Disney Headlines for August 8th, 2023
This week, Justin Simien knows how to play the game, two people can’t stop getting married, and a Disney child star reveals a secret.
We’ve got a heady mix in the latest week of Disney Headlines.
You Can’t Blame Him for Trying
Image: Disney
Sadly, the box office for Disney’s 2023 Haunted Mansion release isn’t up to snuff.
Many consumers weren’t interested in watching a comedy-horror movie in July.
Image: Disney
Some of the ones who might have been willing to see it quickly realized that all the best jokes are in the trailer.
Still, I must credit the film’s director, Justin Simien, for understanding how the game gets played.
Image: Disney
Simien spent part of last week discussing his ideas for a Haunted Mansion sequel, which frankly isn’t happening, barring something wildly unforeseen.
Now, Simien has pivoted to a discussion of a potentially new adaptation of a popular Disney attraction.
Image: Disney
Simien has expressed an interest in turning the Captain EO attraction/mini-movie into a full-length feature.
While I doubt Disney has any interest in working on any project involving the late Michael Jackson at this point, I admire Simien’s understanding of Hollywood.
The director is trying to strike while the iron is hot by gaining a new assignment before everyone turns on him for Haunted Mansion’s performance.
Disney Looks Cheap and Shady Again
Photo: Disney+
As I type this, the Hollywood strikes rage on after 100+ days for the writers and nearly a month for the actors.
Last week, the group supporting Hollywood’s studios attempted to bargain with the writers.
Photo: Robert Hanashiro/USA Today
All that accomplished was for the writers to say they wouldn’t agree to a deal without the actors. So, we’re probably stuck in this mess for a while.
The reason why the studios suddenly came back to the negotiating table is that they’re losing the PR battle badly.
(Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Even worse, performers are comparing notes, which is something that shadier companies don’t want their workers to do.
Disney previously looked terrible when a popular actor, Robert Carradine, revealed that the studio once sent him a check for $0.00. NOT a typo.
Yes, Disney spent more on its accounting department’s expenses to create and mail that check than it paid Carradine for his services.
Soon after we learned that bit of hilarious corporate cheap-skating, a former Disney child star revealed another unbecoming business tactic.
Joey Bragg co-starred in four seasons of Liv and Maddie, as Joey Rooney, the younger brother of the twins.
Technically, Rooney only appeared during three seasons of Liv and Maddie, though.
Photo: Also Disney +
Season “four” of the series switched the setting to California. As part of that change, Disney renamed the show Liv and Maddie: Cali Style.
Apparently, the studio had a nefarious reason for this change. By resetting the cast to season one, Disney sidestepped its obligation to renegotiate contracts.
Why Disney Channel Shows Change Names
Image: Disney
On a podcast, Rooney stated the following:
“They have a deal with, I don’t know if it’s the unions or the AMPTP, but they had a deal where the first three seasons of a show, you get paid 88% of scale.
“So, it’s 88% of, like, minimum wage, pretty much, for the crew.
Source: Getty Images
“And then the idea is, you work on a show, it becomes popular, you go four, five, six seasons, and you get 100%, or whatever that is.
“But then, they, by the third season, even if the show’s popular, they reboot it as a brand new show.
Image: YouTube
“So, we were Liv and Maddie for the first three seasons, and the last season was Liv and Maddie: Cali Style.”
Disney didn’t perform this as a one-off action, either. Other examples include The Suite Life of Zach and Cody, which transitioned into The Suite Life on Deck, and Jessie, which Disney evolved into Bunk’d.
Photo: Also Disney+
Notably, Bunk’d has run for seven seasons in its current form. The cast has turned over enough that the wage issue isn’t as applicable, though.
Still, when you’re structuring a system to prevent child actors from gaining 12 percent of the pay they deserve, you’ve entered mustache-twirling villain territory.
For the Sixth and Hopefully Final Time, I DO!!!
Photo: Also Disney
Disney weddings are undeniably fairytale events.
Many loyal Disney fans dream of having the most magical ceremony possible. And the best way to do that is at Disney.
Still, one couple has probably stretched the concept to its logical extreme…and beyond.
Photo: Disney
According to an NBC News story, a couple has developed an odd addiction. They cannot stop getting married at Disney!
The couple married (for the first time) at Disneyland Resort in 2016.
Photo: Stephanie Machado (@datinginDisney)
Since then, “they’ve returned three times for extravagant vow renewal parties that include new dresses, new themes and new receptions.”
Yes, this duo has already spent four different days at a Disney wedding chapel, re-running the wedding vows they took a mere seven years ago.
Image: Disney
Mathematically, they’re getting remarried once every 21 months. Somehow, that’s not even the crazy part.
This couple intends to renew their vows at least twice more!
Folks, as a rule, Disney doesn’t really plan on repeat customers at its wedding chapel.
Sure, someone might renew their vows after, say, 10-25 years, but it’s not that kind of high-volume business for repeat customers.
I mean, if you work at the wedding chapel and recognize a customer from a couple of years ago, you presume there’s a story to tell, right?
Photo: Disney
That’s not the case here at all. Apparently, the husband and wife embrace the idea of Disney weddings/marriage renewals. So, they keep planning more.
According to the article, this couple has already celebrated wedding vow renewals themed on Star Wars and Up and they’re now planning two more.
This individual refers to herself as “The Serial Bride” and has created an Instagram account just for her Disney weddings.
No matter how much you think you love Disney, these people may have you beat.
One More Thing
Photo: Disney +
Back in the old days when this article was Disney Links, I used to include a few listicles and quizzes.
Since Disney Headlines went plaid during the pandemic, I’ve largely moved away from that.
However, Variety recently posted a list of the ten most underrated Disney movies.
The recency bias is real, and their selections for #4 and #1 border on indefensible, but it’s a fun list overall and well worth a read!
Photo: MickeyBlog
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Feature Photo: Disney
