Disney's "Worst Year Ever"

LS Mark

30 Nov 202311:02

Summary

TLDRThe video script discusses the recent challenges faced by Disney, highlighting a string of box office disappointments and internal issues such as strikes by actors and writers over unfair wages. It attributes Disney's struggles to a combination of factors including a lack of innovation, over-reliance on remakes, and poor marketing strategies. The script suggests that these problems have led to a decline in public perception of Disney and questions the effectiveness of their current business model.

Takeaways

📉 Disney's recent box office performance has been notably poor, with several releases failing to meet expectations.
🎬 The company's 100th-anniversary film, 'Wish', has been met with a lukewarm reception, reflecting broader concerns about Disney's creative direction.
🤝 Public sentiment on social media suggests a growing dissatisfaction with Disney's output, ranging from box office bombs to labor disputes.
🚀 Disney has released seven major films this year, but none have achieved the level of success seen in previous years.
💰 The box office results for Disney's recent films have not covered their high production budgets, indicating a financial struggle.
🎥 Disney's reliance on remakes and sequels is highlighted as a potential reason for the decline in audience interest and box office performance.
👥 The 2023 writer and actor strikes have impacted Disney's ability to advertise and promote their films effectively, further contributing to their underperformance.
🥳 Disney's strategy of focusing on a few big-budget releases is risky, as the failure of any single film can lead to significant financial losses.
🌀 The growing 'Disney fatigue' among audiences, due to the company's repetitive and safe content choices, is suggested as a contributing factor to their current struggles.
🤔 The script questions the effectiveness of Disney's marketing strategies, which seem to rely heavily on nostalgia and the brand's historical reputation.
🔄 The cyclical nature of the entertainment industry is mentioned, with the suggestion that Disney may eventually recover from its current downturn.

Q & A

What has contributed to the perception of Disney's decline in recent years?
-Several factors have contributed to the perception of Disney's decline, including box office failures, actor and writer strikes, and a general consensus that the quality of output has diminished. This culminated around the release of 'Wish', an animated feature celebrating Disney's 100th anniversary, which failed to meet expectations.
What was the public's reaction to Disney's handling of their 100th anniversary?
-The public's reaction to Disney's handling of their 100th anniversary, particularly with the release of 'Wish', was largely negative. Many saw it as a symbol of Disney's current struggles and a lack of meaningful celebration.
How has Disney's film strategy been criticized in recent years?
-Disney's film strategy has been criticized for focusing on sequels, remakes, and reboots, offering little in terms of original content or substance. This includes heavily banking on nostalgia, which many feel has led to a decline in the quality and appeal of their movies.
What impact did the actor and writer strikes of 2023 have on Disney?
-The actor and writer strikes of 2023 significantly impacted Disney by preventing actors from promoting films, leading to reduced marketing effectiveness. Additionally, it highlighted issues with fair compensation in the streaming age, affecting Disney's production schedules and public image.
Why did Disney's movies perform poorly at the box office compared to previous years?
-Disney's movies performed poorly at the box office due to a combination of factors including a lack of original content, audience fatigue with sequels and remakes, and ineffective marketing strategies. Additionally, the general public's changing preferences and dissatisfaction with Disney's approach contributed to lower box office results.
How has the concept of 'Disney Fatigue' been explained?
-'Disney Fatigue' refers to the growing tiredness and dissatisfaction among audiences with Disney's reliance on nostalgia, remakes, and sequels instead of offering new and challenging content. This fatigue is a result of Disney's perceived safe and unoriginal film strategy.
What are the three main reasons for Disney's recent struggles as outlined in the script?
-The three main reasons for Disney's recent struggles are poor decisions regarding film selection (e.g., unwanted reboots like Haunted Mansion), the impact of the 2023 actor and writer strikes on marketing and production, and overall 'Disney Fatigue' from consumers tired of repetitive content.
What is the irony in Disney's marketing strategy for the film 'Wish'?
-The irony in Disney's marketing strategy for 'Wish' lies in its attempt to celebrate Disney's legacy and evoke nostalgia at a time when the company's reputation and the quality of its output are being heavily criticized, making the celebration seem hollow and unearned.
How has Disney's approach to remakes been received by the public?
-Disney's approach to remakes has been received with increasing skepticism and disinterest by the public. While some remakes have been successful, the strategy of reimagining classics has led to accusations of laziness and a lack of creativity, contributing to 'Disney Fatigue'.
What does the script suggest about the future of Disney's film division?
-The script suggests that Disney's film division may continue to struggle in the near future, particularly in 2024, due to ongoing issues such as poor decision-making, the aftermath of strikes, and consumer fatigue. It implies that without significant changes, Disney may face further challenges.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Disney's Struggles and the Impact on Their Film Division

This paragraph discusses the recent challenges faced by Disney, particularly in their film division. It highlights the shift from box office successes to a string of poorly received films and the various factors contributing to this downturn. The paragraph mentions the release of their newest animated feature, which has been met with criticism, and the general consensus that Disney's output has declined in quality. It also touches on the financial aspects, with films not performing as expected when compared to their budgets. The speaker suggests that this is the result of a series of poor decisions made over the past few years and predicts that Disney's struggles will continue into 2024.

05:02

🚫 The Effects of Actor and Writer Strikes on Disney's Reputation

The second paragraph delves into the impact of the actor and writer strikes on Disney's operations and public image. It explains that the strikes are a result of unfair wages and a lack of clear rules regarding royalties for content streamed on platforms like Disney+. The paragraph outlines the challenges Disney faces during the strike, such as the inability to use actors for film promotion and the reliance on trailers and posters for marketing. It also discusses the difficult position Disney is in, whether to end the strike and risk appearing weak or to prolong it and face further production delays and higher costs. The paragraph concludes by highlighting the growing fatigue among audiences with Disney's formulaic and nostalgic approach to filmmaking.

10:03

🤔 Reflecting on Disney's Decline and the Future of Their Film Industry

In the final paragraph, the speaker reflects on the broader implications of Disney's current struggles and the potential long-term effects on the film industry. It acknowledges that while Disney may not be going away, their recent missteps and the public's growing dissatisfaction with their content may lead to a period of retrenchment and reevaluation. The paragraph suggests that Disney's focus on big-budget releases and nostalgia may not be sustainable in the face of changing audience preferences and a more discerning approach to spending on entertainment. It ends with a critical view of Disney's handling of the situation, indicating that their attempts to celebrate their legacy with a new film may not resonate well with the audience due to the company's perceived neglect of quality and storytelling.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Disney

Disney is a multinational entertainment and media conglomerate known for its iconic characters, theme parks, and film productions. In the context of the video, Disney is facing criticism for a perceived decline in the quality of its films and business practices, with the release of their 100th anniversary film 'Wish' being highlighted as an example of their current struggles.

💡Box Office

The box office refers to the revenue generated by a movie through ticket sales at theaters. It is a key indicator of a film's commercial success. In the video, the box office performance of Disney's recent films is compared to their budgets, showing that they barely made back their investments and were not considered smash hits.

💡Remake

A remake is a film that is produced again with a new cast and sometimes a modified storyline, based on a previously released film. The video discusses Disney's trend of remaking older successful films from their library, which has been met with mixed results and is seen as a contributing factor to their current struggles.

💡Nostalgia

Nostalgia is a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations. In the context of the video, Disney's reliance on nostalgia is highlighted as a strategy to attract audiences to their films, but it is suggested that this approach may be wearing thin and contributing to audience fatigue.

💡Strikes

Strikes are organized work stoppages by employees to protest working conditions, demand better pay, or fight against公司经营 decisions. The video discusses the impact of actor and writer strikes on Disney, particularly how they have affected the advertising and release of films, as well as the company's relationships with its employees.

💡Advertising

Advertising is a marketing communication used to promote or sell something, usually a business's product or service. In the video, the effectiveness of Disney's advertising strategies is questioned, with the suggestion that they have been either non-existent or desperate, failing to generate the desired excitement for their films.

💡Franchise Fatigue

Franchise fatigue refers to a decline in audience interest in a long-running series of films or other media due to over-saturation or lack of originality. The video argues that Disney is experiencing this fatigue, with audiences growing tired of sequels, remakes, and the company's reliance on familiar brands and nostalgia.

💡CEOs

CEOs, or Chief Executive Officers, are the highest-ranking管理人员 in a company or organization, responsible for making major corporate decisions, managing operations, and resources. The video criticizes Disney's CEOs for their decision-making, suggesting that their focus on profits has led to a decline in the quality of Disney's films and treatment of employees.

💡Streaming

Streaming refers to the delivery of digital media content over the internet, typically through subscription-based services like Disney+. The video discusses the impact of streaming on the film industry and Disney's business model, highlighting the challenges of fairly compensating actors and the shift in consumer preferences towards streaming platforms over traditional theaters.

💡Royalties

Royalties are payments made to the creator or owner of intellectual property for the right to use that property. In the context of the video, the discussion revolves around the lack of clear rules for actors receiving royalties from streaming platforms, which has contributed to the strike and the overall dissatisfaction among content creators.

💡Wish

Wish is mentioned as Disney's 100th anniversary film, which was intended to celebrate the company's legacy but has been criticized for its perceived lack of quality and originality. The video suggests that the film's underperformance is indicative of the broader issues facing Disney.

Highlights

Disney's perceived decline in quality and popularity over the past year.

The release of Disney's newest animated feature, which was meant to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary, has been met with criticism.

Disney has released seven major films this year, but none have been smash hits, with most barely making back their budgets.

The lack of success is attributed to a culmination of past 3-4 years of poor decision-making.

Disney's film division is struggling, with 2024 predicted to be equally bad or worse.

The titles released this year include sequels, remakes, and films from the Renaissance Era, indicating a lack of original content.

Disney's reliance on nostalgia and recognizable titles instead of providing substance has led to audience fatigue.

The 2023 writer and actor strike has impacted Disney's ability to advertise and promote their films effectively.

The strike has led to no actors being able to do press for their upcoming films, which is a significant issue for Disney's marketing strategy.

Disney's strategy of focusing on a few big-budget releases is risky and has led to significant losses when these films underperform.

The company's reputation is at an all-time low, with the public feeling seen as just a dollar sign by Disney.

The movie 'Wish' was released at a time when Disney's reputation was suffering, making its celebration of the company feel hollow and unearned.

The transcript suggests that Disney's issues are not due to a boycott, but rather a result of long-standing problems within the company.

The transcript criticizes Disney's focus on quantity over quality, leading to a string of poorly received films.

The speaker expresses a cynical view of Disney's future, suggesting a cycle of overextension and retrenchment.

The transcript highlights the challenges faced by Disney, including delays, unfair treatment of staff, and a pattern of making unappealing movies.