Elemental (Pixar - June 2023)

[TP2000]

But the rule of thumb is completely arbitrary. It includes marketing costs that are intended to boost profits on secondary platforms but doesn’t include those platforms.

Besides DVD, BluRay, PVOD and Streaming, what are the secondary platforms a movie marketing campaign boosts profits for?

I ask because DVD and BluRay sales are collapsing into almost nothing now, and not only has Streaming (Disney+) not made Disney any money, but Disney+ continues to lose at least a half a Billion dollars every fiscal year since it launched in 2019.

PVOD is probably a better indicator of profit, but does Disney do big business with PVOD?

If I rent Lightyear tonight on Amazon Prime for $3.99, how much money does Disney get from that after they pay Amazon for all the energy and computing power and what not to beam it to my TV for one night? Where are those profits called out? Anyone know?

 

[Disney Irish]

Besides DVD, BluRay, PVOD and Streaming, what are the secondary platforms a movie marketing campaign boosts profits for?

I ask because DVD and BluRay sales are collapsing into almost nothing now, and not only has Streaming (Disney+) not made Disney any money, but Disney+ continues to lose at least a half a Billion dollars every fiscal year since it launched in 2019.

PVOD is probably a better indicator of profit, but does Disney do big business with PVOD?

If I rent Lightyear tonight on Amazon Prime for $3.99, how much money does Disney get from that after they pay Amazon for all the energy and computing power and what not to beam it to my TV for one night? Where are those profits called out? Anyone know?

I've heard the split for PVOD on Amazon and other services (may vary of course by service) is an average 80/20. So 80% would go to Disney, and the 20% to the provider.

Its why the post-theatrical market is so lucrative for studios as they get a higher take than the 50/50 average during the theatrical run.

 

[DKampy]

I've heard the split for PVOD on Amazon and other services (may vary of course by service) is an average 80/20. So 80% would go to Disney, and the 20% to the provider.

Its why the post-theatrical market is so lucrative for studios as they get a higher take than the 50/50 average during the theatrical run.

That would explain why studios jump at getting their movies to PVOD as quickly as they can for 19.99 even why movies are still in theaters

 

[MisterPenguin]

Pixar's Elemental Is One of the Most Surprising Box Office Success Stories of the Year

After a historically low opening weekend, Pixar's Elemental has earned over $400 million at the [...]

comicbook.com

The narrative around Peter Sohn's animated adventure has completely changed since it was first released in theaters back in June. Elemental debuted to a paltry $29.6 million in its opening weekend, giving the storied Pixar Animation Studios its lowest debut since Toy Story was released in 1995. It seemed like yet another nail in the coffin for the studio, which has struggled to gain any traction theatrically since the pandemic. However, in the month-and-a-half since its release, Elemental has turned into the Little Engine That Could, slowly becoming a big win for the studio.​

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This week, Elemental crossed $400 million at the global box office, a feat that seemed almost impossible after its disastrous opening. What once seemed like a film that was destined to lose a lot of money, just as Lightyear did in 2022, has turned profitable for Pixar. It's also the very first original film to pass $400 million at the box office since the start of the pandemic. Every other film to cross the threshold has been part of a franchise or based on some kind of existing property.​

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Elemental is a success story that needs to be talked about when it comes to the changing habits of moviegoers and how studios look at box office success. Hats no longer have to be hung on opening weekend, and Elemental proves it would be silly to do so. Patience is most definitely a virtue when it comes to the box office. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 faced a similar scenario earlier in the year. It wasn't quite the flop that Elemental was, but it opened lower than many expected, and didn't quite meet the standards of other Marvel movies. However, Guardians 3 went on to deliver record-low drops for Marvel week after week, letting positive word of mouth guide people to the theaters. It went on to become one of the highest earning films in all of 2023.​

 

[TP2000]

This week, Elemental crossed $400 million at the global box office, a feat that seemed almost impossible after its disastrous opening. What once seemed like a film that was destined to lose a lot of money, just as Lightyear did in 2022, has turned profitable for Pixar.​

How has Elemental turned profitable once it hits $400 Million globally in a day or two?

Elemental cost $200 Million to produce, and Disney is reported to have spent $100 Million on its global marketing. With that budget, it would need $600 Million globally to break even and thus "turn profitable" for Pixar.

Where's the hidden $200 Million in ticket sales, and why would a global cabal of evil theater owners conspire to hide them?

 

[wtyy21]

There's actually one of five deleted scenes of Elemental that included in a physical media release of the film.

 

[BrianLo]

Besides DVD, BluRay, PVOD and Streaming, what are the secondary platforms a movie marketing campaign boosts profits for?

I ask because DVD and BluRay sales are collapsing into almost nothing now, and not only has Streaming (Disney+) not made Disney any money, but Disney+ continues to lose at least a half a Billion dollars every fiscal year since it launched in 2019.

PVOD is probably a better indicator of profit, but does Disney do big business with PVOD?

If I rent Lightyear tonight on Amazon Prime for $3.99, how much money does Disney get from that after they pay Amazon for all the energy and computing power and what not to beam it to my TV for one night? Where are those profits called out? Anyone know?

Here you are

The Biggest Box Office Bombs Of 2022: Deadline’s Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament

Lightyear, Strange World, Amsterdam, Devotion and Babylon were among the biggest box office bombs of 2022.

deadline.com

Elemental is probably pushing projected profitability (say that four times fast) based on Lightyear vs. 'the rule of thumb'. Combined with nearly double Lightyears box office receipts, which will surely translate to a stronger Home Entertainment and TV/stream receipts for it. It should do a tidy little amount on the backend and becomes a film that is a completely new property that actually seems reasonably well liked for them to continue to wring out money from for decades to come... unlike say Lightyear, that they will mostly ignore to salvage the Toy Story Brand.

 

[BrianLo]

Reminder for everyone... we all WANT Elemental to be successful.

I'm really not sure what one could even be considered a fan of if you are actively cheering against this one.

It's a pretty great film, not merely paint by the numbers, original, beautifully animated, non-controversial. Well liked by audiences.

May it explode onto the scene on D+.

 

[BrianLo]

"Elemental has also done well overseas, including turning into a juggernaut in South Korea, which leads all markets with $44.8 million so far. Per Disney, admissions are expected to hit 6 million on Thursday — meaning that tickets have been sold for one out of every eight people in that country. Other milestones achieved in South Korea include: No. 3 animated film of all time behind Walt Disney Animation’s two Frozen movies; No. 2 release of 2023 among all films behind local title Round Up; and No. 5 Hollywood release in the pandemic era after Avatar: The Way of Water, Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Elemental opens in its final major market, Japan, on Friday."

Beyond the point of this discussion - maybe I'll go start this on the International Parks board...

But I think Disney needs to start more seriously looking at South Korea as a whole. They've been a really strong market for Disney (other than the strong TLM rejection); are really into Marvel as well as a market. I know the parks are a bit crowded in that region, but in terms of their own outbound travel China isn't really thing and Japan, while proximal, is not really a country they head to either.

 

[Phroobar]

Maybe in the interest of world peace Disney could build in South Korea. That will keep North Korea from wanting to nuke the place.

 

[celluloid]

Barbie was also animated movies.

So, Barbie is the thing this board hates the most: A live-action remake!!!

Well it is a different studio entirely. Barbie animated series of films were typically Universal.

The new movie is WB.

So under this logic.

Bob Iger still approves of Tar Baby and Brer Rabbit stories of Uncle Remus that exist!

As far as Elemental goes.

It just goes to show you that when all other movies suck, including your others, you can market it out the whazoo and nearly break even on the deal.

Those legs it had unfortunately end now with Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem being another option for families to purchase tickets for.

 

[TP2000]

Here you are

So Lightyear lost them $106 Million after Disney paid itself $95 Million to put Lightyear on Disney+???

That seems to get at the core of the problem I see. Disney loses money on the film at the box office, then takes monthly subscription revenue from Disney+ subscribers to pay itself from one company division to another to lessen the net loss on the film that lost money at the box office.

Which is likely a big reason why Disney+ keeps losing a Billion or more dollars every fiscal year, because it uses subscriber revenues to pay off failing movie divisions in the same company. That's just not sustainable, in my opinion. And it still means the movie didn't earn a profit at the box office.

 

[Tha Realest]

So Lightyear lost them $106 Million after Disney paid itself $95 Million to put Lightyear on Disney+???

That seems to get at the core of the problem I see. Disney loses money on the film at the box office, then takes monthly subscription revenue from Disney+ subscribers to pay itself from one company division to another to lessen the net loss on the film that lost money at the box office.

Which is likely a big reason why Disney+ keeps losing a Billion or more dollars every fiscal year, because it uses subscriber revenues to pay off failing movie divisions in the same company. That's just not sustainable, in my opinion. And it still means the movie didn't earn a profit at the box office.

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I’m not sure where $60M in “home entertainment” comes from, unless it was miraculously pulling in a bunch of digital sales in the week or two it was on those platforms before being shuttled off to D+

 

[DKampy]

I’m not sure where $60M in “home entertainment” comes from, unless it was miraculously pulling in a bunch of digital sales in the week or two it was on those platforms before being shuttled off to D+

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Not everybody has Disney Plus…. My brother does not and rented Lightyear… plus I am not sure but I am guessing it may have been available to rent before that at 19.99 while it was still in theaters

 

[Phroobar]

Not everybody has Disney Plus…. My brother does not and rented Lightyear… plus I am not sure but I am guessing it may have been available to rent before that at 19.99 while it was still in theaters

Well that accounts for $4.99.

 

[Tha Realest]

Not everybody has Disney Plus…. My brother does not and rented Lightyear… plus I am not sure but I am guessing it may have been available to rent before that at 19.99 while it was still in theaters

A comparative juggernaut like Encanto (2021) made about $12.3M in home video sales. Its most comparable film is Moana, and it did $146M. The home physical market has dried up. It’s unclear how many people are “buying” it digitally, but it’s unlikely it makes up that difference.

 

[DKampy]

A comparative juggernaut like Encanto (2021) made about $12.3M in home video sales. Its most comparable film is Moana, and it did $146M. The home physical market has dried up. It’s unclear how many people are “buying” it digitally, but it’s unlikely it makes up that difference.

I do know a few people who have not gone back to theaters since the pandemic… and have preferred renting PVOD at $20 as soon as it’s available… I think the number might be larger than you think

 

[Phroobar]

I do know a few people who have not gone back to theaters since the pandemic… and have preferred renting PVOD at $20 as soon as it’s available… I think the number might be larger than you think

I agree. Many people today have better equipment than is available in theater so it makes sense to do PVOD or at least wait for Redbox. My home theater system is definitely better than our movie theater. When I saw Haunted Mansion in the theater, there was a treble echo in the front speakers. It is like they were out of sync. That would neve happen at home. At home I don't have listen to people talk the entire movie. The people next to next while I watched TMNT had brought a three year old to a 9pm showing. That kid was tired and cranky the entire time. I guess the parents really wanted to see the movie since they ignored the kid the entire time.

 

[wtyy21]

Elemental received very positive WOM from the Japanese audiences.

 

[TP2000]

I do know a few people who have not gone back to theaters since the pandemic…

Is it that crazy lady I see occasionally at Trader Joe's? The one pushing her cart around still wearing the N-95 mask covered by the useless cloth mask and the cheap plastic gloves she fished out of a box of Clairol ColorSilk hair dye?

Because if that's who you are referring to, I'm pretty sure the Hollywood film industry doesn't miss her that much.