Why is Disney trying so hard to dilute its brand?

[Tony Perkis]

I'm sick of the sports movies. There's yet another one coming out soon.

I don't mind the sports movies. I mind the same sports movie. The inspirational "feel good" family film.

I already know the main conflict in McFarland USA, and likely the resolution. I can safely say I'll be skipping it in theaters. Disney has lost out on my money with these films by continuously pumping out the same general product over-and-over.

Call me again when the producers decide to strive for something a bit more ambitious (Miracle being the type of example in this case).

 

[Tony Perkis]

Again, looking over the past 40 or so years, that's not terribly different. They crank out easy live action films that aren't too complex from a storytelling standpoint and hope they make money. The only difference now is that they seem to lose common sense when budgeting some of these more and more often, which is how we got a western that cost a QUARTER OF A BILLION dollars.

I think there's bigger concern regarding $225 million, $300 million, and nearly $400 million production budgets for the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels. When you're pushing an established franchise's budget toward half a billion dollars, then you're more likely to push a franchise starter to that ridiculous $250 million plateau to try to ensure the same sort of scope and "epic-ness" that audiences expect from the company that made Pirates.

 

[Matt_Black]

I think there's bigger concern regarding $225 million, $300 million, and nearly $400 million production budgets for the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels. When you're pushing an established franchise's budget toward half a billion dollars, then you're more likely to push a franchise starter to that ridiculous $250 million plateau to try to ensure the same sort of scope and "epic-ness" that audiences expect from the company that made Pirates.

Again, though, that's not unique to Disney right now. In fact, the whole franchise obsession has become something of an epidemic in Hollywood. Dracula Untold was supposed to be a launching point for a whole bunch of reimagined Universal monsters, and Fox had already announced a sequel to Fantastic Four before the one that's not even out yet began production.

 

[SnarkyMonkey]

I already know the main conflict in McFarland USA, and likely the resolution. I can safely say I'll be skipping it in theaters. Disney has lost out on my money with these films by continuously pumping out the same general product over-and-over.

I'm not saying you are wrong because I really don't know. But how do you know that Disney is losing money on these films? I just can't imagine that to be true. If you put out a low budget movie and you are a major corporation, I can't imagine how you would lose money unless literally no one showed it in their theatre or sold it in their stores. I'm not up on how the movie industry works so I'm trying to educate myself...not be argumentative.

 

[Matt_Black]

I'm not saying you are wrong because I really don't know. But how do you know that Disney is losing money on these films? I just can't imagine that to be true. If you put out a low budget movie and you are a major corporation, I can't imagine how you would lose money unless literally no one showed it in their theatre or sold it in their stores. I'm not up on how the movie industry works so I'm trying to educate myself...not be argumentative.

He didn't say that Disney was losing money, only that they were losing HIS money- as in, he wasn't going to pay to see it.

 

[SnarkyMonkey]

He didn't say that Disney was losing money, only that they were losing HIS money- as in, he wasn't going to pay to see it.

You are so right. Ooops... I obviously read that too quickly. My apologies.

 

[Tony Perkis]

I'm not saying you are wrong because I really don't know. But how do you know that Disney is losing money on these films? I just can't imagine that to be true. If you put out a low budget movie and you are a major corporation, I can't imagine how you would lose money unless literally no one showed it in their theatre or sold it in their stores. I'm not up on how the movie industry works so I'm trying to educate myself...not be argumentative.

I assume they almost all make money. Though I'd be surprised is Glory Road turned much of a profit.

I simply won't pay to see them until they shake up the formula or get better talent behind the camera to make these films.