Audiences are tired of Disney sequels…but apparently, the new-age genre isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Disney CEO Bob Iger has a lot on his plate nowadays. When he decided to step back into the role over a year ago, he unlikely knew what he was stepping into.
In recent years, the company stock has dropped to lows not seen in 10 years, and there seem to be some concerns over park attendance. But perhaps a more significant issue is the list of box office failures.
Disney’s Box Office
The studio has lost over $1 billion in the past year due to its string of flops. Movies released in 2023 such as Elemental, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, The Marvels, Haunted Mansion, Wish and many others have lost money (despite Disney’s spin to the contrary).
Disney’s movies have been criticized for years for lacking creativity. It seems that most films are remakes, live action versions of animated features, or sequels.
This accusation has long been thrown at the Walt Disney Company (and Hollywood as a whole). But considering the poor performance of the past few years, it might be time for the production company to change direction.
In a recent summit hosted by The New York Times, Bob Iger was asked about the studio’s reliance on derivative content. He said, “I don’t want to apologize for making sequels. We have made too many … but we will only greenlight a sequel if we think the story that the creators want to tell is worth telling.”
Iger talked sequels and said the company will now put story first when making those decisions.
“I don’t want to apologize for making sequels. We have made too many … but we will only greenlight a sequel if we think the story that the creators want to tell is worth telling." pic.twitter.com/yXjhyjvTxM
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) November 29, 2023
Iger and others have made similar comments within the Walt Disney Company. However, some are skeptical.
A Sequel And Remake Problem?
Coming down the pipe of Disney movies and TV shows are a series of live-action remakes and sequels. It’s no secret that Disney is releasing Inside Out 2, Deadpool 3, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (another sequel), and Mufasa: The Lion King this year.
Not only that, but Disney also has plans for Captain America 4, Zootopia 2, as well as more sequels to Avatar and plans for a Toy Story 5.
Regarding live-action remakes, there is Snow White (2025), which has already faced much backlash, as well as Moana and rumors of Lilo and Stitch and more.
Although there is nothing inherently wrong with making sequels (or even the occasional remake), there is always a risk of the audience losing interest. Disney has cited fans losing interest or having “fatigue” when it comes to low-performing Star Wars movies and underwhelming returns for the newest MCU films.
And as much as people may love seeing their favorite characters return for new adventures, actual story-telling lies in creating original stories. Its original stories – film or TV – are the future of Disney merchandise, theme park attractions, and toy sales.
As Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, The Marvels, and Lightyear proved…you can’t ride the coattails of popular franchises forever. Eventually, the audience walk away.
