'Strange World' Disney's 2022 Animated Film

[mary2013]

That’s the danger of this strategy, if releasing movies quickly on D+ is driving subs it would likely do the opposite and drive away subs if they ended the practice.

Your second and third paragraph described us, and probably millions of other families, to a tee.



I can’t see the long term strategy either, 200 million subs at $10 a month is $24 billion a year, a boatload of money but when you factor in Chapeks statement about spending $30 billion a year on D+ content and then factor in losing a few billion a year in theatrical sales, a few billion a year in video sales, etc its a massive loser.

The income is there, it’s the spending that makes no sense. If it’s necessary to spend like drunken sailors to get subscribers it would seem just as likely you’d have to keep spending like drunken sailors to keep them.

I thought the $30 billion was for content across ALL media, not just D+. This would include movies, other streamers, broadcast and cable TV. Or did I get that wrong?

 

[Disney Irish]

I thought the $30 billion was for content across ALL media, not just D+. This would include movies, other streamers, broadcast and cable TV. Or did I get that wrong?

Yes that is correct, it was across all its businesses including linear TV and sports. However the increase of $8B over prior years was due to a push for content for streaming.

 

[doctornick]

I can’t see the long term strategy either, 200 million subs at $10 a month is $24 billion a year, a boatload of money but when you factor in Chapeks statement about spending $30 billion a year on D+ content and then factor in losing a few billion a year in theatrical sales, a few billion a year in video sales, etc its a massive loser.

The income is there, it’s the spending that makes no sense. If it’s necessary to spend like drunken sailors to get subscribers it would seem just as likely you’d have to keep spending like drunken sailors to keep them.

Personally, I have always thought that the monthly cost of subscription services being so "cheap" and staying there seems naive. I don't think any could really be profitable long term at that cost. I expect that the endgame in today's dollars of subs is more like $25 a month with an ad tier around $15 a month. The low prices right now are just to build up subscribers and (try to) get them hooked on the service. The higher prices will seem more acceptable once pretty much all the services go into the same range and some services shut down or merge.

And then that combined with longer term contracts (not monthly) to lessen churn and it is a business model that can work. But, yeah, you probably need to spend a ton on content to have both good enough and sufficient contact to keep people interested consistently.

 

[RobWDW1971]

But now I think that the gay character (in a children's movie, remember) had a decent chunk of the blame here as to why audiences were staying away. Yes, the marketing still was awful. But why didn't Burbank market it after they spent $180 Million on it? According to this thread , American parents were reportedly talking about Ethan Clade on Facebook and parenting Social Media outlets and the news about Ethan was spreading,

Yes, this is a truly bizarre situation as people act as if it takes an archeological dig to find the conversations that are openly happening in the marketplace around the film. Just click on the Rotten Tomatoes All Audience (click on Tomatometer score to toggle to "All") and scan the comments for Minions:Rise of Gru (87% All Audience Score) and Strange World (40% All Audience Score). The comments are similar in "Verified" (those that have registered to show they bought their ticket through certain chains/sites), but "All" gives you more of sense of the broader conversation happening on review sites, Twitter, Facebook, etc.

Minions: The Rise of Gru | Rotten Tomatoes

In the heart of the 1970s, amid a flurry of feathered hair and flared jeans, Gru (Oscar® nominee Steve Carell) is growing up in the suburbs. A fanboy of a supervillain supergroup known as the Vicious 6, Gru hatches a plan to become evil enough to join them. Luckily, he gets some mayhem-making...

www.rottentomatoes.com

Strange World | Rotten Tomatoes

Walt Disney Animation Studios' original action-packed adventure "Strange World" introduces a legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land alongside a motley crew that includes a mischievous blob, a three-legged dog and a slew of ravenous...

www.rottentomatoes.com

Just scan a few hundred of the messages in each forum and while Minions is nothing but comments about the cute minions, colors, action, etc., on Strange World the gay character, strong environmental message, etc. are mentioned repeatedly (both pro and con opinions).

You could argue those are "review bombers" with an agenda, but it doesn't change the fact that those are the comments that are being seen by the moviegoing public and topics being discussed in the real world. Of course, nobody, even Disney, could say exactly what impact those conversations are having on the box office, but to pretend the conversations are not happening and it isn't having any impact is just disconnected happy talk.

BTW, this is what Disney Theatrical Marketing's social media group does all day, which is to capture the conversations online and package and report up to management what is being said before/after a film opens. It is a critical part of their process so although on this site we are pretending these conversations aren't happening, I can assure you Disney management is getting very detailed reports on these conversations and brand impact studies, which I would have to imagine would be quite concerning.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Personally, I have always thought that the monthly cost of subscription services being so "cheap" and staying there seems naive. I don't think any could really be profitable long term at that cost. I expect that the endgame in today's dollars of subs is more like $25 a month with an ad tier around $15 a month. The low prices right now are just to build up subscribers and (try to) get them hooked on the service. The higher prices will seem more acceptable once pretty much all the services go into the same range and some services shut down or merge.

And then that combined with longer term contracts (not monthly) to lessen churn and it is a business model that can work. But, yeah, you probably need to spend a ton on content to have both good enough and sufficient contact to keep people interested consistently.

I’m sure prices will continue to rise but those seem a bit steep. We’re huge Disney fans (with a lot of disposable income) and I don’t think we could justify $25 a month, not when we’re already paying for Netflix, Amazon prime, and cable, I think $20 would be our cap (with Hulu and ESPN), after that I think they’d hit diminishing returns.

 

[LittleBuford]

Of course, nobody, even Disney, could say exactly what impact those conversations are having on the box office, but to pretend the conversations are not happening and it isn't having any impact is just disconnected happy talk.

No-one is pretending those conversations aren’t happening. The question is whether they’re widespread and influential enough to have caused the film to flop. To read some of the posts here, you’d think the whole world was abuzz with contentious Strange World chatter, when the truth is that relatively few people are aware of the film’s existence, much less of the supposed controversy surrounding it.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Just scan a few hundred of the messages in each forum and while Minions is nothing but comments about the cute minions, colors, action, etc., on Strange World the gay character, strong environmental message, etc. are mentioned repeatedly (both pro and con opinions).

It feels like Disney is in the same situation pro sports were a few years ago, Disney is trying to implement social change but a lot of their audience just wants to forget about the worlds problems and be entertained.

Disney exists primarily on escapism, I suspect they’ll remember that pretty quickly after another flop or two.

Disneys been much more subtle in their message than sports was but it’s still taken the focus off simple entertainment and I think that’s hurting the bottom line.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Some of y’all are just now discovering Jaboukie Young White, and it shows. Anyone who follows him knows his material has been raunchy and for adults since he entered the business, which was at least five years ago. Disney had no problem hiring him, obviously.

 

[erasure fan1]

I expect that the endgame in today's dollars of subs is more like $25 a month with an ad tier around $15 a month.

I know, at least for me anyway, no chance I would ever pay either of those prices. The service is barely worth the $8 that it was. The $11 isn't worth it to me. They go too long between anything substantial. So once this current month is done, so am I. Then I'll just wait until there's a few things fully out then I'll reactivate. Lather rinse repeat. The service isn't sustainable at those prices because Disney can't seem to manage a budget to save its life.

 

[mickEblu]

Disney had no problem hiring him

Which is part of the problem. Disney needs to clean house.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Which is part of the problem. Disney needs to clean house.

It’s not a problem at all. He’s not the face of Disney.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Some of y’all are just now discovering Jaboukie Young White, and it shows. Anyone who follows him knows his material has been raunchy and for adults since he entered the business, which was at least five years ago. Disney had no problem hiring him, obviously.

And quite frankly, no one knew of the movie, let alone Jaboukie and his music. It's such a fringe minority that would be online outraged by it.

It did not move the needle at all in regards to Strange World. Just people picking at straws now.

 

[Californian Elitist]

And quite frankly, no one knew of the movie, let alone Jaboukie and his music. It's such a fringe minority that would be online outraged by it.

It did not move the needle at all in regards to Strange World. Just people picking at straws now.

Exactly. A bunch of pointless digging and likely fake concern, for what? There seems to be no interest in seeing the film, so why do you “care?” Jaboukie’s full-time gig, including whatever music video he’s done recently, is irrelevant.

 

[ILoveWDW4ever]

It did not move the needle at all in regards to Strange World. Just people picking at straws now.

In itself it probably didn’t. I agree.

However, as part of a larger whole, it just reinforces the perception of TWDC in 2022.

Which is the real issue.

 

[Californian Elitist]

In itself it probably didn’t. I agree.

However, as part of a larger whole, it just reinforces the perception of TWDC in 2022.

Which is the real issue.

The perception of, like, maybe a few thousand people. The majority of society doesn’t know, nor do they care.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Exactly. A bunch of pointless digging and likely fake concern, for what? There seems to be no interest in seeing the film, so why do you “care?” Jaboukie’s full-time gig, including whatever music video he’s done recently, is irrelevant.

Anyone remember Miley Cyrus?

So many Disney stars who went a bit wild, while still a Disney star.

 

[_caleb]

It is a critical part of their process so although on this site we are pretending these conversations aren't happening, I can assure you Disney management is getting very detailed reports on these conversations and brand impact studies, which I would have to imagine would be quite concerning.

This post comes across as condescending and ignorant of what's been discussed thus far. Nobody here is "pretending" anything. We've all been following the reviews and the box office reports for Strange World.

I'm glad some here are finally discovering Rotten Tomatoes and who Jaboukie Young-White is, but don't assume none of us know what we're talking about or that our opinions aren't informed.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Anyone remember Miley Cyrus?

So many Disney stars who went a bit wild, while still a Disney star.

I was going to mention her! She was wilding during the latter years of her Hannah Monta days.

 

[doctornick]

I know, at least for me anyway, no chance I would ever pay either of those prices. The service is barely worth the $8 that it was. The $11 isn't worth it to me. They go too long between anything substantial. So once this current month is done, so am I. Then I'll just wait until there's a few things fully out then I'll reactivate. Lather rinse repeat. The service isn't sustainable at those prices because Disney can't seem to manage a budget to save its life.

My point isn't about Disney specifically, but I don't think any streaming service is going to sustainable/profitable at $10-15 a month ads free. The only way these things last is by jumping their month subs into the $20's (in today's dollars). I do think you'll have more services drop off and/or consolidate so people will have fewer options to choose (or keep each month).

There's certainly an argument that Disney could be more efficient with their content spend, but there really is a need for a large outlay for any service to keep up enough "new" and "good" stuff to keep people subscribed consistently.

 

[WorldExplorer]

Anyone remember Miley Cyrus?

So many Disney stars who went a bit wild, while still a Disney star.

Patton Oswalt has a comedy routine where the punchline is him chloroforming kids who dress as Remy on Halloween. To add to the questionable Disney star pile.

(I've never seen a kid actually do that, but I digress.)