If you're anything like this writer, you know that Disney has been going through a massive identity crisis since roughly 2018. Even some of their most successful properties like Marvel and Star Wars have struggled to maintain a steady audience, but why?
Some blame the lack of new and interesting original IP, some point fingers at corporate greed, and just cry "woke", but the fact still remains: Disney can't seem to figure out how to play to the right audience. Without an audience, there is no funding. Without funding, there is no Disney. Now it seems the house of mouse is looking to satisfy a more masculine audience.
With franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and Indiana Jones under its industrial-sized belt, one would think that Disney already has a pretty sizable male audience. However, recent reports state that they are struggling to keep Gen Z's attention, particularly with the more masculine side of things.
Granted, images of princesses, pixie dust, and Mickey Mouse aren't exactly going to win over the teenage boy crowd. Still, superheroes and sci-fi flicks should be the order of the day. So what's the problem?
A recent report from Variety states that declining interest in current IPs could lead to Disney seeking out new properties to win Gen Z back over. However, they might be playing to the wrong generation. Yes, Disney does need to appeal to the younger audience to create a budding field of future consumers, but is Gen Z the right target? Maybe not.
As pointed out by Variety, it's the Millennials that are so gung-ho for the Disney nostalgia, and (if we're being entirely honest) they're the ones that consistently give in to the intoxication of the live-action remakes. Disney might be right in trying to recapture the male audience, but Gen Z might not be the only group they need to appease.
In my opinion, the reason we are seeing success for movies like Fantastic Four: First Steps, one of Marvel's biggest hits in recent years, is because there is a more traditional angle with classic themes and values, a belief system that significantly resonates with Millennials and older.
Disney doesn't need new IP, but rather a way to revamp already existing entities under its umbrella. Think about films like Treasure Planet, Atlantis, and even Brother Bear or The Emperor's New Groove. These were stylish, heartfelt adventure films that certainly had much more of a male audience in mind.
In a way, what might win the male-oriented audience back into Disney's good graces is returning to the traditional fantasy/fairytale formula. Not necessarily princesses and talking cartoon animals, but something involving masculine characters on a heroic journey with rich characters and unique storytelling.
Bring back The Black Cauldron, Aladdin, Atlantis, or anything else where the male audience can identify with the protagonist, root for them, and see the forces of good triumph over evil. If you build it, they will come.