Disney is currently facing challenges with its major brands, including Disney Studio, Star Wars, and Marvel, leading to concerns and lower audience expectations. The company’s approach to promoting and managing these brands varies, with some finding more success on the Disney+ streaming platform while others struggle to attract theater audiences. Pixar, which has been somewhat overlooked in Disney’s strategy, has shown promise with recent releases like “Elemental” and should be given more prominence and attention in the company’s plans to help address the issues faced by the other brands.
Disney is undoubtedly going through a difficult period. While it remains a powerhouse in the entertainment industry, it’s evident that its most prominent intellectual properties are not performing as strongly as they once did. Disney’s strategy for its major brands has become somewhat hit-or-miss, a departure from its past successes.
To provide some context, Disney’s primary pillars are the Disney Studio (including new animated and live-action films), Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar. These four entities are at the forefront of Disney’s endeavors and typically yield the company’s biggest hits. However, each of these major players has its own release schedules and marketing strategies, leading to differing levels of promotion and product output. The issue lies in the fact that some of them are given more attention than others. The time has come for Disney to elevate Pixar, often seen as the middle child among these brands, and give it the spotlight it deserves.
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The current challenges facing Disney’s Studio, Star Wars, and Marvel franchises are quite distinct. While there have been some successful recent releases, there is a noticeable lack of consistent quality and viewer confidence in these properties.
In the case of Disney’s Studio, the main issue appears to be a lack of strategic clarity. Films that initially perform poorly at the box office often gain popularity on Disney+ later on. Additionally, upcoming releases are not being adequately promoted, resulting in a lack of anticipation and viewers stumbling upon new titles while browsing for content.
Star Wars presents an interesting situation. Recent cinematic entries have not been well-received, but streaming shows within the Star Wars universe have been strong draws for Disney+. Figures like Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau have successfully navigated the franchise in the streaming realm, but they have yet to translate this success to the big screen. The challenge lies in the fact that the financial returns from streaming series are not as straightforward as those from box office releases. Disney may not be capitalizing on the full potential of one of its biggest franchises, and audiences may not be ready to rush to theaters for a new Star Wars film just yet.
Marvel, under the leadership of Kevin Feige, is facing the most significant struggles. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has seen more disappointments than successes, and its overall direction is uncertain. Even beloved characters are failing to generate interest, both in theaters and on streaming platforms. The densely packed release schedule has resulted in the opposite effect, with many viewers opting to skip new shows or movies due to a lack of enthusiasm. Marvel needs to shift its focus from quantity to quality in its strategy, but this change doesn’t appear to be on the horizon for the brand’s executives, raising concerns about superhero fatigue.
The reasons behind Pixar’s shift from the forefront in recent times are unclear, but it’s evident that the pandemic has impacted its prominence. With theaters closed, many Pixar movies began premiering on Disney+. Even after restrictions were lifted, Disney continued to release most Pixar films primarily on Disney+, possibly as a way to attract new subscribers.
Additionally, Pixar faced challenges with “Lightyear,” their attempt to return to the big screen, which didn’t achieve the expected success. It’s challenging to pinpoint a single cause for this, but one factor could be their heavy reliance on familiar characters while changing the setting that originally made the character popular.
However, “Elemental” emerged as a film that challenged the notion that Pixar was no longer suitable for the silver screen. Although its initial weeks were uncertain and hinted at underperformance, the movie’s numbers gradually improved, eventually becoming a hit. On the streaming side, Pixar’s collection of shorts has been a significant asset, offering appeal to both existing and new subscribers. Despite some obstacles, the studio, once led by Lasseter, seems to have a better grasp of its content direction.
Therefore, it is essential for Disney to elevate Pixar’s position. This doesn’t necessarily mean flooding Disney+ or their release calendar with new content. Instead, Disney should provide a clear 5-year roadmap of upcoming releases, featuring just one or two main films or shows per year. The focus should be on maintaining a conservative quantity but delivering innovative quality, with an emphasis on new intellectual properties rather than revisiting old ones (such as avoiding “Toy Story 5”).
Disney’s classic franchises remain iconic, but it’s time to reevaluate the hierarchy of promotion, with Pixar deserving a more prominent place in the upcoming release schedule. Pixar continues to play a significant role for Disney, but it’s not receiving the recognition it merits. If its position in the strategy is revised, it could help dissipate the uncertainty surrounding this new era under Iger’s leadership.
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