It was recently announced that Pixar would be releasing three of its straight-to-streaming films in movie theaters in 2024, and though this move seems like it could help the company, which has seen decreasing box office numbers as of late, the sad truth is that it may not be enough to truly help. In recent years, Pixar films have not seen the same success that they have in the past, and worse than that, they have not received the same treatment from Disney. From the start of the pandemic until now, Pixar’s popularity has shifted, and though these re-releases could help a bit, Pixar’s Disney Plus problems are ultimately too far gone.
Pixar’s popularity problem began in 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company released their movie Soul that year, and it became the first movie to be released only on Disney Plus, which made sense considering the circumstances. However, the next two Pixar movies, Luca and Turning Red were also relegated to Disney Plus alone, which made significantly less sense. While Disney films like Encanto and Raya and the Last Dragon were given theaterical releases, Pixar’s movies were pushed aside. Now, with Pixar back in theaters but box office numbers still down, the production company desperately needs a change.
Pixar Is Solving Its Disney+ Problem By Re-Releasing 3 Movies In Theaters
Pixar is attempting to solve its problems by re-releasing Soul, Luca, and Turning Red in theaters. Because these films have always lived solely on Disney Plus, the hope is that bringing them to theaters will prove that Pixar can make movies that audiences love, and in turn, movies that audiences want to spend money on. In essence, this move is Pixar’s final presentation to studios, proving that they still have what it takes, even after Pixar’s box office bombs. Tickets for this event are going on sale at the start of January, with Soul playing on January 12, Turning Red on February 9, and Luca on March 22.
If all goes well, these movies’ re-releases will do a few things. First, the hope is that Soul, Luca, and Turning Red will be box office hits. Although these films have been out for years, hopefully audiences will want to take up the opportunity to see them in theaters, making up for the box office dollars that the movies missed out on during their initial release. Furthermore, these movies will hopefully boost hype for Pixar. Despite Elemental’s box office turnaround, it was still considered a flop, proving that Pixar needs to save not only its box office, but its reputation as well.
It May Be Too Late For Luca, Soul, And Turning Red To Dominate The Box Office
Unfortunately, Pixar’s hopes for its re-releases may not be the reality they are looking for. While Soul, Luca, and Turning Red likely have strong fan bases, that is no guarantee that they will want to go out and watch the movie in a theater. In fact, there are many reasons why they wouldn’t. These films have been out for long periods of time already, which means that most viewers who keep up with Pixar have seen them already. Additionally, if audiences did want to watch these movies again, they could easily do so on Disney Plus, rather than trucking themselves to a movie theater.
Therefore, it is a money issue and a social issue. There are likely many audience members who do not want to pay for a movie ticket for a film that they have both already seen and could watch for (almost) free at home. Plus, it is already hard enough to get audiences into theaters on a regular day. Although movie theater attendance has gone up post-pandemic, it is still not the top choice. And though Pixar’s re-releases are something of an event, it is not nearly as hyped up as Barbeheimer or Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Therefore, Pixar is really taking a risk by putting their money on theaters.
Pixar’s Solution May Send The Studio The Wrong Message
What is worse is that, if Pixar’s plan does fail, it could send a horrible message to the studios. Pixar is not at the end of its career by any means, but this re-release plan is important for the company. It is an opportunity to prove that their movies are well-liked and profitable, especially alongside Disney. So, if this plan does not work out for Pixar, it could have the opposite effect. If Soul, Luca, and Turning Red do poorly, studios may take this as a sign that Pixar is not in favor anymore, and this could lead to bad times for the production company.
Pixar likely won’t be closed down, but there is a lot riding on these re-releases. If the studios believe that Pixar is no longer popular among audiences, it seems likely that they will get less budgeting for their films. With this comes less effort put into big details such as marketing, but also, less money to actually make the movies, which is significant for an animation company. Pixar already saw their movies cast aside during the pandemic, and this type of behavior could continue or get worse if the re-releases do not succeed.
Pixar Should Look To Future Movies To Fix Its Disney+ Dilemma
While it is still worth a try for Pixar to re-release its old movies, a better solution is to focus on their new movies. Whether the re-releases succeed or flop, Pixar needs to put immense time and effort into their next movies. For example, Pixar recently announced Inside Out 2, which will be a great opportunity for the company to get back on its feet. There is also their 2025 film Elio, which is still far off, but could still garner some popularity if it is marketed well. Ultimately, Pixar needs to reconnect with audiences via its upcoming movies.
Furthermore, Pixar isn’t necessarily on the wrong track with its re-releases. Movie events are definitely a strong trend at the moment, and could be used to boost popularity and hype. However, Pixar’s re-releases are risky, and therefore, they need to do all that they can to get back into the public eye. Following their re-releases, Pixar must put extra attention on their upcoming projects, and most importantly, get people excited. By following trends and catching the attention of audiences, Pixar could certainly pull itself out of its popularity problem.
