“Disney is ruining my childhood with all these live action remakes!”
No, they’re not. The original movies are still perfectly intact no matter what’s in theaters now. However, I have news for you and every other 90’s kid out there, the live action Disney movies aren’t for you. It’s okay, I’m a 90’s kid too, and they aren’t for me. Jay’s an 80’s kid. They aren’t for him either. They aren’t for American audiences at all. Whatever money they make here is just icing on the cake.
These movies are for Shanghai Disneyland and the Chinese box office.
Let me explain.
In 2016, the Walt Disney Company opened its sixth theme park destination: Shanghai Disneyland, a park that, and I’m quoting Bob Iger here, is “authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese”.
However, there is one slight flaw in operating a Disney park in China. Western animation isn’t particularly popular so the characters aren’t known and adored the way they are here.
Enter in the live action remakes and sequels.
Disney is extremely good at everything they do; the company has had a long time to become a well-oiled, money-making machine. They’re taking stories that they know already work, that they might have to tweak or change a little, but they’re not starting fresh from the drawing board. They’re producing them in a new format with a fresh cast, and usually some new characters with a little added backstory. In doing so, they’re giving themselves a whole new target demographic, and it’s the most populated country in the world. You could even say it’s a whole new world! See what I did there?
Then they’re hosting these movie premieres at Shanghai Disneyland, and funneling both money and guests straight into the new park. Honestly, it’s kind of genius.
Did I love Aladdin?
No.
Did I hate it?
Also no.
I still went to see it, and it already made back its production costs within its opening weekend alone. I’m not going to get into spoilers, but there are issues I have with the film. Generally, they’re the same issues I had with Beauty and the Beast. You can’t do better than the original, so you have to do different. That said, I loved Christopher Robin more than I can put into words, and I hated Mary Poppins Returns. I also wasn’t that wild about the original Mary Poppins, but that’s neither here nor there.
The point is the live action Disney movies are not for the American box office. They are part of a much larger plan for spreading Disney magic around the world, and to drive both guests and money into Shanghai Disneyland. If you don’t like the live action Disney movies, don’t go see them. Making them isn’t hurting anything, and there is nothing on this earth that will keep me from being at The Lion King during opening week.
