Is Disney taking over the world? If you’ve been paying any attention to the world of cinema over the last few months, it certainly seems that way. Why does it feel this way? Since March 2019, there has been at least one Disney movie in theaters. So what does this mean for casual movie-goers and future filmmakers alike?
First let’s take a snapshot look at the numbers. Four of the top five highest-grossing films this year were produced by Disney. So far in 2019, it has released seven films, which have made a combined total of over 2.7 billion dollars domestically, according to Box Office Mojo. That’s more than double Disney’s nearest competitor Universal, which has raked in just over one billion dollars, and has released three more films than Disney so far this year.
Six of the seven films released by Disney have been sequels, remakes or additions to their ever-growing Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), the capstone of the MCU, is now the highest-grossing film of all time, recently beating out James Cameron’s “Avatar” (2010) for the top spot. Disney’s remake of “The Lion King,” despite getting mediocre reviews and a 53 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, is still the seventh highest-grossing film of all time, bringing in an astounding 1.6 billion dollars already in just 8 weeks of release.
So what does all of this success mean for you? It means a lot more sequels and a lot more remakes. I know that there are some who will complain about this, but personally I just enjoy film. I like seeing how different people put their fingerprints on classic stories. Sure there were plenty of flaws in the new “The Lion King,” but it was interesting to watch. “Avengers: Endgame” was flawless and you can’t convince me otherwise.
But don’t get stressed over Disney’s apparent takeover. In the last few weeks, Sony proved Disney doesn’t have unlimited power; the two companies were going back and forth over ownership rights of Spider-Man, since initially both Sony and Disney shared the rights.
“Sony Pictures went through one trilogy and two additional Spider-Man movies before eventually agreeing to share the character with Marvel Studios, so the latter could use him in the MCU while the former continues to develop solo, seemingly stand-alone installments,” according to ScreenRant article “Spider-Man’s Exit From Marvel Studios Explained: Why It Happened & Who’s To Blame.”
Despite Disney’s status as a cinema powerhouse, Sony ultimately came out on top, proving that Disney can still lose. Disney is certainly powerful, but it isn’t the only company out there. If you’re tired of sequels and remakes, there are other options available.
If you really like the classics — such as “Aladdin,” “The Lion King,” and “Mulan” — you can still really love the original movies. When their remakes come out in theaters, go see them. As much as you can, don’t compare them to the originals; just go and enjoy the different take on one of your favorite childhood stories. If you love film, if you like going to the movies, then do those things. If you’re an aspiring storyteller like me, don’t let Disney intimidate you; let their success give you hope. Don’t worry, we won’t soon be hanging the Walt Disney Studios logo in our front lawns. Sooner or later, though, Mickey might be trading in his clubhouse for a small European country or two.
