Disney is a behemoth force in the entertainment industry, one that is constantly releasing new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Unfortunately, some of the big summer movies have failed to make money at the box office. But even though The Mandalorian and Grogu is lowest earning Star Wars movie and the live-action Moana failed at the box office, Disney's CEO explained why it's not all bad.
When The Mandalorian and Grogu underperformed, it definitely turned the heads of fans who grew up on the galaxy far, far away. Add in the live-action Moana's poor reviews and disappointing box office performance, and some folks might think that the House of Mouse is in trouble. But during the company's earnings call (via Variety) CEO Josh D’Amaro shared some silver lining. In his words:
Even when our franchise films don’t meet our box office expectations, as with the Mandalorian and Grogu and the live-action Moana, our investments in these core properties fuel other parts of our company.
This is a perspective that might be lost on moviegoers, who only see how full theaters are and how much money each new release ultimately makes. But while Moana and Mando might have not made as much money at the box office as intended, there are other ways that those titles financially contributed to Disney as a whole. And as such, live-action Disney adaptations and upcoming Star Wars movies might not be in jeopardy after all.
So how exactly did these two movies service the studio, despite its poor performance in theaters? In the same earnings call, D’Amaro got into the details, saying:
The Mandalorian and Grogu drove healthy growth in retail sales for the Star Wars franchise and drew guests to the updated Millennium Falcon attraction at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, and led to significant engagement in gaming as well. And the live-action Moana is expected to be a strong title on Disney+, building on the success of the original film, which is one of the most-streamed movies of all time.
Honestly, this does track. Because even if The Mandalorian and Grogu didn't make enough money at the box office, it helped sell a ton of merchandise. What's more, it also helped bring people back to a revamped version of Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Disney's parks.
And while not everyone ran to theaters to see the live-action Moana, it's almost guaranteed to be a hit when it arrives on Disney+. These beloved kids movies tend to be re-watched over and over again by families on the streaming service, so the studio could end up getting its moneys worth after all.
It remains to be seen when both Moana and The Mandalorian and Grogu end up streaming over on Disney+. For now, the latter can be purchased and rented on digital. We'll just have to wait and see what comes next for these two franchises.
