Disney has long been one of the strongest entertainment companies that brought unique content to its fans. It is also the hub of Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar franchises. However, fans have noticed a massive downfall in the content the franchises are presenting us, leaving us skeptical about its future.
As the franchises struggle with their underwhelming content, it sparks considerable debate among fans and critics, connecting its poor performance with the House of Mouse.
Fans Discuss the Recent Downfall of Marvel and Star Wars
Disney has faced considerable turmoil after a series of big-budget projects failed to capture audiences’ attention across both the Pixar and live-action franchises like Marvel Studios and Star Wars.
What was once hailed as a cultural phenomenon continues to disappoint audiences with its seemingly half-cooked content with fans attributing that to strategic missteps by the House of Mouse.
One fan took to X to express their opinion about the same, reflecting that the three major entertainment franchises have been “singlehandedly destroyed” by the entertainment company. Check out the tweet here.
it's insane how Disney+ singlehandedly destroyed three of the most universally trusted brand names with Marvel, Star War and Pixar in like less than two years
— Sage Hyden (@sagehyden) June 2, 2024
It is well known to everyone that all these franchises were enjoying their peak with content that hooked audiences with the storyline. However, a sudden shift was witnessed when the studio decided to expand the franchise, thus somehow pushing for more quantity over quality.
Even the other audiences agreed with the first user, expressing their disappointment with what happened to Disney’s most cherished brands.
Check the other tweets here.
The arc of Pixar is that it first saved Disney then, over the span of 15 years Disney ate it like acid. Star Wars, was them botching the easiest salvage job of all time. And with Marvel it killed the goose that laid the golden eggs.
— Shut It Down. Goodnight. (@ShutItAIIDown) June 3, 2024
Verbatim the conversation I had with the family.
It’s hard to ruin Star Wars. The lore is readily available to be made into movies.
Hard to ruin Marvel, which also has plenty of canon material.
Over saturation of product with mediocre quality.
Common sense failed them.
— PHANOLD (@chickenparnesan) June 3, 2024
Unless of course that was the goal. It’s less about entertainment and more about political messaging. Shareholders should sue.
— Eric🇧 (@explosivo412) June 3, 2024
There will be documentaries. Someday.
— Erik Porter (@HumanCompiler) June 2, 2024
What once thought would elevate its content, ended up jeopardizing the entire franchise, be it Marvel or Star Wars. One such factor was to drive subscriptions for Disney+. However, the overemphasis on the subscription strategy played a major factor in reducing the quality of content. Not just that, even the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption further pushed the shift towards streaming, which further showcased the limitation the streaming content had over high-quality theatrical releases.
What Went Wrong With Disney’s most cherished brands – Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar?
Disney’s handling of the fan-favorite franchises can be traced back to a series of strategic missteps that significantly impacted its decline. Starting from Marvel Studios, it delivered massive blockbusters including 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.
However, the post-Endgame era saw a massive downgrade in its content as the franchise pushed for quantity over quality. Ever since 2019, the superhero franchise has released 10 series and 7 movies, which heavily impacted its storytelling, resulting in audience fatigue and disappointing box-office numbers.
While shows like What If…?, Wanda Vision, and Loki have garnered audiences positive reception, shows like Echo, The Falcon, and the Winter Soldier, and She-Hulk struggled to keep them hooked.
Another long-standing franchise, Star Wars experienced a similar tumultuous era since its acquisition by Disney. One such best example is the sequel trilogy, starting with The Force Awakens was intended to bring a fresh life into the sci-fi saga but it managed only to face criticism for its weak narrative and character arcs.
Although The Mandalorian starring Pedro Pascal was a positive addition to the franchise, other series like The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi somehow lacked in that department. These franchises were believed to work on nostalgia rather than delivering innovative narratives.
As for Pixar, it initially helped Disney with hits like Toy Story 3 and Inside Out. However, the franchise too has witnessed a major decline in its content that failed to capture the magic it presented earlier. Movies like The Good Dinosaur and Onward underperformed whereas the direct release of Luca and Turning Red to Disney+ further backfired in reducing the brand’s image.
However, the studio has announced a strategic restructuring to restore the lost charm of these beloved brands that prioritize quality and coherent storytelling.
