Is Disney contractually obligated to keep the Narnia attraction?

[Ignohippo]

Also the budget so far is $140 billion but that does not include the expenses for promoting the movie, disney spent $175 million on prince casp.

I think you meant $140 Million!

Yeah, Tron has the Tronorail which is cool. Given that they did that so early, I would've expected more. You're right zero presence was inaccurate – almost zero presence would be closer.

Seriously? They can't even put out a lightcycle and do a meet and greet for a couple of the main characters? Lame.

Early reviews on Tron aren't very good. Maybe TDO saw that this film could flop and cancelled any plans to promote it in the parks? I still expect it to do well enough to greenlight #3. Hopefully, any shortcomings in the script of 2 will be ironed out in 3 and save the franchise. With its intense hype though, I would've expected TDO to to SOMETHING to take advantage of it (but hey, they can't even get Phineas and Ferb walkaround characters in the parks until 2011 (probably because they're not in the 2010 budget - let's not work to get something pushed through the chain that's actually current in the park after all), so nothing surprises me at this point).

 

[WDWFigment]

Early reviews on Tron aren't very good. Maybe TDO saw that this film could flop and cancelled any plans to promote it in the parks? I still expect it to do well enough to greenlight #3. Hopefully, any shortcomings in the script of 2 will be ironed out in 3 and save the franchise. With its intense hype though, I would've expected TDO to to SOMETHING to take advantage of it (but hey, they can't even get Phineas and Ferb walkaround characters in the parks until 2011 (probably because they're not in the 2010 budget - let's not work to get something pushed through the chain that's actually current in the park after all), so nothing surprises me at this point).

I would think the opposite is the case. Disney would want to overcompensate for poor quality of the film by promoting it heavily.

Back when the Tronorail and other efforts to promote Tron were first announced, I figured it was because Disney felt it had a flop on its hands and wanted to create a buzz around the film. Since then, I have to say I'm really surprised Disney hasn't done much else (in WDW, at least) to promote the film. elecTRONica is seen by the same locals over and over; a Tron 'promo' attraction at WDW would've had much more value, as it would be seen by (largely) different guests each week.

Even with good reviews, I still think the film would have ended up being a box office disappointment. Tron seems too niche to me to draw a huge mainstream audience. (Others have compared it to Avatar--I think Avatar is a different 'type' of film.) I guess we'll soon see, once the first weekend's numbers are in!

 

[lebeau]

Even with good reviews, I still think the film would have ended up being a box office disappointment. Tron seems too niche to me to draw a huge mainstream audience. (Others have compared it to Avatar--I think Avatar is a different 'type' of film.) I guess we'll soon see, once the first weekend's numbers are in!

Agreed.

The Avatar comparissons really astound me. Really? :shrug:

I know they are both CG-heavy sci-fi fantasies in 3-D. But that is where the similarities end. Avatar was the first feature film from the director of the biggest box office movie in history and broke new ground in 3-D and motion capture. Tron is the sequel to a nearly 30-year old box office disappointment with a cult following which is riding the wave of a year's worth of CG-filled 3-D sci-fi fantasies.

Tron will have to be loved by audiences to have anywhere near the success of Avatar. I'm not a gambling man, but I'll bet against that.

 

[rct247]

I heard a rumor that Tinkerbell may get her meet and greet inside Narnia and Narnia would vanish completely at the Studios.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Speaking as someone who's read the Narnia books, I don't think ANY of the movies have successfully captured C.S. Lewis' fantasy world. To any casual movie viewer, they undoubtedly looked like a kids' version of The Lord Of The Rings. Which is not what the books were like. And I really don't like the way the films looked. Sometimes I think this CG craze, where every fantasy has to be live-action and the magical creatures rendered in pixels, is unfortunate. Seldom are the creatures fully convincing, and the backdrops aren't otherwordly enough (they all look like New Zealand, for some weird reason :animwink. Maybe the movies should have been done in full animation, either CG or 2D. Couldn't have looked worse. And Narnia in the movies seems very unmagical. Moments that should have been thrilling, like when Lucy first entered the wardrobe and stumbled into Narnia, were poorly executed. If only the people who made that wonderful Disney Parks commercial had been in charge of the Narnia films:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCwRMrZ6Wcc&feature=related

That commercial is the most magical-looking bit of film I've seen in quite some time. Makes me tear up and gives me the chills. Why can't movies be like that?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Youd think that given its so easy to make attractions based on popular franchises Disney would be maximising this. Im sure theres an angle for an attraction aimed at tweens in there somewhere

 

[GrumpyFan]

I hate to say it, but stuff like this is exactly why Universal saw a 36% increase in attendance last quarter and WDW dropped. Disney needs to get their head out of their you know what, let loose the purse strings and allow the Imagineers to do their magic. It would have cost them very little to put in a Tangled or Tron, or even Sorcerer's Apprentice or Prince of Persia overlay on this attraction. Anything would have been better than letting a 2 year old movie promo gather dust. It just looks bad. If nothing else, they should just close it.

 

[flavious27]

I hate to say it, but stuff like this is exactly why Universal saw a 36% increase in attendance last quarter and WDW dropped. Disney needs to get their head out of their you know what, let loose the purse strings and allow the Imagineers to do their magic. It would have cost them very little to put in a Tangled or Tron, or even Sorcerer's Apprentice or Prince of Persia overlay on this attraction. Anything would have been better than letting a 2 year old movie promo gather dust. It just looks bad. If nothing else, they should just close it.

I agree, though did anyone see if the contract is out there showing how long disney has to have this attraction?

 

[GrumpyFan]

I agree, though did anyone see if the contract is out there showing how long disney has to have this attraction?

Somehow I don't think it's a contractual issue. I would guess that at least part of the initial funding to build and open this attraction came from the film's marketing and promotion budget, which I believe came from Disney's pocket book. After it was built it should have transferred to the park operations budget. And since they built it, and now own it, they can keep it open as long they choose. I think it's just them being cheap and not wanting to spend any money on something else right now. Basically, it boils down to no budget for anything new right now probably due to Star Tours 2 and FLE.

 

[unkadug]

I agree, though did anyone see if the contract is out there showing how long disney has to have this attraction?

There is no contract. Disney owned the production, they had nobody to contract to except themselves...and that doesn't work very well.

 

[flavious27]

There is no contract. Disney owned the production, they had nobody to contract to except themselves...and that doesn't work very well.

what about walden, don't they control the rights?

 

[funkycold]

what about walden, don't they control the rights?

it has nothing to do with contracts.

 

[slappy magoo]

There is no contract. Disney owned the production, they had nobody to contract to except themselves...and that doesn't work very well.

The Narnia movies - the franchise - are really controlled by Walden Media. Disney (Buena Vista) partnered with Walden to produce the first two movies in exchange for merchandising rights. When Disney passed on Dawn Treader, Fox stepped up to the plate because, while domestic box office for Caspian was somewhat lackluster, it made decent scratch overseas (over 415 million worldwide). Walden Media movies are often adaptations of books that Walden Media publishes and towards which they have (some) control over the rights, as well as documentaries/educational movies.

So basically, Disney did not own the Narnia movies. Walden intended to make Narnia movies and were looking for a distribution partner. But Disney not exactly known for just giving away money and ceding creative control, they would have just used the "power of the purse" to influence production.

Going back to the original question, I've no idea if Disney is contractually obligated to keep Caspian around in DHS, though it would certainly explain why it's still there. Considering how long they kept the watered-down useless Art of Disney Animation exhibit going on (of course, Eddie Murphy is extremely well known for voicing the mischievous dragon from Mulan, ixnay on the entioningmay of rek-Shray), I'd say this was probably just low on the list of priorities for Disney bean counters as TSM and the Idol Experience were getting set up. But now that they're in place, this short sightedness, combined with the fresher literary-based theme park competition up the road, really looks shoddy. Here's hoping it is a contractual thing, and not just ______-poor planning.

 

[Next Big Thing]

Amazingly enough, this attraction still gets lines. Granted, many of the people in the lines are the "Toy Story is how long of a wait !?! Lets go do this thing over here" type, but still.

Honestly, I think that's why it's still open is b/c it's pretty much an overflow attraction. With Star Tours closed and in January BLT, HISTK, Playhouse Disney, etc. all closing, they really can't close it b/c that just lowers capacity even more in an area of the park where they can't afford to lose capacity right now (esp. once BLT and HISTK go down).

 

[unkadug]

The Narnia movies - the franchise - are really controlled by Walden Media. Disney (Buena Vista) partnered with Walden to produce the first two movies in exchange for merchandising rights. When Disney passed on Dawn Treader, Fox stepped up to the plate because, while domestic box office for Caspian was somewhat lackluster, it made decent scratch overseas (over 415 million worldwide). Walden Media movies are often adaptations of books that Walden Media publishes and towards which they have (some) control over the rights, as well as documentaries/educational movies.

So basically, Disney did not own the Narnia movies. Walden intended to make Narnia movies and were looking for a distribution partner. But Disney not exactly known for just giving away money and ceding creative control, they would have just used the "power of the purse" to influence production.

Going back to the original question, I've no idea if Disney is contractually obligated to keep Caspian around in DHS, though it would certainly explain why it's still there. Considering how long they kept the watered-down useless Art of Disney Animation exhibit going on (of course, Eddie Murphy is extremely well known for voicing the mischievous dragon from Mulan, ixnay on the entioningmay of rek-Shray), I'd say this was probably just low on the list of priorities for Disney bean counters as TSM and the Idol Experience were getting set up. But now that they're in place, this short sightedness, combined with the fresher literary-based theme park competition up the road, really looks shoddy.

Thanks for the input. However if Disney controls merchandising, wouldn't that include theme park usage also? :shrug: It's seems to me that it would as that ties directly into product sales.

Here's hoping it is a contractual thing, and not just ______-poor planning.

Unfortunately, it appears to me that this is the latter.

 

[slappy magoo]

Thanks for the input. However if Disney controls merchandising, wouldn't that include theme park usage also? :shrug: It's seems to me that it would as that ties directly into product sales.

If Disney CONTROLLED merchandising, AND it covered theme park usage, then it would stand to reason that they call the shots as to when Prince Caspian hits the road. But I don't really know how much Disney controlled in regards to the first two Narnia movies, or if they were solely distributors who insisted in their negotiations (since the movies were still a big chunk of change) that all merch be labeled as "Walt Disney Pictures Presents The Chronicles of Narnia..."

 

[flavious27]

The Narnia movies - the franchise - are really controlled by Walden Media. Disney (Buena Vista) partnered with Walden to produce the first two movies in exchange for merchandising rights. When Disney passed on Dawn Treader, Fox stepped up to the plate because, while domestic box office for Caspian was somewhat lackluster, it made decent scratch overseas (over 415 million worldwide). Walden Media movies are often adaptations of books that Walden Media publishes and towards which they have (some) control over the rights, as well as documentaries/educational movies.

So basically, Disney did not own the Narnia movies. Walden intended to make Narnia movies and were looking for a distribution partner. But Disney not exactly known for just giving away money and ceding creative control, they would have just used the "power of the purse" to influence production.

Going back to the original question, I've no idea if Disney is contractually obligated to keep Caspian around in DHS, though it would certainly explain why it's still there. Considering how long they kept the watered-down useless Art of Disney Animation exhibit going on (of course, Eddie Murphy is extremely well known for voicing the mischievous dragon from Mulan, ixnay on the entioningmay of rek-Shray), I'd say this was probably just low on the list of priorities for Disney bean counters as TSM and the Idol Experience were getting set up. But now that they're in place, this short sightedness, combined with the fresher literary-based theme park competition up the road, really looks shoddy. Here's hoping it is a contractual thing, and not just ______-poor planning.

they earned 278 outside the us and 141.6 here at home, 419 in total. They got 2/3 outside the us, which isn't that bad, but they spent alot to just promote it (175 million). The production budget was 225, marketing was 175 so they spent 400 million. Now they did make 78 million with dvd releases, but that put the roi at barely over 20%.

As for the Lion, witch, wardrobe, they spent 180 for production, 100 million for marketing, 280 million. They made 745 million for the release and 352.6 in dvd sales. So the ROI for the first movie was 292%.

Fox might break even with this movie, only after DVD sales. The production budget was 155 million, marketing and other expenses will push the total cost to over 200 million. They have made 115 million overall, and might get to 150 million. DVD sales will barely cover the rest of the cost. I think that Fox will drop out, the roi is nil.

 

[flavious27]

If Disney CONTROLLED merchandising, AND it covered theme park usage, then it would stand to reason that they call the shots as to when Prince Caspian hits the road. But I don't really know how much Disney controlled in regards to the first two Narnia movies, or if they were solely distributors who insisted in their negotiations (since the movies were still a big chunk of change) that all merch be labeled as "Walt Disney Pictures Presents The Chronicles of Narnia..."

I haven't been in the parks while the narnia experience was open, is it just tvs showing clips of the movies?