Summary
- Disney animator Taylor Gessler Lanning believes the negative reviews for Wish highlight the need for Disney to focus on innovation and new ideas in their animated features.
- Lanning acknowledges that it will take time for new successful ideas to emerge, but remains optimistic that the studio can make a comeback if artists take creative risks.
- The entire company’s recent box office disappointments and negative reviews indicate a need for originality and risk-taking in future films, both in animation and other genres, in order to achieve success.
Disney animator Taylor Gessler Lanning has predicted a studio comeback for the company following lukewarm reviews for Wish. The animated fantasy film was created as a celebration of Disney’s 100th anniversary, garnering a number of negative reviews from critics. While there has been audience praise for the movie, widespread positivity hasn’t been reflected in its box office, which sits at $49.7 million worldwide as of writing.
However, Lanning believes that Wish‘s divisive reviews showcase how Disney needs to focus on innovation and new ideas in their animated features.
The animator admitted new, successful ideas won’t spring up overnight. Even so, Lanning remains confident the studio can make a comeback if artists involved in new films take creative risks.
How Disney Can Make A Triumphant Return After Wish
Disney box office bombs and disappointments have followed the studio throughout 2023, with Wish‘s flop joining the likes of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Haunted Mansion and The Marvels. Much like their latest animated feature, the studio’s lowest performers have received many negative reviews, no doubt impacting their theatrical performances. This is made even more disastrous by inflated budgets, with most bombs costing around $200 million each to make.
While some of these failures can be attributed to a lack of quality control for the films during production, others can be linked to Disney’s once-popular franchises simply not having the following they once did. For animation in particular, Wish‘s many Disney Easter eggs may have hindered the film despite it being an original story. This makes Lanning’s comments ring true for the studio’s animation as well as other future films, which will require originality and risk to be successful.
It remains to be seen what film ideas the company can produce that will offset the major hits it took at the box office this year. While Disney seems focused on sequels to Frozen and Toy Story, Wish‘s failure to use prior references to draw an audience means they may need to brainstorm wholly original works for future success. However, if animated movies in particular can bolster more creativity and higher quality, the entire company just might make a triumphant comeback.
Most Disney films confirmed to be arriving in 2024 are sequels to existing properties, including Inside Out 2, Deadpool 3, and Mufasa: The Lion King.
Source: Taylor Gessler Lanning/Twitter
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Wish
- Release Date:
- 2023-11-22
- Director:
- Chris Buck, Fawn Veerasunthorn
- Cast:
- Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk, Dee Bradley Baker, Frank Welker
- Rating:
- PG
- Runtime:
- 95 Mins
- Genres:
- Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
- Writers:
- Jennifer Lee, Allison Moore
- Studio(s):
- Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios
- Distributor(s):
- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
