Rumors that Disney is in negotiations to sell Star Wars back to George Lucas!

[Aluminum Falcon]

It’s relevant if cast members are used as an excuse.

Reason is different then excuse

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Reason is different then excuse

Yes and we don’t know which is true so bringing it up doesn’t advance an argument.

 

[leiaorgana]

Disney Plus offered a three-year deal before the service started in 2019. That deal ended in 2022. I would imagine that has a lot to do with a loss of subscribers.

ETA: Right now, there are no major shows airing on Disney Plus, so I imagine people have canceled until the next Marvel or Star Wars show drops.

That’s a very good point. Also add in how bad the economy is right now in other parts of the world and that’s most likely the biggest factor in them losing subscribers. A few months back here in the UK, it got so bad that people who were less economically well off were having to choose between heating their houses to stay warm through the winter or feeding their kids so of course unnecessary luxuries like streaming platforms were the first things people got rid of to save money. It has nothing to do with the quality of the content on there and more to do with people’s current quality of life situations but people don’t seem to take those factors into consideration and just want to make it about the shows/movies being “bad” on there.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Yes and we don’t know which is true so bringing it up doesn’t advance an argument.

From what's been reported Chapek was not a fan of the announcement, but felt he had no choice because of the outcrying from the cast members. Odd that he would need an excuse to release something he wasn't in agreement of in the first place. Unless you believe the reports are false, and in that case we can agree to disagree

 

[AvidDisReader]

Disney Plus offered a three-year deal before the service started in 2019. That deal ended in 2022. I would imagine that has a lot to do with a loss of subscribers.

ETA: Right now, there are no major shows airing on Disney Plus, so I imagine people have canceled until the next Marvel or Star Wars show drops.

All the losses in subscribers are attributed to India and the loss of Cricket streaming rights.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

This won't happen with the new strategy of tying Hulu in tightly with D+, but if it were to happen, my big concern is now all that IP ends up in a competitors hands. And there is plenty of cash sitting on the tech companies balance sheets that would make them even bigger streaming competitors. So I see it as a mistake to sell it off. If Disney doesn't want the content on their own streamers/networks, then they should retain ownership and license it out to the highest bidder, that at least creates a long term revenue stream.

Even with Hulu getting tied tightly with Disney+, I don’t think they need 20th Century Studios and its IP to make it work, because Disney has already made general entertainment content long before. They have a catalog of films and shows from ABC, Freeform, A+E, ESPN, Touchstone Pictures, Touchstone Television, and Hollywood Pictures, along with the Lucasfilm and Marvel stuff, so I think that would be plenty. There also should be competition in the world. Too much M&A hurts that motive.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

From what's been reported Chapek was not a fan of the announcement, but felt he had no choice because of the outcrying from the cast members. Odd that he would need an excuse to release something he wasn't in agreement of in the first place.

Again, outcry from some cast members. We don’t know how many and neither does anyone because Disney never asked cast members how they felt about it.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Again, outcry from some cast members. We don’t know how many and neither does anyone because Disney never asked cast members how they felt about it.

all i was saying is that they had a reason and not an excuse. you are correct about not knowing how many cast members were clamoring for this, but it doesn't change the fact that Chapek felt compelled to issue a statement he didn't want to issue.

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

Chapek likely knew he was kicking over a hornets nest, and that’s why the video somewhat resembled a hostage video. He likely disagreed with wading into politics on this, but felt like he was forced to. Chapek is not a dumb guy, he knew it was treacherous territory to be stepping into.

 

[middlechild]

Reports suggested Chapek had problems dealing with creative talent in a managerial fashion, unlike Iger. If Victoria Alonso is to be believed, her voice forced Chapek's hand to do what he did. She was released under Iger's watch for cause [lawsuit]. Iger is now trying to reign in Star Wars, and Indy 5 is providing fuel to the fire. A CEO should be watching out for the whole company's public persona, and appeal to all markets possible. A 5 min wait during Memorial Day weekend, movies not returning a profit, all point to the size of Iger's problems. And now the CFO is gone, just when funds would be gathering for the Hulu deadline. Can Star Wars be fixed, as in return to the same profit profile of episode VII?

 

[Douglas Dubh]

all i was saying is that they had a reason and not an excuse.

It’s only a reason if they can say a majority of cast members were against the legislation, which they can’t. Therefore it’s an excuse.

 

[DefnotDLav]

Chapek likely knew he was kicking over a hornets nest, and that’s why the video somewhat resembled a hostage video. He likely disagreed with wading into politics on this, but felt like he was forced to. Chapek is not a dumb guy, he knew it was treacherous territory to be stepping into.

No one expected the 1A to get violated.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Chapek likely knew he was kicking over a hornets nest, and that’s why the video somewhat resembled a hostage video. He likely disagreed with wading into politics on this, but felt like he was forced to. Chapek is not a dumb guy, he knew it was treacherous territory to be stepping into.

If laws weren't potentially violated in response to Disney there would be no backlash to speak of today, or really back when it happened. I believe that would have been a nothing story (maybe more so locally) if the government didn't get involved to the extent it has. So that hornets nest you're speaking of was manufactured (probably illegally) by Florida's Government

 

[Douglas Dubh]

If laws weren't potentially violated in response to Disney there would be no backlash to speak of today, or really back when it happened. I believe that would have been a nothing story (maybe more so locally) if the government didn't get involved to the extent it has. So that hornets nest you're speaking of was manufactured (probably illegally) by Florida's Government

I totally disagree with this but this thread is going to go off the rails if we continue to debate it.

 

[irlandaise]

So how has Disney done in the theater and on Disney+ since this statement? Isn’t that the consumer? Disney+ lost 4 million subs last quarter while Netflix grew. Disney may not have but 1 profitable movie (Guardians) all year long in 2023.

Is this all 100% related, not likely. However, it is certainly data that suggests the consumers are not thrilled with Disney’s recent management actions overall.

Please tell me you don't really believe that 4.6 million consumers in India canceled their Disney streaming subscriptions because they didn't like what Disney said about a law in Florida. That statement isn't even 0.000001% related to those 4M cancellations.

 

[nancipants]

Um, are you saying that Villains of Valley View is not a major show?

It's actually pretty good, in that cheesey Disney Channel sort of way. To me, shows like that are like spinner rides at Disney World. Nobody really gets excited about them, but they serve a purpose.

Listen, I downloaded all eight episodes of Pupstruction last night, I’m here for all the random content.

 

[Disney Bobby]

It’s only a reason if they can say a majority of cast members were against the legislation, which they can’t. Therefore it’s an excuse.

Because Iger and crew REALLY care about the little people. LOL. Maybe cast members should have complained about layoffs instead. Companies aren't required to take up the political fights of a subset of their employees. What about the employees that agreed with the law? Nothing more than mindless virtue signaling that went sideways.

 

[starlite_]

Has there really been a huge backlash against Disney, though? I saw another survey today that showed favorable/unfavorable opinions about Disney remained unchanged.

Not at all, even those that say they hate "the direction" Disney is going are still here complaining about it. I sincerely doubt they will actually stop giving money to the mouse in one way or another.

 

[wkrainey]

About that stuff on Disney's financial health and getting Hulu in this thread, what I really think Disney should do is move 20th Century Studios to a separate unit and then sell it off, along with its IP and library (excluding Avatar, the Lucasfilm catalog, and the Marvel films/shows). I also really think the new Disney CEO should take risks and make fresh, new ideas for the big screen (not just Disney+, especially for live-action content), or everyone will get burned out by too many remakes and sequels (I disagree on your comment about that, @BrianL)!

I always figured they would negotiate franchises out to trade for Spiderman. Terminator and the Simpsons would get heavy hitters to trade for a film set like that, or even to Universal to get the in-park rights to Marvel back.

 

[RivShore]

I always figured they would negotiate franchises out to trade for Spiderman. Terminator and the Simpsons would get heavy hitters to trade for a film set like that, or even to Universal to get the in-park rights to Marvel back.

That's an interesting idea and I have wondered what other things might get thrown into the Hulu buyout.

Iger got Oswald back from Universal as part of an unrelated deal, maybe Marvel east coast park rights can get bundled into this deal.