They may all head different studios and fiercely compete for box office power, but when the top creatives at Disney gathered recently for a special exclusive media panel at D23, the three-day fan event that attracted record attendance this past weekend in Anaheim, California, they revealed how much they rely on the support and inspiration of each other.
Alan Bergman, Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment; Pete Docter, Chief Creative Officer, Pixar Animation Studios; Jennifer Lee, Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney Animation Studios; Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios; and Kathleen Kennedy, President, Lucasfilm, shared a glimpse behind the curtain of creating their box office blockbusters.
Key to their collaboration is a weekly meeting that the studio leadership team all attend.
“Every Monday morning at 10, we get together and talk and discuss how the box office is performing, how the titles are doing, what are some of the issues. And it really is inspiring to sit around that table with this group of people,” said Bergman.
“It’s great to get together and hear what each one is doing and talk about the problems that we’re facing,” added Docter. “There’s a lot of challenges so its being able to get inspiration from everybody.”
“Every single person here is so generous. So I can ask questions. I can grow as a filmmaker,” adds Lee, who’s upcoming films include “Moana 2”, “Zootopia 2” and a highly-anticipated “Frozen 3” on the way. “On those tough days, you look around and they get it.”
“All of us look at what the other ones are doing, and it’s so inspiring,” said Kennedy. “It’s an amazing group to work with.”
View this post on Instagram
The studio is riding high.
It has already become the first in 2024 to surpass $US3 billion in worldwide ticket sales with the record breaking success of “Inside Out 2” and the continued box office pull of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” already tipping past $US1.03 billion. “Alien: Romulus” is predicted to burst out at the box office this week with $US28 million to $US38 million in its first weekend of release.
Marvel’s Feige agreed current success is welcome but it’s not always guaranteed. “Expectations can get out of hand when you have success year after year. It becomes expected that everything will break records. So when we had some disappointments last year for the first time, it was one of those things that you take the successes now but you don’t take them for granted and you understand what you earn,” he said.
Marvel’s ability to appeal across the board in theatrical and streaming is essential. “One of the biggest Marvel hits on Disney + is the preschool show ‘Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends’ and in theatres right now, the No. 1 movie in the world is the very R-rated ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’” Feige said. “Marvel can handle that and people understand where in the life cycle they fit into Marvel from preschool to adults.”
Kennedy admits that entering the world of streaming was a very different path for Lucasfilm when “The Mandalorian” became a break-out hit on Disney +. Now, the beloved series will finally move onto the big screen with the announcement at D23’s Entertainment Showcase of “The Mandalorian & Grogu,“ directed by Jon Favreau which will hit theatres in 2026. It will be the first Star Wars film in theatres since 2019’s “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
“When ‘The Mandalorian’ was launched on Disney + it was new territory that we, frankly, didn’t know a whole lot about. And thanks to the fans, the show became a huge hit,” explained Kennedy, speaking for the first time at D23 since the announcement was made. “There was a very early plan that we would do something like either two, three, possibly four seasons and then move into a movie. The fact that we can move from platform to platform, is the future of distribution. There’s no doubt that the consumer is going to take in these stories in lots of different ways.”
With Marvel Television’s “Daredevil: Born Again,” due in March 2025 on Disney +, and “Fantastic Four” arriving in theatres July 2025, Feige says its only the beginning.
“With ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ people are excited again about getting into mutants, and the ‘Fantastic Four’ in production. These are characters that in my 24 years at Marvel, and over 15 years at Disney, we just didn’t have access to. And now we get to tell those stories,” said Feige. “Whenever we announce a movie, the first question of fans is, well, what about this character? When are you doing that story? Because there’s so many stories to tell and hundreds of characters that we have back at home thanks to the Fox acquisition.”
And the one he is most looking forward to seeing?
“I’m excited for the X-Men to come back,” he remarked.