Ton Newton - Out

[monothingie]

I expect a future where we see more direct releases with PPV gating and that becomes the expected default distribution. Even sell PPV access without being a subscriber... basically all DTC. Theatres are going to die off as the primary distribution... and eventually the hollywood contracts and business models will adapt.

People have been saying that theaters would become relics of the past since the debut of VHS 45 years ago, then cable, then DVD, then Blue Ray, and now streaming.

Aside from Netflix, which streaming service, which isn't subsidized by its parent (Apple/Amazon/Google), is in a healthy profitable position?

 

[el_super]

Make better movies that have mass appeal.

Like the Jungle Book Remake or the Beauty and the Beast remake?

 

[Drdcm]

I think if they killed Disney plus, more people would go to the theaters to see the movies. My family doesn’t go anymore because we’re content waiting for it to come out on Disney plus. The last time we saw a live in theaters was John Wick 4, so not that long ago, but I used to see pretty much every disney release.

I don’t know the solution, but maybe they should delay movie releases on disney+ for way longer - like years

 

[monothingie]

Like the Jungle Book Remake or the Beauty and the Beast remake?

If the sole reason a live action remake of X was made is because some studio genius said the that previous live action remake was a success, then I think we've found the problem.

Simply repeating the same thing with the expectation of the same result each time is....

 

[flynnibus]

People have been saying that theaters would become relics of the past since the debut of VHS 45 years ago, then cable, then DVD, then Blue Ray, and now streaming.

And guess what... the way consumers act is still changing and theatrical releases are shorter than ever. So is it really nothing happening? Home entertainment systems are cheaper than ever and better. Yes access is not new, but the experience and cost does continue to cut into the gap.

The 40" three tube NTSC rear projection TVs of the 80s and 90s have nothing on the $399 60" 4k TV every home can afford.

Aside from Netflix, which streaming service, which isn't subsidized by its parent (Apple/Amazon/Google), is in a healthy profitable position?

Which is why this isn't just about doing what you are already doing... but what happens when the entire vertical integration of production, distribution, and retailing finally pivots to support a digital DTC model.. and not just try to sell cable TV deals at adhoc monthly rates.

 

[el_super]

I think if they killed Disney plus, more people would go to the theaters to see the movies. My family doesn’t go anymore because we’re content waiting for it to come out on Disney plus.

Me too... but just so it isn't missed, that's a pretty horrible gut-punch if you are movie theater owner.

We've reached a point where home entertainment, with 85" TVs and cheap surround sound, and internet broadband are now a suitable replacement for the theater going experience. Certainly not a complete 1-to-1 comparison, but the pros of staying at home (and waiting) are outweighing the pain of physically going to the theater and whatever pluses the experience can still provide.

This is the dilemma all the studios are facing right now: do you plan for a future where theater visits bounce back and you can eventually resume business as usual, or do you plan for a future where people stop going. If they stop going, how do you extract the maximum amount of value out of the home theater experience?

People have been worried here that the parks are a dumpster fire, but I guarantee you that the WGA strike is what is keeping Iger up at night. Not the price of Genie+ (didn't we all think he was getting rid of that?).

 

[Chi84]

Did they stop going to the movies as soon as you had a cable TV subscription?

Nope.

 

[el_super]

Simply repeating the same thing with the expectation of the same result each time is....

And yet Walt kept making animated movies...

... although I don't think it really worked out well for him either.

 

[drizgirl]

You know Bob is never going to leave on a down note because his ego won't let him. I'll bet you a large pink Sombrero from the Mexican pavilion at Epcot that he's still around past his "2 year" second chance.

I expect some sort of huge maneuver that stirs things up all across the landscape (like selling some segment of the business) and a quick departure while the dust settles.

 

[mkt]

I think if they killed Disney plus, more people would go to the theaters to see the movies

Agree somewhat.

Personally, I think Disney should sell Disney Plus and their stake in Hulu to a third party like Netflix, and sign an agreement to license content exclusively to them.

 

[drizgirl]

It's harder to create a new character for starters. They also like that the established whatever, already has a built-in audience. And yes, there is definitely a lack of creativity across the entire industry. Not just Disney. New, equals risk, and that's a huge turn off for a company like Disney. An established ip/character, even if changed and might get some backlash, is still a safer bet than creating something new.

Hard? Waaaahhh.

Built-in audience? Apparently not enough on this one.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I find it funny that “ideas” for profits for the mighty Disneys future are pay per view and bundling steaming Channels people don’t want with commercials…

Next week, my new book: “WHY 1990 SUCKED” is gonna be released

 

[WorldExplorer]

Personally I think it would have been a better option to just make a movie featuring Halle as a Mermaid but a completely different story, detached from TLM (or have it me TLM adjacent like she’s a cousin or grand daughter or something) rather than have her be Ariel.

I vote they should've made another animated mermaid movie. It'll look better. Don't really care what race they pick. Mermaids are big right now and I don't see why we can have thirteen official princesses but there can only be one mermaid. Just find a plot that keeps her underwater or mix in some other mythical creatures so no one claims it's a retread.

None of the big studios have really done an underwater society yet (Shark Tale doesn't count) and I would be very interested in seeing one.

 

[drizgirl]

If fewer people are spending money to see movies in theaters, and production costs are skyrocketing, what's the answer?

Make fewer movies? Make cheaper movies?
Raise the prices on Disney+?

This isn't just a Disney issue. Streaming has devalued movies significantly across the board. If you had told me a few years ago that a live action remake of the Little Mermaid would be on par with a Marvel Releases, I wouldn't have questioned its success.

Make better movies.

 

[flynnibus]

Nope.

Ergo... the change is something more than " they won’t take their kids to the theater to see any movie that will eventually show up on a service they’re already paying for."

People keep saying that, but that's nothing new. Is because people think they already already paying for Disney product? Is it the time-frame? Is it the diminished opinion of what the theatre experience is? Cost? Or delta vs what they get at home just not being significant enough?

I think the issues are far more difficult than people thinking the movie is coming out on D+ anyway. The absurdity of prices really acts as a deterrent and hurts customer sentiment too.

I think the amount of content you get on youtube/etc is part of the issue too. Just think back to how much of a film you could know about/see from a film in the 90s before you went and saw it... vs what someone does now..

If someone went and told you 'John Wick 4 has the most incredible scene... you gotta see it' - in the day that would be anticipation and maybe help tilt you to go see the film. Now, you can google it and get all the details or even see it.... It really cuts into the anticipation and push to go out and see a film 'now'.

 

[Indy_UK]

Agree somewhat.

Personally, I think Disney should sell Disney Plus and their stake in Hulu to a third party like Netflix, and sign an agreement to license content exclusively to them.

Way too far along now to do that

 

[el_super]

Personally, I think Disney should sell Disney Plus and their stake in Hulu to a third party like Netflix, and sign an agreement to license content exclusively to them.

I was going to suggest this earlier and ended up deleting it. I wanted to suggest that Netflix found a way to pay licensing fees to Disney for movies, and still make money, but to be honest I don't know if Netflix WAS making money back then. It feels like it was a long time ago.

Netflix started moving into building their own original programming about the time that Disney started talking about going into streaming. The writing was already on the wall back then.

 

[Indy_UK]

Make better movies.

For a lot less money

 

[el_super]

Make better movies.

Seriously I keep asking this and ... still no real answer? In what way do you make better movies?

Right now, from looking at the reviews and the numbers, the only thing that would have made The Little Mermaid a better movie, was if it were 100 million cheaper.

So is the answer to just make cheaper movies?

 

[GhostHost1000]

Seriously I keep asking this and ... still no real answer? In what way do you make better movies?

Right now, from looking at the reviews and the numbers, the only thing that would have made The Little Mermaid a better movie, was if it were 100 million cheaper.

So is the answer to just make cheaper movies?

A mermaid that looked the same as the original therefore less marketing push budget needed. That would have been a good start for better chance at profitability because the story and original mermaid fandom was already there and liked