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Magic Can’t Fix This: It’s Time to Address Disney’s Unsustainable Film Practices

The little mermaid disney+ movie disney company
Credit: Disney

In the fantastic universe of Disney films where magical worlds come to life, recent box office disappointments have sent shockwaves through the kingdom. This renowned entertainment empire has seen its fair share of triumphs and successes over its storied history. However, its recent encounters at the box office have proven to be more of a struggle, leaving many to question the company’s decision-making and future prospects.

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Credit: Lucasfilm

Disney Finds Itself in a Tricky Situation

For the past 100 years, Walt Disney Studios has been responsible for creating some of the most impactful and successful films of all time. Unfortunately, the last few years have put a damper on Disney’s reputation due to a sequence of less-than-desirable theatrical releases.

One of the most notable recent missteps was the underwhelming performance of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. This long-awaited installment of the beloved franchise, starring the iconic Harrison Ford, failed to recapture the magic of the previous films.

RELATED: Disney’s “Woke” Film Ideology Cost the Studios Nearly $300 Million at the Box Office

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Credit: Disney and Marvel

Other recent films like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Elemental, Lightyear, and Strange World all failed to meet or exceed expectations. Even a remake of the beloved Disney classic The Little Mermaid starring Halle Bailey couldn’t escape becoming a box office flop. Despite assembling a talented cast and capitalizing on the nostalgia factor, the Disney film failed to capture the hearts of audiences at movie theaters as the original had and didn’t surpass the $1 billion mark.

How to Escape Disney’s Inevitable Downfall

These numbers are not looking great for Disney, and as reported by Variety, it looks like 2023 might be the first year since 2014 that Disney does not have a single blockbuster reaching the coveted $1 billion mark. Regardless, Disney is still continuing to be one of the most lucrative movie studios in the industry. The issue is that the amount they are spending on production and marketing makes the number needed to “break even” much higher than many of their competitors.

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Credit: Disney

2023 is not looking to be the year of success that Disney badly needed, and it is hard not to notice a pattern here. The live-action remakes and flop superhero movies that Disney keeps releasing are clearly not resonating with audiences the way they once did, and it means Disney may be forced to abandon future projects of this nature.

About Eva Miller

Eva was born and raised in the beautiful state of Oregon but has since relocated and lives in New York City. Since she was young, Eva has loved to perform in musicals, especially Disney ones! Through performing, Disney’s music became the soundtrack of her childhood. Today, Eva loves to write about all the exciting happenings for the Walt Disney Company. In her free time, Eva loves to travel, spend time in nature, and go to Broadway shows. Her favorite Disney movie is 'Lilo and Stitch,' and her favorite Park is Disney's Animal Kingdom.