Disney Pixar's Turning Red

[Randall]

Understandable, and I wasn't looking all that forward to this one (and no way am I going to a theatre regardless), but it's still a shame for the company.

[gaastra]

And disney just lost some pixar workers. They were so ticked over luca they ranted on twitter over it attacking disney. Now this. Well dreamworks and others will take them in. Disney ceo Lex luthor strikes again.

[Ben]

Sadly, it’s kind of true!

[ShyViolet]

He does kinda look like Lex Luther, it’s true.

Also, I think guests are now referred to as “customers.” I bet the term “cast member” is on its way out as well. (If it hasn’t already gone. )

[EricJ]

Understandable, and I wasn't looking all that forward to this one (and no way am I going to a theatre regardless), but it's still a shame for the company.

Whether they deserve D+ is relative:
I can believe that Soul might have played theaters, but there is no way I can picture Artemis Fowl playing a cineplex. Luca, maybe, Encanto, mmmmmmaybe, Shang-Chi, no freakin' way. And Mulan didn't even belong in real theaters.

Turning Red?.....(wobbles hand)....Iffy. I reserve judgment until I see the more detailed story, if any.

[Bill1978]

If someone presented me a conspiracy theory that Disney is behind covid to destroy Pixar, at this stage I would be on board. Haha.

[Ben]

Each and all of those films was destined for theatres, and some did play them, either in the US or internationally. But there comes a time when execs see the final result of a movie and, in some cases, it’s clear it may be a little too…let’s say esoteric, and not make back its costs, at which point making a big deal out of putting it on streaming is a better way to sell the movie than going the theatrical route, in this day and age.

Shang Chi and Mulan were clearly made for thr big screen, as were all those films, but when one takes a stand back from them, none of them are clear $1bn hits, or even half a billion dollar movies. They gave Encanto a chance because of its pedigree, it even there one could tell that after the failure of In The Heights it wasn’t seen as such a sure thing, and it’s debatable as to whether knowing it was available for "free" in a month impacted the box office as much as Omicron did.

Certainly Warner Bros has felt the impact of going day and date with streaming all of its 2021 movies last year, with that decision, the virus, and the quality of those movies all playing a part in how they have performed. Yes, people are still staying away from cinemas, but The Matrix should have provided the "backup" choice for those unable to get into Spidey, but rather than be that movie people just stayed home.

I still don’t see how, when things began to open up, Warners didn’t and couldn’t backtrack on that announcement and make a big deal out of "hey, cinemas are open again, our movies are back where they should be seen!" It’s worked rather well for Spidey…

[gaastra]

https://insidethemagic.net/2022/01/disn ... lized-ab1/

Reporter Skyler Shuler posted on Twitter after the decision that many Pixar staff were upset and voiced their concerns about the decision.

People are forgetting some Pixar staff are upset and have voiced their concerns and rightfully so. Look at Raya and Encanto, one received a Premier Access release with a theatrical run, the other a 30-day theatrical run then Disney+. The last 3 Pixar films get neither option.

This reply was in response to Matthew Belloni’s (@MattBelloni) Tweet:

Just talked to a Pixar friend who says Luca and Soul moves to Disney+ have been demoralizing for employees: “Forget theaters, we’re not even good enough for an upcharge?”

Yup here it comes.

[Ben]

Small consolation, but we can pretty much guarantee Lightyear won’t get shafted the same way.

[Randall]

We'll remember you said that.

[EricJ]

The Revenge of Black Widow.

(I can see Disney questioning the popularity of Premium streaming after Mulan got all the bad press, but if talent and producers are going to sue, now, that pretty well made up Disney's mind.)

And getting back to that earlier point, Lightyear would Disney+ written ALL over it, even in a non-pandemic year.

Shang Chi and Mulan were clearly made for thr big screen, as were all those films,

And as they were Chinese...

[Ben]

Small consolation, but we can pretty much guarantee Lightyear won’t get shafted the same way.

Hey! I did say "pretty much"!

This has the premium Toy Story brand behind it, which gives it a big boost in recognition, and is still some months off release yet, when hopefully things will have died down, if even a bit. The only thing that will change things is if they get the movie back and it's not very good, so then a D+ premiere would make more sense. Yes, as a spin-off, this always looked like a D+ prospect, but if cinemas are open again to capacity crowds, I can’t see them not wanting to try and bank on a half billion gross before it ends up streaming a couple of months later. No cast iron guarantee, but that’s how I’m reading it. Toy Story still hasn’t run its course yet.

[gaastra]

Man hope lightyear is not going the same fate.

[Bill1978]

From a Disney marketing and finance point of view I can kinda see their logic with wanting to release animated titles onto the platform especially during the pandemic. Even though it landed at #1 in the box office Encanto really was a non entity with the public conscience but since it's been on D+, the songs and the soundtrack have gone blockbuster. The songs are all over TikTok (which seems to be the best place to promote music these days) and YouTube. Just seen the soundtrack is #1 on the US, We Don't Talk About Bruno is currently on track to be #1 in the UK and other songs are appearing on charts around the world, something that didn't happen when it was in the cinemas. So I understand why Disney is making the decisions they are making, but it does suck that Pixar movies aren't at least given the 30 days in a cinema or Premium Access that Disney animation flicks are given.

[Farerb]

Cover for The Art of Turning Red: