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Disney and its content brands, like Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel, have had a rough ride at the box office since early 2020, when the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of most movie theaters and cinemas across the country. While not every single film has been a failure over the previous three years, the vast majority of Disney-owned releases have fared poorly, whether it was released on the Disney+ streaming platform only or at the box office first.
In 2022, every major film offering released by Disney was met with harsh critical responses and poor returns in ratings and earnings (for those that enjoyed a theatrical release).
Pixar’s Turning Red debuted on Disney+ in March 2022 and fell flat. The studio’s next release, Lightyear, was the first Pixar film to see the inside of a moviehouse since March 2020, when Onward debuted just days into the onset of the pandemic in the U.S. The film, which is a spinoff (of sorts) of the studio’s highly lucrative Toy Story film franchise, was problematic months before its theatrical debut and ultimately did not follow in the footsteps of its predecessors at the box office.
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Credit: Disney/Pixar
Then, in November 2022, Disney released its 61st feature animated film, Strange World, and the most that can be said for it is that it was a strange film. Also problematic before its box office release, Strange World cost Disney a fortune, and when combined with the other two film failures of 2022, The Walt Disney Company found itself in quite a mess when it came to box office performance.
The less-than-successful film trend at The Walt Disney Company seems to be continuing, as the studio’s most recent release, Wish, was marketed as a “love story about Walt Disney Animation,” and fans were told there are as many as 150 classic Disney hidden “Easter eggs” in the film, reigniting the excitement over seeing a Disney film for some.
“Wish” (2022)/Credit: Walt Disney Animation
Sadly, Wish has largely disappointed fans up to this point.
But when it comes to television offerings, Disney takes home the prize, and that doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon.
On Tuesday, the Critics Choice Association announced nominations for the 2024 Critics Choice Awards in Television. Though Disney wasn’t the only studio nominated, the Mouse House beat out every other studio and broadcaster, amassing 40 nominations in various areas, including Best Animated Series, Best Comedy Series, and Best Made-for-Television Movie.