Disney just announced it would be coming out with sequels to three popular titles, leaving fans divided over the merit of keeping legacy content alive versus coming up with original ideas.
The debate raged on after recently reinstated Disney CEO Bob Iger shared plans for updates to three massively popular movies — “Toy Story,” “Frozen,” and “Zootopia”– during an earnings call. The exec promised to have more details on the projects “soon.”
“Frozen” remains one of Disney Animation’s most successful franchises, with “Frozen 2” raking in more than $1.4 billion worldwide, per IGN. “Zootopia” delivered a strong $1.02 billion in earnings and will be getting a second installment after years of speculation. Meanwhile, “Toy Story 4” also earned $1.07 billion, making it a good candidate for a fifth film from a financial standpoint.
It’s worth mentioning that much of Disney’s newer original content hasn’t been performing as well, with their 2022 release “Strange World” set to lose $100 million following lackluster ticket sales. This was blamed on ongoing COVID concerns, but some critics pointed out certain Disney fans were turned off by the leftist content emphasizing environmentalism and LGBTQ inclusion.
News of the three upcoming Disney movies sparked mixed reactions on social media. Tim Allen, who voiced Buzz Lightyear in the original “Toy Story” franchise but not in the spinoff “Lightyear,” indicated that he’d be back for the new installment and was excited about it.
See ya soon Woody, you are a sad strange little man and you have my pity. And off we go to a number 5! To infinity and beyond! pic.twitter.com/bwRzE487Vi
— Tim Allen (@ofctimallen) February 9, 2023
“See ya soon Woody, you are a sad strange little man and you have my pity. And off we go to a number 5! To infinity and beyond!” he tweeted just after the news broke.
Some Disney fans attributed the company’s focus on legacy content to Iger’s recent return.
“Since Bob Iger is back…Disney is great again,” one person shared.
Others expressed boredom with the nonstop sequels, which are often seen as nothing more than cash grabs.
“Original stories would be nice for a change rather than cashing in on a franchise you already know you can sell. Grow a pair, Disney,” one person wrote.
“Toy Story 4 was mediocre and Lightyear was just bad. Let Toy Story go,” someone else complained.
These three big projects were announced just days after Disney made headlines for laying off 7,000 employees worldwide, representing about 4% of its workforce.
Disclosure: The Daily Wire has announced plans for kids entertainment content.