Disney Headlines for July 16th, 2022
Do you know the K-Pop band, BTS? If so, the latest set of Disney Headlines could have you squealing with delight…or groaning with agony.
A BIG DEAL
I’m using all caps here since it applies.
Throughout the course of Disney+, executives have demonstrated the willingness to make the splashy purchase when needed.
Perhaps the two best examples of this are Hamilton and Get Back. Hamilton shattered Broadway box office records and scored a massive amount of Tonys.
When word leaked of a filmed version of the production, everyone bid on it before Disney ultimately won.
During the heart of the pandemic, Disney unexpectedly debuted Hamilton on its streaming service, thereby ceding hundreds of millions of dollars in box office revenue.
With Get Back, Disney hired no less than Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings to produce a documentary about The Beatles.
While American audiences are overly familiar with both, this next story may not mean as much to some of you…but it’s an equally massive deal, I swear.
Disney has just acquired the licensing rights to broadcast two BTS concerts. It’s as close to a filmed performance of Beatlemania as you’ll get in your lifetime.
The Bangtan Boys, BTS for short, are a South Korean boy band that is unquestionably the most popular group in the world.
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry has lauded BTS as much for two consecutive years.
Also, the band is one of few musical acts in history to claim four different chart-topping albums in less than two years.
Basically, if you know who BTS is, you either love them or curse their existence. They’re like a South Korean Justin Bieber.
Fans of this group border on being in a cult, as even One Direction fans cast a wary eye toward BTS loyalists.
Now, Disney+ has earned the rights to air two BTS shows.
What’s the Deal?
At press time, details remain a bit fluid. Here’s what we know
Hybe Corporation, an entity you probably don’t even know, just suffered through a tumultuous month.
After BTS released its latest three-album anthology, Proof, members of the band confirmed that they were splitting up.
Hybe, the band’s management group, saw its stock price crater. Officials quickly announced that the band wasn’t breaking up but instead working on solo projects.
I’d make a Wings joke here, but many of you barely know who Paul McCartney is. So, it’d be lost on you.
Anyway, Hybe has quickly realized the golden goose may not be laying any eggs anytime soon.
For this reason, the company felt motivated to work with Disney on licensing rights.
Disney+ can air BTS: Permission to Dance On Stage – LA, a 4K concert film that the band recorded last November in Los Angeles, California.
The other prize of this deal is BTS Monuments: Beyond the Star, a docuseries about the band’s rise to prominence.
Variety indicates that these clips “will delve into the daily lives, thoughts and plans of BTS members as they prepare for their second chapter.”
I should add that these aren’t the only projects included in the agreement.
Disney also gained the rights to In the Soop: Friendcation, a travel show starring aka V from BTS.
The current belief is that Disney+ will air these programs in 2023. However, they could feasibly appear on Hulu+ instead.
Importantly, Disney has claimed the global rights, which means its international streaming services like Hotstar may also broadcast the BTS content.
Over the years, boy bands from the Sherman Brothers to the Jonas Brothers have proved quite lucrative for Disney.
This BTS deal is merely the latest example of Disney harnessing the power of boy bands.
State Farm Presents…Your Car!
Quick, name the largest aggravation when attending a sporting event or amusement park! It’s finding your car afterward, right?
You can never remember where you parked, and you spend several minutes roaming the aisles when you’re exhausted. It’s annoying.
Pro tip: take a picture of your parking lot section on your phone as you depart!
Pro tip 2: leave a smart device in your car and then use Find My Phone to track it down!
(Yes, I’ve had this happen a lot and had to develop anti-I’m a Moron tactics over the years.)
Well, Disney wants to solve this problem for you when you visit the parks. My Disney Experience is getting an upgrade that will save you aggravation.
Car Locator Presented by State Farm – yes, Disney has a sponsor for this – will use location services to log your car’s location in the parking lot.
Presuming that all goes well, you can then use the service at the end of the day to locate your vehicle in one of Disney’s massive parking lots.
We’ve Got Another One…
Remember that reddit forum we discussed a few weeks ago? Yeah, that one whose name I cannot say on a family website…
Well, we have another controversial post from there that I’m linking. Please remember that there’s swearing.
The gist is that a wealthy childless couple has offered to take two of their nieces and nephews to Walt Disney World.
An in-law misinterpreted this generous act to include them as well.
So, the couple has somehow offended family members by giving away a free vacation to their children.
As usual, the poster has asked for feedback on whether they’re in the wrong here. It’s fair to say that the overwhelming majority of Reddit thinks the in-law has messed up.
Sadly, that’s not necessarily gonna make things better.
Do you know what has never calmed down any situation? Finding out you’re the subject of internet conversations where people disagree with your actions.
So, yeah. That’s gonna be one anxious Disney trip if it still happens.