'Lightyear' Coming Summer 2022

[doctornick]

I understand what you’re saying but there have been plenty of movies released in theaters recently that have done great at the box office.

Have there? I mean there have been some and the successes have been dramatic, but they virtually all fall into the same category: Franchise based action movies (Marvel films, Batman, Jurassic World, Top Gun, FatF, Bond). Is there any other movie type that has done well? Serious question.

Animated family films have done poorly since the pandemic started. Lightyear is just one in the line of many and, in fact, had one of the best openings for animated films since 2020. I don't think its a failure for Lightyear or Pixar specifically, just that people aren't going to theaters for that kind of fare.

As I've said earlier in the thread, I'm curious as to how Rise of Gru does, but I wouldn't be surprised if it too underperforms but it will be a good comp for Lightyear. My gut feeling is that people just don't feel like it is "worth it" to go see any animated films in theaters when they can entertain their kids at home with tons of different steaming options that are much more plentiful now than they were pre-2020 when animated films where one of the big box office kings.

I think people on this thread are describing this way too much as a "Disney specific" issue when it is an industry wide one. The next animated film that is a theatrical hit will be the first of the pandemic.

And now they have Disney + shows like Ms. Marvel tanking as well.

What is that based on? Has there been any streaming numbers on it yet?

 

[doctornick]

Sorry, but it’s definitely NOT too early to make a judgement on Lightyear. This was OPENING WEEKEND. Disney should be embarrassed…

Right. An opening weekend that was below expectations but higher than virtually any other animated film released since the pandemic. If Disney should be "embarrassed" then how should Universal feel about Sing 2 (opened to $22.3M) for example?

 

[Prince-1]

Sorry, but it’s definitely NOT too early to make a judgement on Lightyear. This was OPENING WEEKEND. Disney should be embarrassed…

Lol, embarrassed. Hyperbole much.

 

[MisterPenguin]

That's a box office bomb.

You can't bomb at the Box Office if you don't have a wide release, in particular, no release in the U.S.

Your assumption that Disney thought it would bomb and thus is a bomb is the height of fallacious arguments. And a presumption that you have no basis of facts for.

 

[ElvisMickey]

Sorry if little things called facts get in the way of a discussion. I do love your clichéd usage of the phrase “Pixie Duster”. When you can’t make a coherent argument go ahead and call names.

Can’t get more pro Hollywood than Deadline. Just one small example…

‘Lightyear’ Lacks Luster With $86M WW Bow; ‘Jurassic World 3’ Crosses $600M & ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Nears $900M – International Box Office

Disney/Pixar’s Lightyear was no match for dinosaurs or Tom Cruise at the global and international box office this weekend.

deadline.com

 

[Prince-1]

Can’t get more pro Hollywood than Deadline. Just one small example…

‘Lightyear’ Lacks Luster With $86M WW Bow; ‘Jurassic World 3’ Crosses $600M & ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Nears $900M – International Box Office

Disney/Pixar’s Lightyear was no match for dinosaurs or Tom Cruise at the global and international box office this weekend.

deadline.com

No one said it didn’t under perform. Reading comprehension is everyone’s friend.

 

[doctornick]

This performance is definitely subpar and will be disappointing to Disney. I do think terms like "embarrassed" and "bomb" are way overly negative regarding when the performance when $50M opening weekends are (sadly) pretty decent in this day and age. Disney and Pixar don't exist in a vacuum and family films haven't been doing anything. This is a problem for Disney, but it's a problem for every studio that makes such films.

I do agree though that Disney and Pixar needs to get costs under control for these types of films. They can't be spending $200M to make animated films in the current environment since there's not much evidence that people will go to them in any significant numbers.

 

[ElvisMickey]

No one said it didn’t under perform. Reading comprehension is everyone’s friend.

”Underperform” is an UNDERSTATEMENT. When was the last time a Disney PIXAR film finished second to any movie in its opening weekend? Especially something with Toy Story ties? The answer would be never.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Disney can not continue to spend $150 Million to $200 Million to produce movies that they then won't release in theaters

This. i don’t understand why stockholders can’t see that this is not going to work long-term.

 

[TwilightZone]

Another to add onto the "reason it flopped" pile, the marketing. Now I still have cable so I see some commercials for Lightyear, but from what I have heard marketing elsewhere is abysmal, not as outspread as Minions or Jurrasic Park

 

[ElvisMickey]

Have there? I mean there have been some and the successes have been dramatic, but they virtually all fall into the same category: Franchise based action movies (Marvel films, Batman, Jurassic World, Top Gun, FatF, Bond). Is there any other movie type that has done well? Serious question.

Animated family films have done poorly since the pandemic started. Lightyear is just one in the line of many and, in fact, had one of the best openings for animated films since 2020. I don't think its a failure for Lightyear or Pixar specifically, just that people aren't going to theaters for that kind of fare.

As I've said earlier in the thread, I'm curious as to how Rise of Gru does, but I wouldn't be surprised if it too underperforms but it will be a good comp for Lightyear. My gut feeling is that people just don't feel like it is "worth it" to go see any animated films in theaters when they can entertain their kids at home with tons of different steaming options that are much more plentiful now than they were pre-2020 when animated films where one of the big box office kings.

I think people on this thread are describing this way too much as a "Disney specific" issue when it is an industry wide one. The next animated film that is a theatrical hit will be the first of the pandemic.


What is that based on? Has there been any streaming numbers on it yet?

Ms. Marvel's Viewership the Lowest of Any MCU Disney+ Series

Ms. Marvel has been a relative hit amongst critics, but ratings for the series are the lowest amongst any Marvel series on the streaming platform.

www.comingsoon.net

 

[Kirby86]

Typically you need to make back double the budget back theatrically to be at the break even point. At a 200 million spend a 51 million opening weekend is not good. The ramifications of Lightyear under preforming are going to be what gets greenlit at in the future. Disney and other studios subsidize smaller movies with the box office of the "surefire hits" when they don't make the money studios won't greenlight the movies that are less of a guarantee going forward.

 

[Ghost93]

I maintain that training people to expect $150-200 million animated films to be available FOR FREE on Disney Plus was a mistake. Releasing Soul, Luca and Turning Red straight to Disney Plus did a lot to hurt the Pixar brand, making the movies feel less prestigious and more like direct-to-video films.


While mixed reviews, recasting Tim Allen, and a somber tone may have all been factors in Lightyear's box office being disappointing, I do believe the biggest factor in its failure is that Chapek has been conditioning people to wait for Disney Plus to watch animated movies. I love theaters, so I'll always choose to see something on the big screen. But I know a lot of people think, "Why spend $100 bucks for the whole family to go to the movies when I can get the movie for free in about 45 days?"

 

[BuddyThomas]

A few bombs are part of the business, that is true. Not everything can be Frozen or Toy Story.

But when a studio (in this case the flagship Disney/Pixar animation operations) gets in a rut where year after year they release nothing but box office bombs, with only one weak fiscal performer in Encanto, that's just not a sustainable business plan.

Let's also not forget Burbank lost hundreds of millions of dollars on West Side Story just a few months ago.

Disney/Pixar just bombed again, this time most spectacularly in 4,200 theaters, with Lightyear. They desperately need a hit. When does that happen?

Good lord. Calm down. You’re practically giddy about this. Why?

 

[BuddyThomas]

Sorry, but it’s definitely NOT too early to make a judgement on Lightyear. This was OPENING WEEKEND. Disney should be embarrassed…

Why should they be embarrassed? It’s a quality film.

 

[Kirby86]

I maintain that training people to expect $150-200 million animated films to be available FOR FREE on Disney Plus was a mistake. Releasing Soul, Luca and Turning Red straight to Disney Plus did a lot to hurt the Pixar brand, making the movies feel less prestigious and more like direct-to-video films.


While mixed reviews, , recasting Tim Allen, and a somber tone may have all been factors in Lightyear's box office being disappointing, I do believe the biggest factor in its failure is that Chapek has been conditioning people to wait for Disney Plus to watch animated movies. I love theaters, so I'll always choose to see something on the big screen. But I know a lot of people think, "Why spend $100 bucks for the whole family to go to the movies when I can get the movie for free in about 45 days?"

Yeah the fact that the most recent Pixar movies were on Disney plus was probably one if the biggest factors. I too also prefer going to a movie theater if given the option. I can give them a pass for Soul skipping theaters since that was in peak pandemic however Luca and Turning Red being straight to streaming made me question their strategy.

 

[Ghost93]

Why should they be embarrassed? It’s a quality film.

I agree it's a good film and I think history will be kind to it once more people discover it on Disney Plus.

But I also think Lightyear in the new movie feels absolutely nothing like the Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story movies or the animated Buzz Lightyear series, so I feel that's a big factor as to why this movie isn't benefitting from Toy Story nostalgia.

 

[GimpYancIent]

Why should they be embarrassed? It’s a quality film.

Not really.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Not really.

Well, I thought it was very well done.

 

[TP2000]

It is to early to make a judgement on Lightyear but even if it under performs you are ignoring all your other claims about how bad Disney/Pixar is doing.

It's not too early to make a financial judgement on Lightyear's box office performance. It bombed, the numbers will get much worse on Weekend #2, and it's going to cost the Disney company a few hundred million dollars. That's not a good business plan.

Again, we're talking the cold, hard facts of box office financials. Not the film's creative or artistic merits.

Heck, who knows, Lightyear could become a cult classic and 20 years from now play to packed houses of drunk college kids in the Student Union on weekends. Anything's possible!

Sorry, but it’s definitely NOT too early to make a judgement on Lightyear. This was OPENING WEEKEND. Disney should be embarrassed…

Thank you. The box office take of a film's opening weekend is a classic way to tell if the film was financially succesful or not. This was not a succesful film by any stretch.

Sorry if little things called facts get in the way of a discussion. I do love your clichéd usage of the phrase “Pixie Duster”. When you can’t make a coherent argument go ahead and call names.

The facts are that the film made $51 Million domestically and $86 Million globally on its opening weekend. That's abysmal for a film with a $200 Million production budget, opening on a new 3-day holiday weekend in the USA.

Typically you need to make back double the budget back theatrically to be at the break even point. At a 200 million spend a 51 million opening weekend is not good. The ramifications of Lightyear under preforming are going to be what gets greenlit at in the future. Disney and other studios subsidize smaller movies with the box office of the "surefire hits" when they don't make the money studios won't greenlight the movies that are less of a guarantee going forward.

Exactly. This discussion is more than just about Lightyear, it's about the long-term health of Disney's two animation studios in Burbank and Emeryville. This company can't keep spending hundreds of millions of dollars on each animated film and then lose huge money on them. It's not a business plan that can continue like this fiscal year after fiscal year. Something must change; either the movies must change or the business plan must change. Which will it be?