As is often the case for the massive entertainment conglomerate, Disney is having a big year at the box office. In fact, as Disney has acquired more and more properties, from Marvel to Star Wars and many more, its theatrical releases have only gotten bigger and bigger as time has gone on—and that’s in addition to the Disney princess movies and, of course, Pixar movies that have been coming out for decades.
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This year, however, Disney suffered a box office flop with a flick that many thought would be a sure thing. While that’s definitely been a set back for the House of Mouse (although it would take a lot more to seriously damage this gargantuan company), Disney’s next two movies are almost certainly going to be a major bounce back.
The Mandalorian and Grogu Failed at the Box Office
Hopes were high for The Mandalorian and Grogu as Star Wars’ first new theatrical release in seven years. Many fans found the movie exciting, endearing, and plenty of fun to watch, but the sad truth is, the movie can’t really be considered a box office success. Several weeks after The Mandalorian and Grogu first hit theaters, the movie is seen as one of Star Wars’ worst box office performances in the franchise’s nearly 50 year history.
There are various reasons for that, ranging from the fact that The Mandalorian has been a streaming franchise until this point to the general decline in fanbase support overall, especially following projects like Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Book of Boba Fett, and The Acolyte, all of which sadly proved to be very unpopular. No matter the reason, though, there’s no doubt that this was a significant hit to Disney.
Yes, negativity and backlash are now (unfortunately) expected from some Star Wars fans no matter what, but after seven years, and considering the incredible legacy this franchise has, there were nevertheless high expectations for The Mandalorian and Grogu to perform. Again, this doesn’t mean Disney is now struggling by any means, but it was a disappointing outcome. However, Disney’s next two movies are all but guaranteed to avoid this problem.
Toy Story 5 Will Almost Certainly Be a Smash Hit
The promotions and press for Toy Story 5 have been nothing short of massive. Recently, singer-songwriter (and mega star) Taylor Swift’s involvement has drawn major attention, from her performance with iconic composer Randy Newman, which saw the two performing a duet of the classic Toy Story song “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” to her appearance on the red carpet alongside stars like Joan Cusack, Tim Allen, and Tom Hanks. Even before this connection to Taylor Swift, though, it was clear that this movie was going to be huge.
There is also a built-in fanbase for Toy Story 5, and while that was true of The Mandalorian and Grogu, the Toy Story franchise doesn’t have the same bad blood that many Star Wars movies and TV shows have had to fight against. Rather, this movie is going to bring in nostalgic millennials, little kids, and Disney lovers in general. With that in mind, Toy Story 5 being a box office success feels like a sure thing. And, although the circumstances are a bit more complicated, the same is true of Disney’s next movie hitting theaters after Toy Story 5.
Even Live-Action Moana Is Set Up for Success
Live-action Moana hasn’t had quite the same reception as Toy Story 5. Yes, there were those who claimed that Toy Story 5 was unnecessary, but generally, sentiments have been positive. Unfortunately, while Moana continues to be seen as one of the best Disney movies over the last decade or so, Moana 2 was met with significant criticism (although it made plenty of money—a staggering $1 billion, actually), and live-action Moana has also been met with backlash, particularly in terms of bringing the animated characters and story to life.
Yet, even with negative responses to the live-action Moana trailers and some other choices made for the movie, it is very likely to be a box office success. In fact, Moana 2 is proof that, when it comes to Disney movies geared towards kids, audiences can complain and insist that the movie isn’t good, and it will still rake in money. By at least that metric, Toy Story 5 and live-action Moana are perfectly positioned to help Disney bounce back following The Mandalorian and Grogu.
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