A few days ago, I went to see Wakanda Forever at a nearby mall theater. I’m not really a fan of Black Panther but considering that the lead actor just died, I was curious how the writers behind the film would handle the story now that the main lead is dead.
While I was sitting there waiting for the movie to begin, I discovered that the movie Strange World by Walt Disney was alternately shown in the same theater.
Upon knowing that, I was reminded of what I’d read in the papers saying that Disney’s Strange World didn’t have good box office receipts, meaning, it was a huge flop. I began to wonder why.
After a string of hits, Strange World was projected to earn between $30 to $40 million in its initial week, but it only grossed more or less $11.9 million from 4,174 North American theaters. And judging from what I’ve observed in the Dumaguete theater, it seems, people here weren’t also that agog about the latest Disney film.
So, I asked myself — what is in the story that bombed the movie in theaters worldwide?
After some digging, I discovered that in the movie — a ‘first” in Disney movies — there was a gay character, Ethan Clade. He is Disney’s first openly gay character.
I don’t want to sound judgmental, but is the character the reason why the movie flopped?
The mission of the Walt Disney Company is to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds, and innovative technologies that make it the world’s premier entertainment company.
It is committed to making a world where each person feels seen, heard, and understood. A balanced world where people and wildlife thrive. A world filled with hope and promise.
So I asked again: what made the film company go beyond the usual “feel-good” stories and explore an adult concept like homosexuality and coming-out themes within a movie geared towards children? Is it for profit? Expansion? They suddenly find themselves lacking in themes on which to base their stories on?
Perhaps the answer lies in what the cinema is for.
According to the movie outfit’s mission, they create films that would not just entertain, but also inform and inspire people globally through the power of incomparable storytelling. They are committed to helping make a world where each one is truly seen, heard, and understood.
On the other hand, the purpose of cinema is to show us exactly our world, and our lives, to get us to see them in a new light, to instruct us on something vital to our experiences, and probe into topics that impact us directly.
My guess is that Walt Disney wanted to show us (including the children) exactly the kind of world we live in. Thus, the shift in its theme.
The question is — are moviegoers, especially parents and adults, ready for such a shift?
According to a study by the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work published in the Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, Disney films combine entertainment with life lessons. These could be about affection and alliances, good versus evil, death and loss, and the significance of family.
These are the concepts that moviegoers are so used to seeing in Disney films. Parents believe that these issues strengthen children’s cognitive and behavioral development. That these films can be used as materials that could trigger parent-child conversations thus nurturing children’s minds and expanding their horizons in life.
In the Lion King (1994), children are encouraged not to worry and the “Hakuna-Matata” philosophy was born. It teaches us that people shouldn’t worry about the inevitable and to live in the present and try to do one’s best.
To say that growing up is inevitable is what the movie Peter Pan (1953) instilled in young minds. When Peter Pan brought Wendy to the Never Land (where nobody ages), they had a lot of fun, danger, and excitement. But they knew they had to come back to face reality and grow up.
It is saying that in life, it is fine to unleash the child in us but we need to face the real world when the time comes.
Rapunzel in Tangled (2010), stepped outside her comfort zone, from the tower she lived in for 18 years. Her journey outside made her see very unfamiliar things and painful truths. The lesson to be learned is that for one to improve and grow as an individual, one needs to embrace the unknown and dare to try something new because one never knows what one’s true potential could be.
These lessons are what millions of moviegoers are used to seeing.
Suddenly, the wholesome Disney is showing “gayness” in Strange World, a concept so strange to Disney consumers.
The people behind the movie say that the film is never about LGBTQ or simple “gayness” but more about exploration and acceptance.
I myself believe that exploration and acceptance are two very good concepts.
But we also need to understand that Walt Disney as a film outfit is evolving. And the “Just Let Us Be” movement is very strong at present and the “rainbow” colors are very dominant everywhere.
Superficially then, the shift in theme is just about right, and very timely.
But is the audience ready?
The answer is reflected in the box-office receipts.
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Author’s email: legis616821@gmail.com
