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The Problem With Disney’s Comeback
Media outlets are falling all over themselves with praise but it’s not warranted
“Disney Becomes Only Studio To Hit $2 Billion At Domestic Box Office In 2024” a recent headline on Deadline Hollywood declared. It was the latest in a series of think pieces about how the House of Mouse was changing the narrative that had surrounded the studio. The writers of these articles enthusiastically claim that Disney is back, it recaptured the magic that once made it the dominant movie studio in Hollywood.
Indeed, 2024 was a good year for them. Inside Out 2, Deadpool and Wolverine both joined the billion-dollar movie club. Moana 2 is on track to make a boatload of money during the holiday season. Experts are even optimistic that The Lion King prequel, Mufasa, will be profitable.
Bob Iger told stakeholders that he was putting an emphasis on quality, which would lead to better results at the box office. “I think when it comes to creativity, quality is critical, of course, and quantity in many ways can destroy quality.”
All of that is true. There’s no denying the box office receipts nor that the movies were loved by critics and audiences. It has been a blockbuster year for the studio.
