Liza Lapira, June Squibb, Yvette Nicole Brown, Maya Hawke, Kensington Tallman, Amy Poehler, Ayo Edebiri, Tony Hale and Lewis Black attend the world premiere of the film ‘Inside Out 2’ in Los Angeles. Photo Credit: Mario Anzuoni
Walt Disney, which topped the summer box-office with Pixar Animation’s “Inside Out 2” and Marvel’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” is scheduled to announce details of upcoming films at its D23 fan convention on Friday.
The company touted the strength of its films during an investor call this week, signaling a comeback in 2023 after losing its spot as the top-grossing Hollywood studio.
“It’s never too late for Hollywood to make a comeback,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “And they’ve certainly done that.”
“Inside Out 2” is the highest-grossing animated film of all time, earning $1.6 billion at the global box office, surpassing the record set by Disney’s “Frozen II.” A month later, “Deadpool & Wolverine” scored the best domestic opening for an R-rated film and earned more than $850 million in global ticket sales.
Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds attend the premiere of ‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ in New York City, New York | Photo credit: Caitlin Ochs
“The movie business is certainly volatile,” Deutsche Bank analyst Brian Kraft wrote in a note to investors. “But if Disney once again works its magic at the box office, there could be more growth ahead as theaters continue to perform strongly.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger praised the film studio’s theatrical lineup over the next two years, which includes the animated sequel “Moana 2,” a live-action version of “Disney’s Snow White,” a reboot of the Marvel superhero franchise “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” and James Cameron’s third “Avatar” film.
“When you think about not only their potential at the box office, but also their potential to drive global streaming value, there’s a reason to be optimistic about where we’re headed,” Iger said on the investor call.
The release of “Inside Out 2” surpassed the original film’s 100 million views on Disney+, the company said.
Investors and fans are expecting more details on the Marvel superhero studio’s future plans on Friday. The company had to choose a new villain for future films after actor Jonathan Majors was convicted of assaulting and harassing his ex-girlfriend. It was also forced to postpone some titles due to the Hollywood writers and actors strike last year.
At the Comic-Con pop culture convention last month, Disney revealed that “Iron Man” actor Robert Downey Jr. would play “Fantastic Four” villain Doctor Doom.
