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DisneyCCO and cobalt - chairman Alan Horn read the studio apartment is disappointed by the routine of Fox movie that fall through at the box office . to begin with this class , the Mouse House ’s learning of 20th Century Fox became official , and Disney inherited a full slate of projects - many of which they had nothing to do with beforehand . While there ’s much excitement about the longterm possibilities of the purchase ( includingthe 10 - humanity and Fantastic Four at long last joining the MCU ) , the quick future was far more underwhelming . Disney was tasked with over watch the releases of uninspiring picture show , such asStuberandThe Art of Racing in the Rain .
Unsurprisingly , these movies did n’t gain much traction commercially . These days , Disney is synonymous with box office success , but they ’ve had a rough go at it with their first quite a little of Fox films . Dark Phoenixwas likely the most infamous instance , bomb with only $ 65 million total domestically . In fact , religious dramaBreakthroughis the only Fox / Disney picture to be profitable so far . For Horn and caller , it ’s an unfortunate turn of case .
Related : Disney Is Releasing Fox Bombs ( But They Should n’t Worry )
utter withVariety , Horn addressed Fox ’s hapless performances at the box office the past few month , part chalk things up to the competitive nature of the diligence :
“ Of of course it was disappointing . There ’s a effective old locution : ‘ The crow does n’t taste very right but it is nutrition . ’ Everyone memorise from failure . I certainly see failure in my calling . We were disappointed at the results of those [ Fox ] cinema . We did n’t know anything about them , we did n’t see them . Before the acquisition , we were not allowed to see them because of the so - called torpedo jumping rule . We are not earmark to interact with them , give them advice , tell them what to do or what not to do . We were completely hands off , it was up to them .
" But it ’s the motion-picture show patronage . I do n’t want to be critical . Some of these pictures , I enjoy them . I liked them . The artistry of Racing in the rainfall , I enjoyed the movie . It ’s just rough out there . It ’s competitive . It ’s more challenging than ever before . There are full films that will lose money and there are films that are not so estimable that will make money . Who know . ”
Disney ’s led a charmed lifetime the preceding few age , drive the popularity of major foot soldier like Pixar , Marvel , andStar Wars . Those properties routinely clean up at the box office ( with the rarified exception ) , so a string of failures is something new for the studio apartment . It ’ll be interesting to see what lessons they take away from this twist of events . With the launching of Disney+ , it ’s possible some mid - budget project might be easily served for that program than a traditional theatrical dismissal . Something likeThe Art of Racing in the Rainlikely had limited commercial appeal , but maybe it could have found an consultation on the streaming service . Disney ’s already experimenting with this model , releasingLady and the TrampandNoelleas Disney+ originals .
Of course , there will still be 20th Century Fox films playing on the big screen , and Disney would like to see a few of them plough a profit . Next up is James Mangold ’s racing dramaFord v Ferrari , which earned cocksure reviews and is generating some Oscar bombilation . That could go forth as a boxwood part succeeder . Looking forward to 2020 , Fox has intriguing projects likeThe King ’s Man , Free Guy(starring Ryan Reynolds ) , and Steven Spielberg’sWest Side Storythat all sound promising . The bighearted guns are James Cameron’sAvatarsequels , review to the second - highest grossing photographic film of all - time . Hopefully , it wo n’t be much foresightful untilDisneystarts reaping the benefits of their latest leverage .
More : Every Fox Movie On Disney+
informant : Variety