I don't think they're wrong and I also think their rivals are feeling it too. Box office is very strong, for quite a select few. Others struggle, and some films are simply not massive cinema draws when weighed up against what else is out. There is a real all or nothing thing happening in cinema and Disney set a pandemic precedent of having their movies hit the service really, really early. That said, I think the reality is that, when it comes to Disney and Pixar, a big problem is that they churn out movies that kind of feel the same every time and it's not even easy to tell them apart. And their marketing is definitely lacking.
-
-
It feels like Pixar has failed to read the room as things around them have changed, not so much in terms of streaming but in terms of audience wants and want nots.
Sony is successfully expanding the draw of grow ups with the Spider-Verse films and the range of animation styles viewers will go along with, Dreamworks piggybacked that and made a decade long idle film about a cat revive a formant franchise whilst - and I say this fully throwing it out there that I don't hold Illuminations films to that high a regard - the Mario Bros film and Minions have shown there's a very strong thirst for established content over original IP at the moment. I don't think it's unique to Pixar, Disney Animation Studio seems to be on a similar path at the moment with Raya not really making an impact, Strange World being box office Kryptonite and Wish looks to have similar issues.
Pixar seems to be deeper down that hole it seems. The last truly well recieved original film they released was Coco I think, before that you're dialling back nearly a decade and a half to Up. They've been very fed by their sequels which is probably what has kept them safe from Disney for a while. I did enjoy Turning Red but ironically it's one of the least 'Pixar' films they've done. Feels like Pixar doesn't know what direction to go in when it comes to original IP though with their future slate being made up of films such as Inside Out 2 and Toy Story 5, presumably Disney will be combing over their plans when it comes to their next original film.Comment
-
Anecdotally, I can sympathise. I mean even recently, with Fast X - I generally like those movies and I still decided it was "one for when it shows up on Amazon/Netflix".Originally posted by Neon Ignition View PostComment
-
Hollywood actors’ union recommends strike as talks deadline passes | Film industry | The Guardian
Hollywood shutdown loomsComment
-
Complete talks failure meaning that the industry will effectively once again fully shutdown. Many, many films will now not move ahead most likely and be heavily delayed. Expect the imminent ones to be hit first like Tron 3. The packed Summer might quickly turn in the new year to something closer to the pandemic recovery era.
The mid-shoot films likely to be halted include Beetlejuice 2, Deadpool 3, Twisters, Mortal Kombat II, Wicked, Juror No.2 and Gladiator II. TV wise, the second season of House of the Dragon is likely to be benched. If the strikes continue long enough, the box office may come to rely on recently completed productions such as Alien VII and Ghostbusters IVLast edited by Neon Ignition; 13-07-2023, 22:29.Comment
-
This is pretty huge. The industry is it a turning point here.
It’s selfish but I worry about what will get cancelled that I want to see. It’s expensive to pause films and shows and to start them back up again. Already after a certain amount of time, the writer’s strike could have been used as an excuse to cancel commitments when streamers realise they are spending too much money (and they all are). This compounds that. I really hope we see the final season of Cobra Kai.Comment
-
"Deadpool 3," M:I-8 & More Shut Down - Dark Horizons
Venom 3, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part Two, Lilo & Stitch, Deadpool 3, Minecraft and Beetlejuice 2 have shut down indefinitelyComment
-
I think its good that more people are seeing how the most popular show on Netflix with over 100 million streams (Orange is the new black) had main cast members that where having to work second jobs. It shows how upside down this all is, it seems that you get very little money from being a star in a streaming based show and that wages haven't kept pace now that streaming is taking over more traditional forms of entertainment.
I cant see this ending well, as all the studios seem to be doing is what everyone else in every other walk of life is doing which is maximizing profits for executives while completely shafting everyone below them.Last edited by Lebowski; 25-07-2023, 09:20.Comment
-
I can picture it panning out like the last strike, by the time it had settled it saw networks and content makers deep dive into reality TV and low cost/high viewing figure shows so the terms might improve but the numbers of people who will find work afterward on those terms will shrink massivelyComment
-
Being cynical about this specific issue - streaming...Originally posted by Lebowski View Post
I'm not sure the public will get behind them enough, because the core of the problem is that streaming doesn't make enough money per-movie. It's the same problem with Spotify; all the music you want for less than the price of a single CD album per-month. Even some of the really big artists earn comparably little from it, and the bulk of their money comes from endorsements/licensing, merchandise and live tour tickets.
This is the concern; the upshot of this is that streaming TV, as we presently know it, might just not be a viable business model. Netflix is still billions in debt.Originally posted by Neon Ignition View Post
To be absolutely clear, the writers and other staff on movies/TV should strike over this. It's prepostorous that the streaming companies have gotten around paying royalties just because they're a different broadcast medium; when the companies made that decision, years ago, they must have known that was creating a ticking timebomb and sooner or later that would be addressed. We can't just tolerate the status quo because it makes for good TV.
My concern with this, though, is how even on this forum when this has come up about videogame developers asking for fairer treatment, not being asked for ridiculous crunch etc. we've seen people online say "what makes them so special" instead of suggesting solidarity. I suspect too much of the public feels that way about TV.Comment
-
In all honesty, I don’t think this is a situation where public opinion counts all that much. Bottom line is that the networks and streamers need content, as flawed as the models are (and they are utterly broken, as you say), and require writers and actors to get that content. Public opinion doesn’t hugely come into it. It’s not like nurses or some job where this might be a government issue. Both sides need this to end eventually. And the fact that Netflix (and largely the broken models come down to things Netflix started) “disrupted” the market and in the process rendered it unsustainable doesn’t remove the need for a decent deal. I get your Spotify comparison but it’s not quite the same in that Spotify contains almost all artists and musicians are making music regardless of Spotify. The players here absolutely depend on their exclusive content. They are commissioning it, something Spotify doesn’t do.
Also, as seems to be the norm these days, while the market is in the toilet and proving itself unsustainable causing companies to say they can’t pay more or give better deals, top execs are getting record pay deals and bonuses, making this look like nothing but greed.Last edited by Dogg Thang; 26-07-2023, 09:18.Comment
-
-
First step to making films more affordable and releasing money to play better - Kill the $300m Blockbuster
It's not even like the money is up there on screen with many modern mega budget films looking worse than cheaper efforts from up to two decades agoComment
-
Yep. And no two and a half hour movies unless there is a damn good reason for it (there almost always isn’t).
I feel like more studios need to learn from horror. So many successful movies in the 5-15 million range.Comment
Comment