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Thanks to Dark Phoenix bombing hard, Disney is now very hesitant about the films it inherited from the Fox deal.

mreddie

mreddie

Member
Oct 26, 2017
43,918
Thanks Dank Phoenix.

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https://variety.com/2019/film/featu...ain-1203300260/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Twentieth Century Fox received its first-quarter grades from the Walt Disney Co. last week, and in a public rebuke, the studio's new corporate parent made it plain that it viewed the first few months as an ominous sign of trouble ahead.

In a sharp reprimand that left staffers at Fox reeling and worried about their already fragile job security, Disney chief executive Bob Iger declared on the company's Aug. 6 quarterly earnings call that "the Fox studio performance … was well below where it had been and well below where we hoped it would be when we made the acquisition." Iger's tone was measured, but his message was clear: Shape up.

"I've never seen a public hanging like that," remarks one prominent Hollywood producer.
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Disney is optimistic that handing Fox superhero properties such as "Fantastic Four" and "X-Men" to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige will improve the quality of these movies, but bumps must be smoothed over in that transition. The studio is unimpressed with "New Mutants," an "X-Men" spinoff with a haunted-house vibe, and believes it has limited box office potential.

The studio is also grappling with how to fit the very R-rated Deadpool into its PG-13-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The goal is to find a way for the character to move seamlessly between "Avengers" spinoffs and bloody, profane stand-alone adventures.
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Thanos Iger snapped away Fox's planned films.

Gone are original films such as a slate of titles from British animator Locksmith. The company's completed movie "Ron's Gone Wrong," about a fleet of robots designed to be every child's best friend, will be released by Disney in November 2020 — but three slated projects, including a film about misbehaving fairies (pitched as naughty Tinkerbells) have been given back to their creators. A live-action version of the female-centered comic "Lumberjanes," from animator Noelle Stevenson, has also been canceled. TV kingpin Greg Berlanti will no longer direct the Jackie Kennedy drama "The Editor," but is still attached to produce it along with the movie musical "Be More Chill."
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They are banking on West Side Story though.

Also, Jojo Rabbit looks like it could be a make or break for Searchlight.

The only bright spot for the film operation would seem to be Fox Searchlight, the long-operating darling of the indie film world, which will test Disney's patience with the wacky Hitler drama "Jojo Rabbit," from "Thor: Ragnarok" director Taika Waititi, this fall. The movie is expected to be a major awards contender.

The scathing takedown of Nazism may, however, prove a little too edgy for Disney brass accustomed to producing movies suitable for parents and kids. Searchlight has started to screen the film for its new parent company. Halfway through one recent viewing one executive grew audibly uncomfortable, worrying aloud that the material would alienate Disney fans. His unease may have been over the film's cutting-edge satire, but it was also an expression of the culture clash taking place as the two studios embark on their new union.
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EDIT: Oh this link is from the New Mutants thread, lock this thread then.
 
RPGamer92

RPGamer92

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Oct 25, 2017
4,531
Dark Phoenix bombed because everyone knew it was the end of Fox-men. Everyone will be in day 1 to see MCU X-Men so this is pretty weird.
 
RecRoulette

RecRoulette

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The studio is also grappling with how to fit the very R-rated Deadpool into its PG-13-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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I thought Once Upon a Deadpool was literally a test case for this, otherwise make the MCU Deadpool movie the one where Thor says fuck
 
BDS

BDS

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Oct 25, 2017
13,845
This is posturing for shareholders from Disney, they were fully aware these films would not succeed.
 
PanSexual_Peacock

PanSexual_Peacock

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Oct 27, 2017
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They were always going to be hesitant regardless of Dark Phoenix. Disney is only interested in properties they think can net them a billion while also milking whatever they can out of merchandising.
 
CloudWolf

CloudWolf

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Oct 26, 2017
15,580
Pretty sure Disney knew Dark Phoenix would bomb and just waited so they could have a 'reason' to cut most of Fox's productions.
 
caliph95

caliph95

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Oct 25, 2017
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RPGamer92 said:
Dark Phoenix bombed because everyone knew it was the end of Fox-men. Everyone will be in day 1 to see MCU X-Men so this is pretty weird.
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I don't think that's it

It bombed because the movie failed to generate excitement and Apocalypse sucked and killed whatever goodwill they had

If Apocalypse was good I've no doubt that Dark Phoenix would have at least a better opening
 
Illusion

Illusion

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
8,407
Deadpool works by having him have his standalone adventures, then when he's in a crossover/Avengers movie he breaks the 4th wall to tell the audience he has to behave so he can stay in the movie.
 
Surakian

Surakian

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Oct 27, 2017
10,795
Disney knew what they were getting into. This all sounds like them just trying to find reasons to placate the shareholders
 
caliph95

caliph95

Member
Oct 25, 2017
35,132
Also it sucks for the original films that got cut

I do find this amusing

. Halfway through one recent viewing one executive grew audibly uncomfortable, worrying aloud that the material would alienate Disney fans. His unease may have been over the film's cutting-edge satire, but it was also an expression of the culture clash taking place as the two studios embark on their new union.
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I'm more interested for Jojo rabbit than I was before and I was excited for it
 
Soj

Soj

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Oct 27, 2017
10,685
Deadpool movies would be better without the endless swearing anyway. It would force them to write actual jokes.
 
Lebron

Lebron

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Oct 30, 2017
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RPGamer92 said:
Dark Phoenix bombed because everyone knew it was the end of Fox-men. Everyone will be in day 1 to see MCU X-Men so this is pretty weird.
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That's one take.

But we will never really know why Fox's second attempt at the Phoenix storyline failed after allowing the same guy who fumbled it horribly the first time the chance to once again write and even direct it this time.

One must really wonder why they are currently in the hot seat at Disney for such genius decisions.
 
caliph95

caliph95

Member
Oct 25, 2017
35,132
Lebron said:
That's one take.

But we will never really know why Fox's second attempt at the Phoenix storyline failed after allowing the same guy who fumbled it horribly the first time the chance to once again write and even direct it this time.

One must really wonder why they are currently in the hot seat at Disney for such genius decisions.
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Also again it's been proven if the previous movie sucked the sequel usually suffers

Not always but it hurts
 
Dr. Lucien Sanchez

Dr. Lucien Sanchez

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Oct 27, 2017
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The only bright spot for the film operation would seem to be Fox Searchlight, the long-operating darling of the indie film world, which will test Disney's patience with the wacky Hitler drama "Jojo Rabbit," from "Thor: Ragnarok" director Taika Waititi, this fall. The movie is expected to be a major awards contender.

The scathing takedown of Nazism may, however, prove a little too edgy for Disney brass accustomed to producing movies suitable for parents and kids. Searchlight has started to screen the film for its new parent company. Halfway through one recent viewing one executive grew audibly uncomfortable, worrying aloud that the material would alienate Disney fans. His unease may have been over the film's cutting-edge satire, but it was also an expression of the culture clash taking place as the two studios embark on their new union.
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Terrific.

At least those marvel movies though, am i right
 
Neoxon

Neoxon

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RecRoulette said:
I thought Once Upon a Deadpool was literally a test case for this, otherwise make the MCU Deadpool movie the one where Thor says fuck
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It's honestly a simple solution. Keep Deadpool's movies R & make it perfectly clear to the general public (possibly with a Marvel MAX brand), while toning him down for crossovers.
 
CloudWolf

CloudWolf

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Oct 26, 2017
15,580
I fear for Fox Searchlight by the way, if that Jojo Rabbit quote is something to go on.

I feel that if Jojo Rabbit doesn't get major award consideration (which it probably won't, as Taika's films are way too weird for the Oscars), Disney's gonna grind down hard on them. They're gonna become a streaming factory. Hell, this quote already reads like Disney reaaaaaally wants to meddle with the film.
 
Rvaan

Rvaan

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Oct 25, 2017
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Surakian said:
Disney knew what they were getting into. This all sounds like them just trying to find reasons to placate the shareholders
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I don't think they expected the Fox execs to stop doing their jobs once the merger was announced. Fox stopped making decisions on movies for a year and a half which as a major movie studio is a bad idea.
 
molnizzle

molnizzle

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Illusion said:
Deadpool works by having him have his standalone adventures, then when he's in a crossover/Avengers movie he breaks the 4th wall to tell the audience he has to behave so he can stay in the movie.
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I'd really prefer if Deadpool kept the 4th wall shit contained in his standalone movies. Don't really want to see that level of silliness in the team-up films.
 
TDLink

TDLink

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Oct 25, 2017
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I don't know why this is surprising. Disney never really wanted fox as a studio or their slate. They wanted their IP, key executives, Hulu, and FX. And their decisions reflect that.

Dark Phoenix being made a false scapegoat is just for shareholders.
 
jett

jett

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Oct 25, 2017
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Everyone knew that movie was going to be a disaster, before Disney acquired Fox. Nothing but an excuse to start destroying Fox from the inside.

CloudWolf said:
Pretty sure Disney knew Dark Phoenix would bomb and just waited so they could have a 'reason' to cut most of Fox's productions.
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Indeed.
 
Bunkles

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RPGamer92 said:
Dark Phoenix bombed because everyone knew it was the end of Fox-men. Everyone will be in day 1 to see MCU X-Men so this is pretty weird.
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lol what... no. Corporate politics does not influence most moviegoers. If Dark Phoenix was good, people would have watched it.
 
Chaos Legion

Chaos Legion

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Rvaan said:
I don't think they expected the Fox execs to stop doing their jobs once the merger was announced. Fox stopped making decisions on movies for a year and a half which as a major movie studio is a bad idea.
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I agree that Fox had a fiduciary duty to continue operating as a standalone entity under the assumption the merger would not have closed, but they also had the possibility of being owned by NBCUniversal which would have meant a different thing for the future of its film slate.

Understandably a difficult time for the Fox brass.
 
Christian

Christian

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Oct 25, 2017
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Haven't seen this type of fear-mongering since Hispanic caravans started invading the United States!
 
mjc

mjc

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Soj said:
Deadpool movies would be better without the endless swearing anyway. It would force them to write actual jokes.
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You're gonna get nailed for saying this but you're right. I thought Deadpool did much better overall on the comedic front than DP2 did. It leaned too heavily into throwing random swears out for the fun of it. Deadpool is better than that as a character.
 

Deleted member 6730

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xxracerxx said:
Or more likely that it was just a bad movie.
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It's both. Dark Phoenix sucked but everybody knew Disney was about to reboot X-Men into the MCU so the entire movie itself is pointless. Casual fans aren't going to like it because it sucks and hardcore fans aren't going to care because there was nothing worth getting excited over.
 
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