After a series of poorly performing theatrical releases, a shocking financial blow has befallen The Walt Disney Co. An estimated $890 million loss on the last eight studio productions clearly reflects the consequences when politics supersedes entertainment. A report by YouTube box office analyst Valliant Renegade exposes the financial pitfall Disney has willingly plunged into, seemingly blinded by its so-called progressive agenda.
Disney’s shift toward woke politics and progressive narratives severely hurts its bottom line. Films such as “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Thor: Love and Thunder,” “Ant-man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3,” which the media often champion as successes, barely broke even or even generated losses, according to Renegade’s analysis.
Disney suffered another massive financial blow recently as "Elemental," which featured the company's first non binary character in a kids movie, flopped at the box office
After yet another disaster, its fair to wonder if they'll ever learn their lessonhttps://t.co/cOhD1MCOs0
— OutKick (@Outkick) June 24, 2023
Moreover, “Strange World” and “Lightyear,” heavily infused with politics, were unambiguous commercial catastrophes. This data becomes more intriguing when we consider the recent release of “The Little Mermaid” and “Elemental,” both still in theaters and potentially continuing the trend of financial underperformance.
Despite the clear financial repercussions, Disney isn’t learning from these economic blunders. A critical question arises: why doesn’t Disney understand the problem? Disney’s executives have apparently overestimated the public’s willingness to absorb their overtly progressive messaging. They have forgotten that consumers, especially parents, are looking for entertaining, wholesome content devoid of modern political undertones.
Take Pixar’s “Elemental,” for instance. This film, touted for featuring Pixar’s first gender “non-binary” character, has so far generated a disappointing $47 million domestically and $62 million internationally. With these numbers, it has the infamous title of the worst-opening movie in Pixar history.
Notably, Disney’s financial woes are not limited to box office performance. The company’s stock value plunged 44% in 2022, marking its worst performance in nearly five decades. This crisis led to the sudden firing of CEO Bob Chapek last November and the subsequent appointment of Bob Iger, whose primary task now is to curb Disney’s overspending by a staggering $5.5 billion. This undertaking has already led to the layoff of 7,000 employees globally.
The irony is palpable as Disney stubbornly sticks to its misguided approach while other entertainment giants are raking in profits. This year, the “Super Mario Bros. Movie,” free of political messaging, shattered records as the highest-grossing animated movie.
Disney must take a long, hard look at its strategy and accept the need for change. It has alienated a significant portion of its audience by prioritizing politics over storytelling, resulting in a troubling financial trend. Disney’s plight, therefore, serves as a potent reminder to other companies: “Go woke, go broke” isn’t just a conservative catchphrase. It’s an economic reality that can hit hard.
