Strange World | Walt Disney Animation Studios | Comes to Disney+ on December 23rd

[Verrows]

2 hours ago, WittyUsername said:

That’s my point. Have things really regressed that much in less than a decade? 

I think the discourse from both sides of the political aisle has become so toxic that it's set us back. People are getting stubborn and stuck in their ways. It makes things like an innocent same sex relationship seem too on the nose for some people who several years ago wouldn't have thought twice about it. We're very divided right now and everything feels really amplified.

[El Squibbonator]

9 hours ago, AniNate said:

Not really. The homophobes are just more vocal and defensive about it because popular culture is now catering more to LGBT tastes and they're afraid of being on the wrong side of history, and they fear losing their last line of influence on their kids with children's entertainment.

 

As for Strange World and Lightyear, it's important to remember that much of Disney's money comes from right-wing Americans. The company always branded itself on its adherence to being "family-friendly" in a way that other movie studios weren't, which is why whenever Disney tries to make anything that goes against that image there's a segment of people who get angry at them for "betraying their principles". The fact is, much as I hate to admit it, Disney's values, as expressed both by its CEOs and its movies, have always tended to be implicitly conservative. And that goes all the way back to the company's founder.  

 

Disney today is struggling with this legacy. On the one hand, if it is to stay relevant in the 21st century, it will have to embrace values it didn't before. On the other hand, there is the risk that that this could be rejected by their biggest established consumer segment-- soccer moms with 2.5 kids and SUVs.

[PlatnumRoyce]

12 hours ago, WittyUsername said:

That’s my point. Have things really regressed that much in less than a decade? 

Take another look at GLAAD's "inclusivity in film/tv" reports because they've done the legwork of cataloguing a lot of the change over time which I think you're understating. Look at what you see in their 2015 tv report. 

 

Quote

"Animated programming has been slow to reflect the diversity of the real world, but recent years have seen significant developments. One of those is Cartoon Network’s animated series Steven Universe, which has found popularity among viewers of all ages. One of the show’s main characters is alien superhero Garnet, who is the physical form of two female-presenting Gem beings who are in love."

 

and in 2018 they say

 

"Representation in daytime kids and family television continues to grow in leaps and bounds."

If you look at their film reports you'll see similar laments in mid 2010s.

Less than a decade ago we got a major "IP" kids tv show (Avatar:Airbender continuation) that was forced to dogwhistle a lesbian relationship with the protagonist instead of openly announce it. Instead of being seen as cowardly, that dogwhistle was praised for

 

Quote

"changing the face of TV" by going further than any other work of children's television in depicting same-sex relationships"

When it comes to children’s entertainment, that envelope still needs pushing. After-the-fact concessions like Dumbledore was gay, or Ren and Stimpy were gay, have limited value. Adventure Time certainly makes an effort, and two female lovers from the Japanese show Sailor Moon, who were changed to “cousins” in the Americanized version, are finally coming out of the closet. But American kids’ shows have a long way to go before L.G.B.T. story lines are considered a matter of course. And none of those examples above quite match Korra and Asami’s climactic spirit portal moment.

- https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/12/korra-series-finale-recap-gay-asami

 

You can also just look at political messaging: A decade ago it was seen as a gaffe by the vice president that prodded the liberal American president into explicitly endorsing gay marriage. Today it's being used as a messaging bill to wrongfoot conservative legislators. 

Edited December 2, 2022 by PlatnumRoyce

[Morieris]

There's a post going around on Tumblr;

• Representation, please see it!
• It looks fun!
• They're scared to promote a movie with a mixed couple!

 

Not one word about it being engaging, entertaining, heartfelt....you know, anything that relates to the story. Disney knew they had nothing to stand on with advertising it.

[El Squibbonator]

1 hour ago, Morieris said:

There's a post going around on Tumblr;

• Representation, please see it!
• It looks fun!
• They're scared to promote a movie with a mixed couple!

 

Not one word about it being engaging, entertaining, heartfelt....you know, anything that relates to the story. Disney knew they had nothing to stand on with advertising it.

Did they, though? The story was heartfelt, entertaining, and engaging. 

[cookie]

On 11/14/2022 at 9:58 PM, ThomasNicole said:

Yeah this will bomb hard 

 

 

 

 

We're two weeks from Christmas Eve and there's been no actual announcement from Disney. Deadline was talking out of their ass.

[BadOlCatSylvester]

1 hour ago, cookie said:

We're two weeks from Christmas Eve and there's been no actual announcement from Disney. Deadline was talking out of their ass.

It might be shadowdropped, as Disney probably doesn't want to waste more marketing money on this.

[JWR]

Jesus, just put it out of its misery. A sad epitaph to a rough year for Disney theatrical animation. 

[Eric Twister]

On 12/10/2022 at 10:57 AM, cookie said:

We're two weeks from Christmas Eve and there's been no actual announcement from Disney. Deadline was talking out of their ass.

 

[TwoMisfits]

39 minutes ago, Eric Dielman said:

 

 

Guess I have one of our Christmas week family viewing movies...the D+ sub for $2.99/month for the year is paying off well so far...

[cannastop]

On 12/12/2022 at 12:59 PM, Eric in Boots said:

 

would they have done this if it wasn't a huge bomb? I just wonder.

[El Squibbonator]

I don't know. They've been putting their animated stuff on streaming earlier and earlier over the past couple years-- just look at what happened to Encanto and Raya and the Last Dragon. 

[cannastop]

4 hours ago, El Squibbonator said:

I don't know. They've been putting their animated stuff on streaming earlier and earlier over the past couple years-- just look at what happened to Encanto and Raya and the Last Dragon. 

on the other hand, they gave Lightyear breathing room

[Morieris]

If it's not an established brand, it wasn't getting breathing room. If there's no spinoffs or sequels next year in the animation department, I expect a more normalized schedule again.

[Verrows]

3 hours ago, cannastop said:

on the other hand, they gave Lightyear breathing room

Yeah but that's probably because Lightyear at least had a $50M opening so, as bad as it turned out, it was at least something. Strange World is a whole other level of non-entity.

 

that being said I agree that everything should get its run in theatres regardless.

Edited December 23, 2022 by Verrows

[AJG]

The new Disney logo in front of this thing is beautiful. Dramatic as hell though.

[cannastop]

19 hours ago, AJG said:

The new Disney logo in front of this thing is beautiful. Dramatic as hell though.

eh I think it's totally unnecessary

[AJG]

Boy… this is erm…. this is a dull fucking time. I’ve seen annoying cartoons, lazy cartoons, but this shit here was a real Christmas downer. I do not know what the hook is that would make a child want to sit through this. Just a boring film. It’s almost shocking just how little is going on here. 

[Morieris]

The logo was the most engaging part of this film.

[MysteryMovieMogul]

So, this is a good film Disney didn't advertise because the son is openly gay. It's not a bad movie, at all. Won't be surprised if this and Matilda hurt Puss 'N Boot quite a bit.