The “Golden Age” of Disney in the 1900s set the precedent for the entire company. Known for making groundbreaking advancements in the animation and entertainment industries as a whole, Walt Disney’s interpretations and original creations were renowned as the peak of storytelling. Classics like “Beauty and the Beast,” “Mulan,” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” were permanently etched into the hearts of children around the world, including myself. I remember how my childhood revolved around visiting RedBox kiosks—an ancient mural that would dispense artifacts known as “DVDs” and allow me to replay “Tinkerbell” and “Toy Story” to my heart’s content. But, as time passed and I learned the ways of paid streaming services, Disney eventually fell off my radar.
By the time I returned to the land of magic and dreams, I was struck by a strange, sickening curse: My favorite movies were turned into sequels, live-actions, and reboots. I could respect the one-off movies with unique premises and dynamics, some of which I had even fallen head over heels for, like “Luca,” but I still craved the extraordinary storylines, the violent themes, and the traditional animation that forever changed my career path. Was it me growing old, or was it Disney’s ideas?
Turns out, it’s Disney. The fact is that the age-old formula isn’t working anymore. The once magnificent “Hero’s Journey” that kept the company rich for decades now feels stale. The repetitive themes and corporate-safe creativity bore me to death these days, and it feels watered down in comparison to recent installments by other companies like DreamWorks’ overpowering “The Wild Robot” or “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”. While the multi-billion dollar organization definitely has the resources to revive its long begotten era—the real mystery is why Disney is blowing the dust off old franchises instead of inventing new ones. A potential reason is the looming threat of their copyright entering the public domain, as the remaking of their old concepts may potentially extend their trademark deadline another century or so. But this shouldn’t excuse them from disregarding their viewers for the sake of their company’s longevity.
Despite the modern remakes of classic tales being initially well-received, the company seems to be marking off a checklist of every movie they haven’t made into a live-action. Take, for example, their “Snow White” remake, a film that cost nearly $250 million dollars in production, with the box office severely underperforming at under $185 million dollars. This only proves that nostalgia needs to be marked off Disney’s marketing techniques, as using the century-old momentum of the franchise’s popularity has been overused past its prime.
Two years ago, Disney revealed their 100th anniversary movie “Wish”, a film that acted as homage to their past stories, and as a revival of their Disney Princess success. But while this was meant to be Disney’s magnum opus, the film ended up receiving mixed reviews. The problem? “Wish” felt like an underdeveloped, uninspired, and ultimately corporate product. It was filled with recycled archetypes and unmemorable songs that disappointed countless fans, and it felt like another victim of Disney’s tunnel vision.
Really, Disney needs to get over itself. Being at the pinnacle of entertainment for over a century has weighed on Disney’s head, and the focus on profitability and quantity is stifling its true potential. Instead of oversaturating the market with sequels or relying on their past success, Disney needs to rethink their strategy and begin thinking outside the box. I truly hope that Disney can return from this grave they’ve dug themselves, before the final nail is cast in the coffin.
