My Indy Adventure, Part V: Indiana Jones and the Search for Disney Movie Profits

 by Ray Keating

Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

June 27, 2023

 

Will Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny help Disney break out of some recent box office woes? Probably not.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, released on May 5, 2023, rocked it. It was an excellent movie that did well at the box office – pulling in $831.7 million on a production budget of $250 million and reportedly $100 million to promote. However, when you consider that Disney probably took in about $400 million of that total revenue (given the theater take) – and therefore, earned a box office profit of roughly $50 million – it’s another powerful reminder of how out of control costs are in Hollywood.

 

And then matters get ugly with The Little Mermaid (released on May 26), as DisneyBizJournal reported. As we pointed out, “That means that Disney’s losses on The Little Mermaid, at this point, are in the range of $170 million to nearly $300 million. That’s staggering, and it’s not the first Disney big-budget flop over the past year or so.”

 

Amazingly, things have managed to worsen with Elemental. The animated film opened on June 14, and its global box office, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com, currently stands at $124.3 million. That doesn’t seem too bad but for the fact that the production budget reportedly came in at a rather staggering $200 million. Add at least $100 million for marketing/promotion, and the losses mount. Plus, the box office, again, gets divvied up with theaters, so Disney’s take of $124.3 million turns out to be about $63 million. The losses on this film, once more, promise to be breathtaking.

 

So, we turn to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and wonder if Indy can help Disney break out of this, to be generous, box office rut. But consider the whopping $295 million reported production budget for this latest Indy installment, and then add on a substantial marketing/promotion budget. So, it wouldn’t be surprising if we’re talking a total budget of $550 billion. If we assume a 50-50 breakdown in box office revenues between domestic and international – such as what we saw with Top Gun: Maverick – then Dial of Destiny would have to make almost $1.2 billion at the box office to essentially break even. 

 

And as much as I want to love this film, the mixed reviews and projected box office numbers point to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny as no savior for Disney’s recent box office woes. Instead, it’s more likely to extend the company’s losing streak.

 

Previously…

 

“My Indy Adventure, Part I: Visiting the Indiana Jones Den of Destiny” by Ray Keating

 

“My Indy Adventure, Part II: Indiana Jones and the Hawaiian Shirt” by Ray Keating

 

“My Indy Adventure, Part III: Indiana Jones and the Search for the Comfy T” by Ray Keating

 

“My Indy Adventure, Part IV: New Reviews of Raiders, Temple of Doom, Last Crusade, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” by Ray Keating

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com; and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries, and the Alliance of Saint Michael novels; and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right? 

 

Consider books by Ray Keating…

 

• The Pastor Stephen Grant thrillers and mysteries. You can order the latest book in the series – Under the Golden Dome: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel. Get the signed books here, or paperbacks and Kindle editions right here.

 

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• Cathedral: An Alliance of Saint Michael Novel. Signed paperbacks and/or paperbacks, hardcovers and the Kindle edition at Amazon. 

 

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• Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  –  signed books  or at  Amazon.

 

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Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of Disney, Free Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

Lesson from Disney's "Secretariat" - Keep Running!

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #186: Lessons from the Movie “Secretariat” – “Secretariat” is an inspirational Disney movie, with some essential lessons.

The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Disney Studios in World War II: Special Exhibit

 by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

March 15, 2021

 

If you’re going to be in the San Francisco area this spring, then it’s likely worth a stop at the Walt Disney Family Museum to check out a special exhibit “The Walt Disney Studios and World War II.”

The exhibit opens on March 19 (with a special members-only preview on March 18), and will run through the spring. It will be held in the Diane Disney Miller Exhibition Hall, with the general museum hoping to open in April. The exhibit and Museum Store will be open on Thursdays through Sundays.

 

Regarding “The Walt Disney Studios and World War II,” according to the museum, this will be an immersive “retrospective of The Walt Disney Studios’ extensive contributions to the Allies’ World War II effort” curated by World War II historian Kent Ramsey.

 

It is further explained on the museum’s site:

When Walt Disney received word that the Disney studio lot in Burbank had been requisitioned as an Army anti-aircraft base after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, he and his staff pledged to support the war effort without hesitation—and without profit. This original exhibition illustrates how the The Walt Disney Studios devoted over 90% of its wartime output to producing training, propaganda, entertainment, and public-service films, publicity and print campaigns, and over 1,200 insignia, while also deploying a group of talented artists, including Walt Disney himself, to Latin America on a Goodwill Tour…

During this unique period in animation history, The Walt Disney Studios functioned as a morale-builder for both the civilian public and deployed Allied troops. Walt knew that cartoons would be an ideal medium for communicating with the American people—in an uncomplicated and amusing manner—about war-related issues and anxieties. In addition to the short films and military insignia produced, Disney characters appeared in a variety of home-front initiatives, from advertisements, magazines, and stamp books, to government posters promoting tax payment, food recycling, rationing, war bond sales, and farm production. The exhibition includes 550 examples of these rare historical objects and film clips.

 

Kirsten Komoroske, executive director of The Walt Disney Family Museum, stated, “This rarely-shared period in the Studios’ history offers insight into the creativity, innovation, and positivity that Walt and his team brought to the military leaders, troops, and civilians at home and abroad.”

 

In addition, Mike Gabriel designed a new insignia for the exhibition, which features “Donald Duck dressed as a pilot holding onto the wings of a Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat while soaring over the Golden Gate Bridge. This boat was commonly seen in the San Francisco Bay during World War II.”

 

As for admissions, the museum reported, “To accommodate our guests safely and to ensure proper distancing, we require all guests—including members—to reserve tickets prior to their visit. Admission will be available on a timed-ticket basis with limited capacities set for each time slot. Visit our Tickets page to purchase or reserve tickets.”

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the  Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating has two new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.com. Past Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. 

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know. 

 

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Disney’s "The Mandalorian" Among the Nominees For Golden Globes

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

February 3, 2021

 

The awards’ season is nearly upon us, and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association this morning announced its nominees for the 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards. Disney productions captured a number of nods, with five nominations for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and one for Disney+.

 

The Mandalorian was nominated for “Best Television Series - Drama,” along with The Crown; Lovecraft Country; Ozark; and Ratched.

 

Hamilton was responsible for two nominations, the first for “Best Motion Picture-Musical/Comedy,” up against Borat Subsequent Moviefilm; Music; Palm Springs; and The Prom.   

 

Lin-Manuel Miranda was also nominated for Hamilton in the category of “Best Performance By An Actor In A Motion Picture-Musical/Comedy,” along with Sacha Baron Cohen, James Corden, Dev Patel, and Andy Samberg.

 

Two Disney/Pixar animations will be pitted against one another in the category “Best Motion Picture – Animated.” Soul and Onward will compete against The Croods: A New Age; Over the Moon; and Wolfwalkers.  

 

Soul also brought a “Best Original Score -Motion Picture” nomination to Jon Batiste, Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor, with Ross and Reznor squaring off against themselves for their work in Mank, with additional nominations for Alexandre Desplat for The Midnight Sky; Ludwig Goransson for Tenet; and James Newton Howard for News of the World.

 

The Golden Globes recognize achievements in 25 categories; 14 in motion pictures and 11 in television. The Golden Globes is traditionally the first of the season’s awards shows; this year, because of COVID, the January gala has been moved to February. It will take place February 28, 2021, but COVID complications have added another twist to this year’s ceremonies. This year, the award show will be bi-coastal, with Tina Fey returning to host from the Rainbow Room on the east coast in New York, and Amy Poehler also returning to host from the west coast at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where the awards normally take place. Nominees will likely be appearing from locations around the globe as well, given the current travel situation. The show will air on NBC.

 

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

 

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Disney’s Deserved “Mulan” Mess, Part II

 by Ray Keating

Commentary

DisneyBizJournal.com

October 16, 2020

 

Disney, no doubt, wants its Mulan mess to go away. But the issue keeps hanging around.

 

And no, I’m not talking about the decision to serve up the movie on Disney+ for an extra premium price of $29.99. Nor am I referring to the fact that the film has received a mere 50% audience score on RottenTomatos.com, for example.

No, I’m talking about the ongoing mess regarding Disney’s filming the movie in China’s Xinjiang region where prison and indoctrination camps intern Uighur Muslims, while in the movie’s credits, Disney also thanked the government entities guilty of the oppression, along with related propaganda agencies pushing lies. (See the previous DisneyBizJournal column on the topic.)

 

Last week, Disney did get around to answering an inquiry from Iain Duncan Smith, a Conservative MP in the United Kingdom, and Baroness Helena Kennedy, a Labour member of the House of Lords, about this situation. The response, signed by Sean Bailey, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture production, was a model of corporate-speak. Bailey managed to serve up a page-and-a-half that didn’t answer any of the issues at hand.

 

For example, Bailey wrote, “Although ‘Mulan’ was filmed almost entirely in New Zealand, in order to accurately depict the unique geography and landscape of China for this period drama, the producers chose to film some scenery in 20 locations throughout the country, including the Kumtag Desert in Xinjiang Province, home to an important passageway along the historic Silk Road. The decision to film in each of these locations was made by the film’s producers in the interest of authenticity, and was in no way dictated or influenced by state or local Chinese officials.”

 

And he later summed up, “It is standard practice across the film industry worldwide to acknowledge in a film’s credits the cooperation, approvals, and assistance provided by various entities and individuals over the course of a film’s production. In this case, the production company Beijing Shadow Times provided our production team with the list of acknowledgements to be included in the credits for Mulan.”

 

To put this in further perspective, Variety reported:

 

The earliest evidence of re-education work in Turpan, the city home to five of the government entities Disney thanked, dates back to 2013. “Mulan” was green-lit in 2015. Early reporting on the camps started to emerge around the summer of 2017. Niki Caro went to Xinjiang in September 2017, posting a photo of sand dunes there to Instagram. The production’s set designer said they spent “months” scouting in the region.

 

During the actual 2018 shoot, China was at the height of its “strike hard” campaign against Xinjiang’s ethnic minority population. Analysts estimate by looking at satellite imagery that there are at least 10 internment camps and five prisons in the other Xinjiang county Disney thanked.

 

How did Iain Duncan Smith respond to the Disney letter? He tweeted: “The reply from @DisneyStudios regarding the filming of #Mulan in #Xinjiang region is very weak and full of platitudes. The reality is that Disney simply does not want to offend China, and have given in to China’s demands and will not stand up to them. Disney's corporate policy does not appear to care about the human rights issues affecting the #Uighurs. It seems human rights come second to the corporate policy of not upsetting China.”

 

That’s hard to argue with, at least in this instance. Variety also noted, “Disney has not issued a formal statement or apology on the matter, and has told creatives involved in ‘Mulan’ to steer clear of the subject.” Yes, Disney apparently is hoping that this would all just go away. I don’t think Walt would be proud.

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

Also, get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

 

Disney+ Announces Drive-In Event in October

 by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

September 29, 2020

 

I miss drive-in movie theaters. Yeah, I know there are still some scattered around the country, but especially in suburban and urban areas, the value of land simply has driven the drive-in into near-extinction. 

Perhaps that’s why almost every visit to Disney World requires a stop at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater at Hollywood Studios. I love the entire experience, from the tables made like classic cars to the big screen serving up ‘50s sci-fi clips to the burgers and shakes.

 

A very minor benefit that emerged during this horrible pandemic has been the pop-up drive-in movie “theaters” offered by various organizations. A Catholic Church in my neighborhood put up a big screen in their parking lot, as did a VFW post not too far away.

 

Now, Disney is getting in on the drive-in game – at least for those fortunate enough to live in southern California. The Disney+ Drive-In Festival will run from October 5-12 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.

 

What’s on the schedule?

 

The Red Carpet Premiere of the Disney+/National Geographic show The Right Stuff will happen on October 5. It starts streaming on Disney+ on October 9.

 

Another Red Carpet Premiere will occur on October 12 for the Disney+ original movie Clouds. That will begin streaming on October 16.

In between these two premieres, the public will be able to enjoy an assortment of classics. For example, that will include celebrations of the 10th anniversary of Tangled, the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, and The Sound Of Music Sing-A-Long marking the 55th anniversary of the Rodgers & Hammerstein film. Hispanic Heritage Month will be noted with the Pixar Animation Studio film Coco, and the International Day of the Girl will see Captain Marvel on the big screen. And some Halloween fun will be offered along with a viewing of Hocus Pocus. Disney notes, “Each night will get started with a classic animated short, fan-favorite episodes of The Simpsons or sneak peek trailers from Disney+ Originals on the big screen.”

 

Here’s the schedule according to Disney:

 

Monday, October 5 – The Right Stuff – World Premiere Screening (Invite Only)

 

Tuesday, October 6 – Tangled 10th Anniversary Screening (Open to the public. Register beginning September 28)

 

Wednesday, October 7 – Coco Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month (Open to the public. Register beginning September 28)

 

Thursday, October 8 – Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back 40th Anniversary Screening (Open to the public. Register beginning September 28)

 

Friday, October 9 – Hocus Pocus Disney+ Halloween Night (Open to the public. Register beginning September 28)

 

Saturday, October 10 – The Sound of Music Sing-A-Long 55th Anniversary Screening (Open to the public. Register beginning September 28)

 

Sunday, October 11 – Captain Marvel Celebrating International Day of the Girl (Open to the public. Register beginning September 28)

 

Monday, October 12 – Clouds – World Premiere Screening (Invite Only)

 

Disney also reported: “Capacity is extremely limited and reservations will be required to attend. Beginning Monday, September 28 at 10 a.m. PT, fans can register for complimentary tickets at www.disneyplus.com/drive-in. One registration is required for each vehicle, with a maximum of four guests per vehicle. Event capacity is extremely limited and reservations will be required.”

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

Also, get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

 

Disney Announces New Movie Release Schedule

 by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

September 23, 2020

 

The Walt Disney Company announced a new movie release schedule, with Black Widow among the films getting rescheduled.

Black Widow is being shifted from November 6, 2020, to May 7, 2021. As for other moves among the current Marvel Studios slate, Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings goes from May 7, 2021, to July 9, 2021; and Eternals moves from February 12, 2021, to November 5, 2021. Remaining in place, as far as we know, are Thor: Love and Thunder on February 11, 2022; Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on March 25, 2022; and Captain Marvel 2 on July 8, 2022. Also, Black Panther 2 was scheduled for May 6, 2022, and officially remains there even with the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman.

 

As for other Disney films, the following moves have been made to release dates for 20^th Century Studios releases: The Empty Man is now scheduled for October 23, 2020 (actually moved back from December 4, 2020); Death on the Nile was moved from October 9, 2020, to December 18, 2020; The King’s Man is now scheduled for February 12, 2021 (also moved back from February 26, 2021); Deep Water moved from November 13, 2020, to August 13, 2021; The Last Duel went from January 8, 2021, to October 15, 2021.

 

And Steven Spielberg’s version of West Side Story (also 20th Century Studios) was pushed back a year – from December 18, 2020, to December 10, 2021.

 

Pixar’s Soul remained at November 20, 2020.

 

While these moves are not surprising given the ongoing pandemic challenges, it’s nonetheless brutal news for movie theaters.

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

Also, get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

 

Disney’s Biggest Female Movie Star? Julie Andrews

by Chris Lucas

Guest Column

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 26, 2020

(Editor’s Note: Julie Andrews made her theatrical debut in Mary Poppins, which premiered on August 27, 1964.)

Dame Julie Andrews is, arguably, the biggest female movie star who ever worked for Disney.

In 1956, Andrews starred as Eliza Doolittle in the Broadway show My Fair Lady for two years and never missed a performance. During that time, she also starred as Cinderella in a TV musical that was watched by over 100 million Americans.

She was cast as Queen Guinevere in Camelot on Broadway in 1960, opposite Richard Burton. Walt and Lillian Disney attended a performance and Walt knew immediately that he’d found his Mary Poppins.

Walt offered Andrews the role, but she declined because she was pregnant. He said, “I’ll wait,” and he did. 

In 1963, she began playing Mary, her film debut. Andrews won the Oscar for the role, one of the few people in history to win an Academy Award for acting their first time out.

Mary Poppins was one of the biggest box office hits of all-time, but Andrews topped it a year later as Maria in The Sound of Music for FOX. It remains the third highest grossing movie in American history, adjusted for inflation.

After that, Dame Julie declined a string of similar musical roles, like a reprise of the Queen in the film version of Camelot, Nancy in Oliver!, Truly in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Dolly in Hello Dolly and Elegantine in Bedknobs & Broomsticks. 

In 1997, after appearing in the Broadway version of her hit film Victor/Victoria, Andrews had throat surgery which went wrong, permanently damaging her natural five octave coloratura soprano voice. She was told she would never sing again, but in 2004 she performed the song “Crowning Glory” in a reprise of her role as Queen Clarissa in Disney’s Princess Diaries 2. 

The 84-year-old actress is still quite busy. 

In the last two decades, Julie Andrews has played a different type of Nanny in Disney’s live action adaptations of the Eloise at the Plaza stories; she was the narrator of Disney’s Enchanted; and voiced roles in the Shrek, Despicable Me and DC superheroes franchises for other studios.

The author of over 25 books and a lifetime achievement Grammy Award winner, Julie Andrews was named a Disney Legend in 1991, and was named a Dame by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, on New Year’s Eve, 1999.

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Chris Lucas is the author of Top Disney: 100 Top Ten Lists of the Best of Disney, from the Man to the Mouse and Beyond.

On the PRESS CLUB C Podcast, enjoy Ray’s recent discussion with Chris Lucas about his career as an actor, author and Disney expert. Tune in right here!

Updated Disney Movie Schedule

by Ray Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

July 24, 2020

Given the coronavirus pandemic, movie release schedules just keep shifting. Unfortunately, none of us should be surprised. 

A Disney spokesman said, “Over the last few months, it’s become clear that nothing can be set in stone when it comes to how we release films during this global health crisis, and today that means pausing our release plans for ‘Mulan’ as we assess how we can most effectively bring this film to audiences around the world.”

Here’s a quick update on release date changes for Disney films (updated just from our piece yesterday!).

• Mulan had been moved to August 21, 2020, but now has been delayed indefinitely.

• The Personal History of David Copperfield has been moved from August 7, 2020, to August 28, 2020.

• Death on the Nile will shift from October 9, 2020, to October 23, 2020.

• The Empty Man will debut on December 4, 2020, rather than on August 7.

• The French Dispatch was set for October 16, but now, like Mulan, has been delayed indefinitely.

• Antlers is now slated for February 19, 2021.

• The Last Duel has been moved from December 25, 2020, to October 15, 2021.

• An untitled Disney live-action film will replace Avatar 2 on Dec. 16, 2021, with the second entry in the Avatar series shifting to December 16, 2022.

• An untitled Star Wars will be moved from December 16, 2022, to December 22, 2023.

• Avatar 3 gets pushed back from December 22, 2023, to December 20, 2024.

• An untitled Star Wars movie gets delayed from December 24, 2024, to December 19, 2025.

• Avatar 4 will debut on December 18, 2026, rather than December 19, 2025.

• An untitled Star Wars will move from December 18, 2026, to December 17, 2027.

• Avatar 5 will arrive on December 22, 2028, rather than on December 17, 2027.

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Also, get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.