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The latest animated feature from Disney and Pixar is “Elemental.”
Disney
The stakes are high as Pixar releases its 27th feature film in theaters this Friday.
“Elemental”, a romantic immigrant story told through anthropomorphic elements of nature, arrives at Disney He is under pressure to prove that he hasn’t lost his golden touch in animation.
The company, which operates both Pixar and Disney Animation, has had difficulty increasing ticket sales for its animated fares in recent years. while, universal The animation arms of Illumination and DreamWorks have dominated the box office with films like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” and “Minions: The Rise of Gru.”
Disney’s Pixar studio, in particular, is looking to recover from the box office disappointment that was “Lightyear.” Buzz Lightyear’s origin story took in just $226.7 million at the global box office in 2022, a fraction of what previous Pixar films have made in ticket sales, according to data from Comscore.
“Elemental” is expected to debut between $35 million and $45 million domestically, according to industry analysts, mid-range for a typical Pixar release but just shy of $120.5 million. Sony The animated “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” picked up during its opening weekend earlier this month.
“It definitely looks like animation is going through some winds of change,” said Sean Robbins, senior analyst at BoxOffice.com. “Universal and Illumination are at the forefront of this mission after a very successful decade that saw their streak of success extend into the 2020s, and arguably become to today’s Gen Z and older young Alphas what Pixar and DreamWorks were to Gen X and Millennials.”
Robbins said that the growing diversity of animation studios and increased competition are positive things for the industry in general. However, it also highlighted a decline in Disney’s box office prowess.
Falling in with style
The pandemic shut down theaters one week after the release of Pixar’s “Onward,” reducing the film’s box office potential. With ongoing restrictions, concerns about Covid-19 variants, and parents’ tendency to skip theatrical releases, Disney has sent “Soul,” “Luca,” and “Turning Red” straight to Disney+.
“Disney’s pandemic strategy of streaming-only distribution, among other creative disruptions, for many of their well-reviewed films has hurt the brand, which is something the new leadership is now trying to fix,” Robbins said.
When “Lightyear” went to theaters, consumers were used to Pixar movies going straight to streaming. But this confusion was only part of the reason for the poor ticket sales.
“Lightyear” has shifted away from a formula that has loved many generations to a “Toy Story” franchise – focusing on emotional stories with beloved childhood toys.
The feature has been described as an origin story about the movie that made Buzz Lightyear a best-selling toy and a prestigious award for young Andy. The characters on screen are not toys that you think are real – they are people. This meta-style story might have been appealing to audiences who grew up with the ’90s Toy Story, but for younger generations, the sci-fi adventure has missed the point.
Buzz Lightyear and his robot companion Sox embark on an intergalactic adventure in Pixar’s “Lightyear.”
Disney
Later that year, Disney’s animated film Strange World failed to win over moviegoers, grossing just $72.4 million worldwide during its run, according to Comscore.
Wish for something when watching a shooting star
Disney hopes “Elemental” will usher in a new era of successful animation for its studios. With more family movies in theaters after the slate drought, the company will have an easier time marketing its upcoming features to theater audiences.
The company is set to release Disney’s animated film “Wish” in theaters this Thanksgiving, and has two more Pixar films coming in 2024 — “Elio” and its sequel “Inside Out.” Disney also plans to eventually release a fifth movie from the original “Toy Story” franchise, a third “Frozen” movie and a second movie set in the “Zootopia” universe.
“Having established itself over the decades as a preeminent producer of animated films, Disney has set the standards for how perfectly animated films should be produced, marketed and distributed,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.
Despite recent issues at the box office, both Dergarabedian and Robbins anticipate a return to Disney animation efforts in the future.
“Disney Animation boasts an unparalleled brand identity, huge creative talent pool and strong marketing and distribution teams,” said Dergarabedian. “This is the perfect time for Disney to reset its animated film strategy and re-establish itself as a legendary and respected creator of family animated films.”
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC.
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