disney's only hope these days. He is a genius.

Of course not Lasseter, he's the best thing to happen to Disney in ages. :lol:

I'm talking about the directors of PATF who were the same directors for Little Mermaid and Aladdin, and Alen Menken doing the music (don't get me wrong, he's great but IMO a lot of his recent work like on Enchanted has been rather dull).

 

[JustInTime]

Of course not Lasseter, he's the best thing to happen to Disney in ages. :lol:

I'm talking about the directors of PATF who were the same directors for Little Mermaid and Aladdin, and Alen Menken doing the music (don't get me wrong, he's great but IMO a lot of his recent work like on Enchanted has been rather dull).

I don't like the word choice here. Washed up is what word comes to mind with dancing with the stars and the surreal life. NOT PatF. I really thought the movie was amazing too! I hate that it didn't do as well as they hoped though...

 

[MAF]

And PatF should have.

Should have yet didn't. BTW the critics went GaGa over PatF before it came out as well so let's not be hasty here.

 

[JustInTime]

Should have yet didn't. BTW the critics went GaGa over PatF before it came out as well so let's not be hasty here.

I agree. They did. I think what we need is a new marketing team! For sure.

 

[ABigBrassBand]

At first I was shocked that Disney would depart from their most trademark movies, but you guys are right; they're probably just re-branding it like they did with Tangled.

 

[MAF]

Changing the title from Rapunzel to Tangled was probably one of the most ridiculous things Disney has ever concocted. So idiotic...:brick:

 

[slappy magoo]

I wouldn't be surprised if Disney had few or no princess- based movies in the pipeline, but I wouldn't take that as indication that they're "out of the princess business." It's just a cyclical thing.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Changing the title from Rapunzel to Tangled was probably one of the most ridiculous things Disney has ever concocted. So idiotic...:brick:

As goes for other animated films...Home on The Range (Sweating Bullets) & Emporer's New Groove (Kingdom of The Sun)..So it's common with them to change the title of there films.

 

[DisneyNut2007]

Of course not Lasseter, he's the best thing to happen to Disney in ages. :lol:

I'm talking about the directors of PATF who were the same directors for Little Mermaid and Aladdin, and Alen Menken doing the music (don't get me wrong, he's great but IMO a lot of his recent work like on Enchanted has been rather dull).

Correction: Randy Newman did the music in TPatF, not Alan Menken (whose name you spelled in incorrectly).

Do your research before you talk, Buster!

 

[DisneyNut2007]

As goes for other animated films...Home on The Range (Sweating Bullets) & Emporer's New Groove (Kingdom of The Sun)..So it's common with them to change the title of there films.

Another example: "The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad" was originally going to be titled "Two Fabulous Characters".