How Disney Plans to Counter Recent Marvel Flops & Star Wars Struggles

With recent box office challenges reshaping the landscape, Disney is shifting its approach to win back fans. While some major franchises, including Marvel, have struggled, the studio is exploring new directions to capture younger viewers. At the same time, executives are pushing for fresh projects aimed at strengthening its long-term appeal.

Disney plans to focus on original IP to win fans back

Disney is pressing Hollywood creatives for original movies aimed at young men aged 13–28, according to sources cited by Variety.

The studio’s focus on Gen Z males follows waning box office results from Marvel and Lucasfilm. Both franchises once dominated this demographic. Executives have requested pitches for “splashy global adventures and treasure hunts, as well as seasonal fare like films for the Halloween corridor,” the outlet claimed.

Industry studies describe Gen Z males as a “lonely, gaming-obsessed group who were hampered in their formative years by COVID-19 lockdowns,” as per Variety. Disney’s push for original IP comes after years of leaning on franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean and Indiana Jones. The 2023 Indiana Jones reboot earned $383 million worldwide on a $300 million budget before marketing, falling short of expectations.

David Greenbaum, appointed in 2024 to lead Disney’s live-action division, has been tasked with this effort. He hired former Paramount co-chief Daria Cercek, who worked on Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and A Quiet Place. Greenbaum built his career in prestige indie films, while Cercek adds franchise experience. A Disney insider confirmed that targeting Gen Z males is part of the company’s wider strategy.

Millennials remain Disney’s most reliable audience. They flock to live-action reboots of classics like Lilo & Stitch. The film grossed over $1 billion this year and “over-indexed with men and boys,” according to the studio. Gen Z, by contrast, has favored projects like A Minecraft Movie. That release neared $1 billion worldwide, boosted by viral theater trends.

Disney currently holds 10% of Gen Z’s market share, in line with Sony and Paramount, but trailing Warner Bros. To expand reach, Disney recently invested $1.5 billion in Fortnite, though it does not hold movie rights to the game.

CEO Bob Iger said on an earnings call that the priority “is to put out great movies,” whether original or existing IP.

Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on SuperHeroHype.

Source: Comingsoon.net