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LAS VEGAS (AP) — A week into a week of mass layoffs at Disney, the leadership team of its film division gathered in Las Vegas Wednesday to pitch its success and upcoming releases to a crowd of theater owners and exhibitors. movie of.
Presentations from The Walt Disney Company, as well as exclusive new footage from films like “Indiana Jones and the Clock of Fate,” “The Elements,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” and more. 3″ and “The Little Mermaid” were part of the CinemaCon convention. At the week-long trade conference, major Hollywood studios made splashy demos to reassure those who play their films that they’ll be getting more money from the biggest chains like AMC. To single-screen independent theaters, they have enough content to make audiences buy movie tickets.
Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman first took the stage at the Colosseum Theater at Caesars Palace.
“I wanted to come and thank you in person for your support,” Bergman said. “I know how difficult the past few years have been, but it’s great that business is finally back.”
Disney has been the top-grossing studio worldwide every year since 2016. Last year, the company released four of the 10 highest-grossing films domestically. Those four films — “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Thor: Love and Thunder” — accounted for 27 percent of the domestic box office. . Worldwide, Avatar: Way of Water grossed more than $2.3 billion, making it the third-most successful film of all time.
The company will conduct its second round of layoffs this year through Thursday. Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger said in February that the company would cut about 7,000 jobs as part of an ambitious company-wide cost-saving plan and “strategic restructuring.” The layoffs represent about 3 percent of the entertainment giant’s global workforce and are part of the Burbank-based company’s $5.5 billion cost-saving goal.
In Las Vegas, Tony Chambers, head of theatrical distribution, said that whether it was before, during or after the pandemic, Disney has been “offering your theaters a great lineup of stories that we’re about to release.” films are no exception.”
This year will be the first time since 2019 that Disney will release films from all seven of its production studios in theaters: 20th Century, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Disney, Pixar, Disney Animation and Searchlight.
Theme park films still in theaters in 2023 include Justin Simeon’s “The Haunted Mansion” (July 28), starring Danny DeVito and Owen Wilson, and the live-action “The Little Mermaid” (May 26). ), Indiana Jones’ new film, Marvel releases in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (May 5) and “The Marvels,” Disney’s animated musical “Wish” with Ariana DeBose and Chris Pine, and the Pixar original “Elemental” (June 16).
Several recent Pixar titles have been sent directly to Disney+ during the pandemic, including “Soul,” “Luca” and “Turn Red.” Disney made its theatrical debut on Wednesday (and also premiered at the Cannes Film Festival), an informative showcase, with the premiere of a 20-minute 3D film about a city where all the elements live together but stand alone.
Disney’s CinemaCon presentations usually focus on movies rather than celebrities, but this year they had a few surprises: Harrison Ford and Melissa McCarthy.
Ford covered the exciting chase scene from Indiana Jones 5 in a pre-recorded video message.
“Playing Indiana Jones has meant the world to me over the years,” Ford said. “We’re excited for everyone to experience the movie on June 30th on the biggest and best screen.”
Raiders of the Lost Ark will also have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next month.
McCarthy, who voiced Ursula in “The Little Mermaid,” personally introduced a clip of her singing “Poor Unfortunate Soul.”
“Ursula was good at everything. She was good. She was a pampering woman,” McCarthy said. “Maybe that’s why I connected.”
Other upcoming releases include Kenneth Branagh’s “The Haunting of Venice” (September 15), “The Goblin” (June 2) and John David Washington’s 20th-Century Adventures. Science fiction drama “The Creator” (September 29) studio.
Searchlight has romantic satire “Theatre Camp” (July 14) and Taika Waititi’s comedy football flick “Next Goal Wins” (November 17). Coached the struggling American Samoa national football team. The trailer had the audience laughing and clapping.
Chambers made no mention of “Magazine Dreams,” a collaboration with Jonathan Majors, slated for release earlier this year on Dec. 8 after a successful Sundance debut. Majors, who is also the Marvel Universe’s new main villain Kang, was arrested in March on assault charges. Lawyers for Majors have denied any wrongdoing by the actor.
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