Can Disney return to its former glory?
That was the biggest question in the air last weekend as fans gathered in Anaheim for the studio's annual D23 showcase. The studio has suffered in recent years thanks its penchant for inserting leftist propaganda in its films and TV shows, especially those geared toward kids.
While it's heartening to see familiar favorites among the sequels and remakes, Disney needs to show that this return to form is more than skin-deep.
If rumors that the recent company-wide layoffs are just the beginning prove true, the Mouse House may have finally decided to wake up from its woke trance once and for all.
At the very least, the slate of exciting new projects Disney unveiled for fans offers some much-needed hope.
Some of the most talked-about include:
While a fifth installment of the beloved series hasn't been at the top of anyone's wish list, 2019's "Toy Story 4" proved that audiences still aren't ready to consign these old faves to the attic. While the last movie ended with Woody riding off into the sunset to start a new life with Bo Peep, this film reunites him with Buzz and the gang just in time to face their biggest rival for their kid's affection yet: electronics. Can they stop a 50-strong army commemorative Buzz Lightyear toys stuck in play mode? Here's hoping Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton can deliver another near-perfect "Toy Story."
The sequel to the 2016 hit animated film was only announced in February of THIS YEAR, and rumors suggest the studio is working overtime to turn this former Disney+ show into a theater-ready feature. It sounds rushed, but "Moana 2" starring Auliʻi Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson allayed any fears about corner-cutting with an epic new trailer that did a lot to show just how big this film is going to be. Joining the original duo are a new crew, a little sister, and a threat it will take all of them to defeat.
Yes, "Star Wars" is a dead brand fighting for relevance with its own fanbase. Yes, Kathleen Kennedy continues her streak of indifferent incompetence with the latest D+ series "The Acolyte." And yet, the newly announced show "Skeleton Crew" may just prove that the best days of the franchise aren't nearly as far, far away as we thought. The series features a group of kids who accidentally stowaway on a spaceship and team up with a rogue Jedi (Jude Law) to find their way home. The influence of "The Goonies" and other and 1980s Spielbergian touchstones is readily apparent (maybe too apparent), with some suburban neighborhood settings that seem a little too close to home for this universe. Still, it has an undeniable charm that might be just what the once-great Lucasfilm needs.
Among Marvel's more pedestrian offerings this year, one project really had fans seeing red — as in the costume of a certain beloved, blind, street-level hero. After appearances in "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and "She-Hulk," ol' Hornhead finally gets a full re-entry into the MCU with the new series "Daredevil: Born Again." The show will continue from where the canceled Netflix series left off, welcoming back not just DD but Karen Page, Foggy Nelson, Kingpin, and the Punisher.
The biggest surprise was an expansive look at "Tron: Ares," the long-awaited third installment in the cult classic "Tron" series. Jeff Bridges (reprising the role of Kevin Flynn) took the stage to introduce Jared Leto, Evan Peters, and Greta Lee and show exclusive footage from the film. He also shared the news that Nine Inch Nails will handle music duties, a good sign that we may get a soundtrack every bit as excellent as what Daft Punk composed for 2010's "Tron: Legacy."
Then there was ... this: The perfect encapsulation of every poor choice Disney's made over the last few years. It's that not lead Rachel Zegler doesn't quite have the iconic Snow White look — ok, it is that. But it's also that she seems to have no respect for the character, sneering that her version is "not going to be saved by the prince." Hoping to avoid avoid offending real-life dwarves with retrograde stereotypes like Grumpy, Dopey, and the rest of the seven, the filmmakers made things worse by "casting" garish CGI versions — angering dwarf actors who were hoping for a shot at a part. For a "live-action" movie, this trainwreck-in-the-making sure looks fake.
You may recall CEO Bob Iger narrowly avoided losing a proxy war against Nelson Peltz, who warned he'd take another shot at it should Iger not turn things around. If Iger has proven one thing, it's that he still has a lot to prove. While it's heartening to see familiar favorites among the sequels and remakes, Disney needs to show that this return to form is more than skin-deep. Credit to Iger for blockbusters like "Inside Out 2" and "Deadpool & Wolverine," both big wins for entertainment over sinister political and social agendas. But if he wants to keep the keys to the Kingdom, he best have a lot more of that Disney magic up his sleeve.
Walt Disney Pictures
• "Monster Jam" (film)
• "Avatar 3: Fire and Ash"
• "Percy Jackson & The Olympians" — Season 2
• "Freakier Friday" (Freaky Friday 2)
• "Lilo & Stitch" (live action remake)
• "Snow White" (live action remake)
• "Tron: Ares" (Tron 3)
• "Mufasa: The Lion King"
PIXAR Animation Studios
• "Dream Productions" ("Inside Out" spinoff)
• "Win or Lose" (series)
• "Toy Story 5"
• "Hoppers" (film)
• "Elio" (film)
• "Incredibles 3"
Walt Disney Animation Studios
• "Moana 2"
• "Zootopia 2"
• "Frozen III"
Lucasfilm
• "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" (series)
• "Star Wars: Andor" — Season 2
• "The Mandalorian & Grogu" (film)
Marvel Studios
• "Captain America: Brave New World"
• "The Fantastic Four: First Steps"
• "Ironheart" (series)
• "Daredevil: Born Again" (series)
• "Agatha All Along" (series)
Disney's CEO Bob Iger said on an earnings call that the studio will lean on its existing library of storylines to create more sequels because they are more well-known and easier to market.
During the quarter two earnings calls for 2024, while Iger said the good films are coming, it doesn't seem that Disney is going to change its tune and start delivering new content.
Instead, what was promised was the continued use of Disney intellectual property that seemingly has lost its edge with fans.
"I've — we've been working hard with the studio to reduce output and focus more on quality. That's particularly true with Marvel," Iger told an investor from Morgan Stanley.
The CEO added that he was working on a path for the company to take, but it would certainly include "more Avengers."
"The team is, I think, one that I have tremendous confidence in. And the IP that we're mining, including all the sequels that we're doing is second to none. So I feel really good about what's coming up," Iger later said.
It is that particular "mining" of its own titles that landed the studio over $600 million in losses in 2023 across just four films. An "Indiana Jones" sequel, a "Haunted Mansion" remake, and "The Marvels" were all existing IP that caused catastrophic failures. Disney's "Wish," while original, still lost over $130 million.
"I just think that right now, given the competition in the overall movie marketplace that actually there's a lot of value in the sequels obviously because they're known and it takes less in terms of marketing."
Iger made multiple mentions of specific sequels including the latest iteration of Planet of the Apes, "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes," as examples of just how spectacular its sequels can be.
"IP at the studio, I've talked a lot about this, as you know. I feel great about the slate coming up, including three of the big movies that we have."
Iger then listed "Planet of the Apes," a sequel to 2015's "Inside Out," which performed exceptionally well in the box office, and the latest "Deadpool" movie that includes a crossover with X-Men costar Hugh Jackman.
The Disney boss also made multiple mentions of an "Alien" sequel.
A 7-minute look at \u2018KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES.\u2019\n\n(Via: @Fandango)— (@)
It was later in the call that Iger specifically noted that the studio was going to "lean on sequels," which included animated films like "Toy Story."
He also boasted a sequel to the animated, Pacific island-based "Moana" movie, which featured Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in 2016, and a CGI "Lion King" spinoff called "Mufasa."
Iger blamed the competitive marketplace for the need to dial back to sequels, which he said have more notoriety and are easier to market.
"I just think that right now, given the competition in the overall movie marketplace that actually there's a lot of value in the sequels obviously because they're known and it takes less in terms of marketing."
"In terms of Marvel specifically, it implies there too, we actually have both ... we mentioned 'Deadpool' this summer, which is a sequel and I talked about 'Avengers' and 'Captain America' is coming out in 2025."
ICYMI: See how one lion rose up to greatness despite his beginnings in this trailer for Mufasa: The Lion King.— (@)
Still, the CEO claimed there would be a balance with originals, citing Marvel movie "Thunderbolts," which is set for a 2025 release. He noted that a third "Avatar" movie is in the works and that there may be more room to create yet another "Planet of the Apes" movie "pending the success of the [current] film."
After all that, Iger claimed he wouldn't "necessarily lean into the library" but would continue to "look opportunistically at it."
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger denied that the organization is pushing any particular messaging into its content, claiming it is focused on delivering entertainment first.
Appearing on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street," Iger was asked about woke ideology at the company, with host David Faber claiming that Iger had told him that he would "love to be out of the culture wars."
"Do you think you're succeeding in that?" Faber asked.
"I think the noise has sort of quieted down," Iger replied. "I've been preaching this for a long time at the company, before I left and since I came back, that our number one goal is to entertain."
The CEO added that he didn't think the often-used term "woke" was fully understood by many audience members, and that the company's first priority is to be entertaining.
"The bottom line is that infusing messaging as a sort of number one priority in our films and TV shows is not what we're up to. They need to be entertaining. Where the Disney Company can have a positive impact on the world, fostering acceptance and understanding of people of all different types, great. But generally speaking, we need to be an entertainment-first company."
When asked what ways he has tried to foster such an environment, Iger shared that he has been engaging with executives and creatives at the company to influence a return to their roots, and align priorities.
Iger did mention that the company is trying to reach a "diverse audience" and said certain viewers can sometimes be "turned off by certain things." He added that Disney has to be more sensitive to the interests of a broad audience.
Iger was also asked about Elon Musk "coming after" him "all the time," to which the CEO shrugged off the question.
"I ignore it ... there's no relevance to the Walt Disney Company or to me ... people have been coming after me and the company for years."
The executive was faced with the prospect of another Donald Trump presidency and asked if it would change his approach to "anti-wokeness."
Iger simply stated that the company has seen many presidents over its 100-year history and generally did not give a specific answer to the question.
Iger's interview was a victory lap of sorts after successfully denying investor Nelson Peltz and former Disney CFO Jay Rasulo a pair of seats on their board of directors.
Peltz has openly criticized how Disney has been run and recently asked why their film division would have any black- or female-centric movies.
"Why do I have to have a Marvel that’s all women? Not that I have anything against women, but why do I have to do that? Why can’t I have Marvels that are both? Why do I need an all-black cast?"
Shocking failures of Disney movies have piled up under multiple brands like Marvel and Star Wars. It was even revealed that the latest Indiana Jokes flick lost the company more than $130 million.
Peltz, who owns millions in shares in the company, was looking to de-woke its film division, but Iger still claims he is trying to accomplish that feat.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
The show “Big Mouth,” an animated coming-of-age Netflix sitcom, centers around students as they suffer through the not-so-pleasant forces of puberty.
Sounds pretty funny, right?
And perhaps it is; however, before you go gallivanting off to watch it, be warned that the series is also ridden with trans propaganda.
Dave Rubin plays a short clip from an episode of “Big Mouth,” and let’s just say, it doesn’t even pretend to be subtle.
“I just know I hate you and what you're doing to my body,” a male character yells at a personified Puberty before telling his friends that he was “vibrating at this weird frequency all the time.”
And of course, the solution to combating the inevitable confusing and frustrating process of puberty is — you guessed it — transition.
“But then I found this forum for trans kids and it was like, ‘That’s who I am.”’
“Guys look, anyone can make whatever art they want,” sighs Dave Rubin, but it’s important to understand that the company clearly has an agenda — a woke one.
“It's not just making your kids think that they're racist and you feeling guilty about your whiteness and oppressiveness ... they are also trying to chop your children's genitals off,” he says.
Although “Big Mouth” is geared toward adults, many children might mistakenly watch the cartoon, thinking it’s for kids. Plus, teenagers are likely to be drawn to the show for its crude humor and the fact that it centers around characters their age. Parents should be leery.
To enjoy more honest conversations, free speech, and big ideas with Dave Rubin, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.
By now, many Americans are familiar with leftists’ unhealthy obsession with forcing transgenderism onto adults and children alike. But as it turns out, these delusions about biological sex are also popping up in a galaxy far, far away. In their latest act of left-wing activism, The Walt Disney Company’s “Star Wars” brand is giving fans […]
March was a good month at the box office, where movies like 'Godzilla' and 'Dune: Part Two' upstaged more recent financial failures.
www.theblaze.com
www.theblaze.com
thefederalist.com