Disney has learned some difficult financial lessons in recent years. A series of box office failures, from Lightyear to Strange World to Wish, all of the studio’s animation sides lost money. Once unbeatable, Marvel Studios has been churning out blockbuster flops for years in a row, most notably Marvel’s, the biggest box office hit in years.
Many of these failures were related to political or social intentions. Whether the content was overtly political or not, the film’s focus was clear on and off screen. Disney’s two successes in 2024 were almost clear rejections of that premise. “Deadpool and Wolverine” poked fun at the “woke mob,” but “Inside Head 2” was completely apolitical.
Movie theaters aren’t the only area Disney is struggling with. It’s not just anime or Marvel. Lucasfilm, the company’s other flagship studio, released an avowedly Star Wars-themed show called Acolyte on Disney+ in early 2024. When the series was canceled in August, the series had a rumored budget of $180 million.
It turns out that the actual budget was much higher. It’s like 50 million dollars more expensive. at least.
A show that lost viewers, had terrible viewer reviews, and was woefully poorly plotted, written, and acted. And it cost $230 million to make.
LONDON – May 28, 2024 Amandla Stenberg attends ‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ UK Premiere at Odeon Lux Leicester Square. (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)
“The Acolyte” was also a big loss for Disney.
New tax filings from the entertainment giant reveal that the production budget for “The Acolyte” had ballooned to $230 million, even though the show was still in post-production. Disney almost certainly needed to spend more money on the post before it started streaming. And that certainly doesn’t take into account the huge marketing costs.
Conservative estimates suggest marketing costs will be around $50 million more. at least. Disney likely spent close to $280-300 million to produce, edit, and market “The Acolyte.” After a disappointing season, it was canceled.
This is what happens when studios and the entertainment industry as a whole try to create content for an audience that doesn’t actually exist. Unfortunately for them, “woke” consumers are few and far between, despite their overwhelming presence on the internet.
However, there are many Star Wars fans who want quality stories told in the Star Wars universe. They can tell when a bad product is presented. This product was created to tick a box, not to tell a well-crafted new and exciting story. “The Acolyte” failed in its most basic goal of being a quality piece of entertainment. It failed to portray the Star Wars world realistically. And by injecting modern left-wing political ideology where it shouldn’t, it intrigued viewers.
As these new tax returns show, it cost Disney dearly to keep its awakened creative talent happy. On a perhaps unrelated note, the company announced this week that it will lay off 300 employees as it continues to cut costs. Perhaps next time you can start by not insulting your audience.
