Spirited News & Observations II -- NGE/Baxter

[WDW1974]

That was Ross' strategy, Horn is promoting a mix of tent poles and smaller movies.

Well, he is trying and hopefully he'll be able to work that strategy.

When I think about the 80s and 90s, I think about Disney putting out a lot of content and most of the films had low to medium budgets, beyond animation, which kept getting pricier the more successful it was.

Right now Disney's 2013 is largely four films:
Oz;
Iron Man 3;
Monsters U;
Lone Ranger;

Now, Thor 2 and Frozen will also come, but they're holiday releases, so they'll figure into 2014 finances. Saving Mr. Banks (the Hanks as Walt in the Mary Poppins saga) is also out at Christmas and is lower budget compared to the tentpoles and sequels.

I may be missing one other film, but can't think of it at this time.

As you can see, though, it is not a varied range of releases and all of those films are incredibly costly to produce and market.

 

[WDW1974]

While its absolutely great for TWDS to have a good opening weekend and hopefully make some money on this film, you have to keep in mind that it could have been fantastic. Instead, they go for heavy marketing and stunning CGI to subplant bad acting and a bad script, which worked for the Transformers franchise.

Just saying that the movie could have been so much better. Critics pan it, audiences love it. Go figure.

At least it wasn't "John Carter" bad.

Well, I never saw John Carter and they gave me no reason to want to (but that is what happens when you prurposely allow a film to tank to play big time studio politics!) ... but this film I at least I have a desire to see.

 

[WDW1974]

WDW1974, I'm assuming you saw the Next Gen story in USA Weekend, the insert that used to be Parade in the sunday paper?

Nope. I'll have to find it online and check it out.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Well, he is trying and hopefully he'll be able to work that strategy.

When I think about the 80s and 90s, I think about Disney putting out a lot of content and most of the films had low to medium budgets, beyond animation, which kept getting pricier the more successful it was.

Right now Disney's 2013 is largely four films:
Oz;
Iron Man 3;
Monsters U;
Lone Ranger;

Now, Thor 2 and Frozen will also come, but they're holiday releases, so they'll figure into 2014 finances. Saving Mr. Banks (the Hanks as Walt in the Mary Poppins saga) is also out at Christmas and is lower budget compared to the tentpoles and sequels.

I may be missing one other film, but can't think of it at this time.

As you can see, though, it is not a varied range of releases and all of those films are incredibly costly to produce and market.

Well they are gambling with some serious money there. Disney is really going "all in" and betting everything that all 4 films will make serious bank. IM3 should kill at the box office, as should MU. TLR looks fantastic but that it really the unknown at the moment.

But the Studio is proverbially screwed if any one of those four fails to do well.

 

[WDW1974]

As I sit here way too late as usual, I'm watching a film Disney put out in 1999 that I never saw:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0128278/

So far it's quite good, not great. But it's exactly the type of film Disney wouldn't touch now.
Indeed, it was released through Touchstone Pictures, which now only exists to release Dreamworks films

 

[WDW1974]

Well they are gambling with some serious money there. Disney is really going "all in" and betting everything that all 4 films will make serious bank. IM3 should kill at the box office, as should MU. TLR looks fantastic but that it really the unknown at the moment.

But the Studio is proverbially screwed if any one of those four fails to do well.

Yep. But from everyone in the business, the biggest chance for a misfire was Oz. That clearly isn't the case now, so Disney should have an excellent year at the BO.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Yep. But from everyone in the business, the biggest chance for a misfire was Oz. That clearly isn't the case now, so Disney should have an excellent year at the BO.

Once again, that should keep the stockholders happy. People flocking to see the movies, parks are packed, ESPN is constantly watched.

So Media Networks should be doing as well as last year, P&R should be up, Studio Entertainment should be up. How's consumer products & interactive doing?

 

[Longhairbear]

Nope. I'll have to find it online and check it out.

My better half, and I have an opinion on it, and want to hear yours.

 

[Magenta Panther]

True, but you are the ONLY nation on earth that has the McRib as a permanent menu item. ... And you have great food beyond fast food too!

As to Oz, the '39 classic, I've likely seen in 39 times, but not because I love it so much as I saw it on TV annually as a child until I was about 22 and I've seen it numerous times since than. A lot of fanbois also seem to love Judy Garland too. It isn't really a great film, but it has been seared into our national consciouness almost like having to take your brats to WDW!

Hmmm...I think "The Wizard of Oz" is part of the national consciousness because it's a great film. *shrug*

 

[articos]

Well, he is trying and hopefully he'll be able to work that strategy.

When I think about the 80s and 90s, I think about Disney putting out a lot of content and most of the films had low to medium budgets, beyond animation, which kept getting pricier the more successful it was.

Right now Disney's 2013 is largely four films:
Oz;
Iron Man 3;
Monsters U;
Lone Ranger;

Now, Thor 2 and Frozen will also come, but they're holiday releases, so they'll figure into 2014 finances. Saving Mr. Banks (the Hanks as Walt in the Mary Poppins saga) is also out at Christmas and is lower budget compared to the tentpoles and sequels.

I may be missing one other film, but can't think of it at this time.

As you can see, though, it is not a varied range of releases and all of those films are incredibly costly to produce and market.

Planes in August. Delivery Man is the Dreamworks/Touchstone release this year, sched'd in October.

 

[alphac2005]

It's a great start when added with the almost $70 million internationally. This film will be quite profitable and there will be a sequel, which may also lead to theme park development (likely anywhere in the world but the World!)

Just adding in when we hear all the babble of the "cost" of a film, it's so much more detailed and not cut and dry as advertised. Take an example of a picture costing $200 million bucks, blah, blah, blah. From script rights to production deals, lots of these costs get clumped in as actual costs of the films, but these expenses many times are actually part of other budgets, yet publicly lumped in as the cost of a film let alone the fact that they can be carried over several fiscal years. You have a production deal with a certain producer for five pictures and they slice the contract in fifths and attach the cost to each picture. In reality, they're paying the premium for whomever it is as cost of doing business and their services. Ugh. I'm going to get going on a rant. I'm stopping.

 

[George]

WDW1974, I'm assuming you saw the Next Gen story in USA Weekend, the insert that used to be Parade in the sunday paper?

That was right up there with the stockholder meeting for enterntainment. I loved the fact that the enitrety of the FLE expansion was presented as the new Dumbo play area and the kid described NextGen as simply as this - "Let me talk a little about the NextGen idea. That means Disney is trying to come up with ways to take the fun to a whole new level.". Then, the mom spends half of our allotted space talking about different tactics to wear swim suits to the parks. I also loved this from the kid, "We went over to the Toy Story Mania ride at Hollywood Studios, and the line was humongous. Even with a fast pass, the signs said you should come back at 7 that night. We got there at noon. That’s seven hours you’d have to wait! The Imagineers I talked to said they want to build more play areas, but it takes time and there is not enough space to do it for every ride."

Here is the link to the online article - "http://www.usaweekend.com/article/2...es-digital?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage"

It also includes a video that didn't work in my newspaper insert. Perhaps, it is a clue to the declining popularity of newspapers. :lookaroun

 

[WDWFanDave]

I'm not sure if anyone has posted this yet, but the picture of Tony was put up in the BTMRR queue, and it's already been destroyed. Saw pics of it on Twitter, under the handle of Schmoofy. Disgusting, period. I'll try to figure out how to post a link, but if you can get on Twitter, go check the pics out. UGH.

 

[Pentacat]

I'm not sure if anyone has posted this yet, but the picture of Tony was put up in the BTMRR queue, and it's already been destroyed. Saw pics of it on Twitter, under the handle of Schmoofy. Disgusting, period. I'll try to figure out how to post a link, but if you can get on Twitter, go check the pics out. UGH.

Why would they not cover that with glass? Yeah it's sad that people are doing that but it's just bad design to leave something so delicate like canvas unprotected.

Links to the pics: https://twitter.com/Schmoofy/status/310919414566486018/photo/1
https://twitter.com/Schmoofy/status/310919506421743616/photo/1

 

[Darth Sidious]

Once again, that should keep the stockholders happy. People flocking to see the movies, parks are packed, ESPN is constantly watched.

So Media Networks should be doing as well as last year, P&R should be up, Studio Entertainment should be up. How's consumer products & interactive doing?

Interactive should be up, I've heard some good things and if you look at the success of things like Epic Mickey 2 it should be a good year. They also house LucasArts in Interactive now which is pretty successful. Without following it too closely it also looks good for Interactive.

 

[sshindel]

Why would they not cover that with glass? Yeah it's sad that people are doing that but it's just bad design to leave something so delicate like canvas unprotected.

Links to the pics: https://twitter.com/Schmoofy/status/310919414566486018/photo/1
https://twitter.com/Schmoofy/status/310919506421743616/photo/1

See, this is why we're not allowed to have nice things!

I can't imagine why something this this was not up and out of reach to the point that it would be highly obvious that someone was vandalizing it.

 

[Witchy Chick]

Why would they not cover that with glass? Yeah it's sad that people are doing that but it's just bad design to leave something so delicate like canvas unprotected.

Links to the pics: https://twitter.com/Schmoofy/status/310919414566486018/photo/1
https://twitter.com/Schmoofy/status/310919506421743616/photo/1

Good Lord, people just $uck.

 

[flynnibus]

I feel like they left it out like this TO be defaced..

 

[WDWFanDave]

I feel like they left it out like this TO be defaced..

Very disappointing that something that could have been a really nice, longstanding tribute, was left in harm's way (or so it appears).

Perhaps the thing that weighs on me the most...if I'd been there, and seen that happening, I think I would have been screaming at the person (and perhaps videotaping with my iPhone for proof to get them ejected). Where are the people that care? And, not just for the first one to do it...but for every subsequent IDIOT that had to participate as well? Makes me sick to even think about it.

Why pay so much money to go to a place just to S**T all over it?

 

[Cliff Racer]

Interactive should be up, I've heard some good things and if you look at the success of things like Epic Mickey 2 it should be a good year.

Ahh yes, Epic Mickey 2, the game so successful the studio that made it got closed down. The game did not perform well, I'll just let wikipedia sum it up though the quote below leaves out the terrible reviews the game recieved, opting to call them "moderate success," instead.

"In a recent interview, Warren Spector stated that he was 'in doubt' about the future of the series. Despite heavy advertising and moderate critical success, the game barely sold a quarter of the copies the original did, making it a commercial bomb. (its sales were scoped at around 2 million) despite being available on multiple platforms. Following these financial losses, Disney made an official statement on January 29, 2013 that Junction Point Studios was to be closed in order to direct resources to other projects."