Mulan being released next month on Disney Plus

[Praying Colonel]

Way overpriced for yet another lazy, unoriginal remake of an animated film.

Agreed. I'm surprised they didn't try to pull this with Hamilton. I'd think there were would be much more public interest.

 

[starry_solo]

Agreed. I'm surprised they didn't try to pull this with Hamilton. I'd think there were would much more public interest.

+1

I'm torn about wanting to watch Mulan live-action for $30. I would have gone to the theatres, seen it at a matinee (it;s about $8 for a movie before noon) with at least 2 other people, not in the same household. Plus popcorn, Icee, and nachos, yum...

 

[Aladora]

Anyone else thinking a surcharge of $30 is a bit much?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/tech...ept-4-costing-30-in-us/ar-BB17z4Kl?li=BBnbcA1

When you add in the exchange rate to CAD, it is just about $40 for us up here in the Great White North.

We're still going to get it though. Mulan is one of my top 5 Disney movies and I can't wait to see what they have done with the live action version, although I will miss the songs!

If our family of 3 went to see it in a movie theatre, it would cost almost $45 just for the tickets, we don't go see movies that often and when we do we always go to one of the places that have the recliners. So yeah, I don't think it is an insane price for a first-run movie.

 

[BrianL]

Way overpriced for yet another lazy, unoriginal remake of an animated film.

To be fair, other than being based on the legend of Mulan this live-action "remake" was supposedly very different from the animated version, which is better in my book. As far as I could tell it only used a few musical cues, and it doesn't even have songs. I'd agree with you if it were a shot-for-shot remake.

 

[NotGrumpyButPrettyClose]

Hard pass at $30, and I have little ones.

As an exercise....
Production studios take about 60-65% of ticket sales. So, for a family of 2 adults and 2 kids (~$50 retail), Disney would have made $30 if theaters were open. So, this fee on Disney+ nicely coincides with that amount.

The odds are high that this is where the pricing originated. As a former corporate controller and ERP consultant, I know that organizations in this line of business track their projects to the nth degree. Mulan's income stream needs to come close to the budgeted revenue stream to offset the time cost of the money borrowed and the expenses paid to produce the movie.

 

[Praying Colonel]

While I probably wouldn't watch this if Disney paid me $30, my issue isn't the cost so much as the method of distribution. If it was available via VOD, that would be one thing. If it was available for free via Disney+, that would be one thing. But having a premium purchase inside a premium service you're already paying for is too much for me as a consumer and sets a bad precedent IMHO.

Seeing how Disney has upcharged the heck out of everything in WDW in recent years, I guess I shouldn't be surprised they're trying the same tactic with video.

 

[Karin1984]

Way overpriced for yet another lazy, unoriginal remake of an animated film.

I was actually curious to see Mulan on the big screen because judging by the traliers it had much more new stuff and new angles to justify to make a new movie out of it.

Agreed. I'm surprised they didn't try to pull this with Hamilton. I'd think there were would be much more public interest.

I think Disney just overplayed her hand by doing such a boring job with the Lion King, and to a lesser extent Beauty and the Beast and a bit with Aladdin. Because they were so unoriginal in these movies, they will have chased away a part of their audience.
I don't think Mulan is popular enough to attract new people to Disney + and not popular enough for many households to pay the fee.

And Hamilton was never meant to be a remake, I believe. It was always meant to be filmed onstage.

 

[BrianL]

I think Disney just overplayed her hand by doing such a boring job with the Lion King, and to a lesser extent Beauty and the Beast and a bit with Aladdin. Because they were so unoriginal in these movies, they will have chased away a part of their audience.

I seriously doubt that. Boring may be your opinion of those movies (and it's mine too to a large extent - I'd rather watch the originals), but audiences have eaten them up. ALL of those movies did over $1 Billion in box-office, with Lion King doing $1.7B. No, the trend does not show audiences tiring of these types of things. Sadly, it's the more original entries, Dumbo, Maleficent 2, that have failed to perform - that made me wonder about Mulan.

 

[nkereina]

But having a premium purchase inside a premium service you're already paying for is too much for me as a consumer and sets a bad precedent IMHO.

Disney enjoys this model. See also: dessert parties during MNSSHP/MVMCP.

 

[wilbret]

I won't be paying $30 to see it. I don't tend to take our kids to the expensive theaters or showings here, anyway. There is a local place that costs $5 during the day, and I think $7.50 at night. Refills on popcorn and drinks are free.

For Trolls and Scoob, $20 was a good deal. It was hard to swallow, but given the circumstances... we paid it. The key is, all 3 of our kids wanted to see those movies. None of our 3 kids want to see this Mulan. I'm not paying $30 for a movie they have no interest in and might tune out, the trailers don't make it seem like it had kids in mind.

If reviews come in saying it is amazing, and all ages will enjoy it... I might bend. But, I also suspect they will have to put it on sale at some point.

 

[BrianL]

I won't be paying $30 to see it. I don't tend to take our kids to the expensive theaters or showings here, anyway. There is a local place that costs $5 during the day, and I think $7.50 at night. Refills on popcorn and drinks are free.

For Trolls and Scoob, $20 was a good deal. It was hard to swallow, but given the circumstances... we paid it. The key is, all 3 of our kids wanted to see those movies. None of our 3 kids want to see this Mulan. I'm not paying $30 for a movie they have no interest in and might tune out, the trailers don't make it seem like it had kids in mind.

If reviews come in saying it is amazing, and all ages will enjoy it... I might bend. But, I also suspect they will have to put it on sale at some point.

The new Mulan movie is more of an "epic fantasy" type movie than some of the other Disney remakes. It is geared more toward the same audience as Pirates of the Caribbean, etc. and carries a PG-13 rating. I'm sure it's fine for older kids, but it is definitely a bit of a different take. Other than the overall legend of Mulan (girl disguises herself as a man to join the army in her father's stead), it does not follow the animated film that closely at all. That's one of the reasons I was really looking forward to it.

 

[wilbret]

The new Mulan movie is more of an "epic fantasy" type movie than some of the other Disney remakes. It is geared more toward the same audience as Pirates of the Caribbean, etc. and carries a PG-13 rating. I'm sure it's fine for older kids, but it is definitely a bit of a different take. Other than the overall legend of Mulan (girl disguises herself as a man to join the army in her father's stead), it does not follow the animated film that closely at all. That's one of the reasons I was really looking forward to it.

Yep. None of our kids fit into that bracket, hence, I won't risk $30 for it. Hopefully it's good, they have a lot of cheddar to recoup!

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I live in Los Angeles. I spend $40 for two adults to go to the movie theater - more if it's one of the nicer theaters or a popular showtime. So, if you're from a HCOL area like me, this is not a bad deal. Also, if you live in the LA-area, the drive-in theater Mission Tiki will be playing Mulan, and they charge $10/adult and $1 per kid ages 5-9, so this will give you more of the big screen theater experience, and it could be less expensive depending on the size of your family. But, you have to stay in your car to watch the film, so don't pack too many people into one vehicle because the view won't be that great for the people in the back.

Now, to the people who say, "What is Disney thinking?!" Good question. Disney is taking a huge hit. Mulan was produced to be released in theaters. They won't be making the same money from pay-per-view as they would from the Box Office. It must be very disappointing to the studio to release the movie like this, but I guess it's time to be experimental.

As far as interest.... I think the audience demographic for Mulan is different than with other live action remakes. This is not a musical. It looks to be an action war movie. The people who I know are interested (beside myself) are men in their 20s/30s... also my Dad who is in his 60s. I think if you or your kids like Marvel movies, this is going to be an action-packed movie like that.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I live in Los Angeles. I spend $40 for two adults to go to the movie theater - more if it's one of the nicer theaters or a popular showtime. So, if you're from a HCOL area like me, this is not a bad deal. Also, if you live in the LA-area, the drive-in theater Mission Tiki will be playing Mulan, and they charge $10/adult and $1 per kid ages 5-9, so this will give you more of the big screen theater experience, and it could be less expensive depending on the size of your family. But, you have to stay in your car to watch the film, so don't pack too many people into one vehicle because the view won't be that great for the people in the back.

Now, to the people who say, "What is Disney thinking?!" Good question. Disney is taking a huge hit. Mulan was produced to be released in theaters. They won't be making the same money from pay-per-view as they would from the Box Office. It must be very disappointing to the studio to release the movie like this, but I guess it's time to be experimental.

When my husband lived in LA last year he didn't spend anywhere near what you're talking about if you're speaking about just straight up tickets and he went to AMC

He was in Long Beach and looking at the history the regular movie was $13.99 but he went on a Tuesday and with the ticket deal it was $6.00 (in our area it's less than that but regardless). He went to another one in Fullerton and it was $12.50 for the movie ticket.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

When my husband lived in LA last year he didn't spend anywhere near what you're talking about if you're speaking about just straight up tickets and he went to AMC

He was in Long Beach and looking at the history the regular movie was $13.99 but he went on a Tuesday and with the ticket deal it was $6.00 (in our area it's less than that but regardless). He went to another one in Fullerton and it was $12.50 for the movie ticket.

So Long Beach is technically LA County, but it is not the city of Los Angeles, and it is much more affordable. And Fullerton is Orange County, definitely not LA, lol. By LA, I meant I Santa Monica AMC or Arclight, Culver City Arclight, Westfield Century City AMC or Hollywood El Capitan (I would've gone the the El Capitan for the Mulan release which is a bit pricier). The reason it's more expensive is because these are nicer theaters with big comfy chairs, Dolby sound or whatever... you can't find just an ordinary theater in Los Angeles. Also, I should've added in there that this would be just tickets to a Friday or Saturday evening movie.

 

[mousefan73]

Welcome to the future!
I expect that DVD/BluRay releases will occur much slower for movies released this way.

I honestly see this the end of DVDs and Blurays.. kinda like CDs... the CD section of our big box is now an aisle endcap.

 

[SgtTibbs]

I very much like the concept of being able to watch a first run movie at home. I'm even ok with the $30 price tag assuming that as mentioned you keep access to it. However I have zero interest in seeing this version of Mulan. Release the next Marvel movie this way and I'll be all over it.

 

[bcla]

To be fair, other than being based on the legend of Mulan this live-action "remake" was supposedly very different from the animated version, which is better in my book. As far as I could tell it only used a few musical cues, and it doesn't even have songs. I'd agree with you if it were a shot-for-shot remake.

I'm not terribly interested. It seems like Disney has taken all the fun out of Mulan and turned it into another period piece that's meant to appeal to Chinese audiences more than traditional Disney audiences. It doesn't sound like this is going to be much more than a traditional Chinese style period piece with all the hallmarks of such, but with a Disney label.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So Long Beach is technically LA County, but it is not the city of Los Angeles, and it is much more affordable. And Fullerton is Orange County, definitely not LA, lol. By LA, I meant I Santa Monica AMC or Arclight, Culver City Arclight, Westfield Century City AMC or Hollywood El Capitan (I would've gone the the El Capitan for the Mulan release which is a bit pricier). The reason it's more expensive is because these are nicer theaters with big comfy chairs, Dolby sound or whatever... you can't find just an ordinary theater in Los Angeles. Also, I should've added in there that this would be just tickets to a Friday or Saturday evening movie.

Respectfully..pretty much everyone is going to consider the whole area to be LA as in the metro area. But I am aware that Long Beach and Fullerton are not in the city of LA

FWIW Long Beach is in a HCOL area though no not as high as Santa Monica. His apartment for the 470sq that he had was ridiculous in rent pricing.

Many places also have big comfy chairs, Dolby, etc. All the theaters around me are recliners (which are fairly standard now throughout theater brands) with exception to our fav AMC (considered one of their flagship theaters) which only Cinema Suites has recliners (one of the types of Dine-In theaters). It's more expensive because people are willing to pay it in your area. Several years ago our fav AMC was something like $11-$12 it went down in cost and down in cost and now a regular showing is $8.99. COL can play a role but it's not the only thing by any means. One of our AMC theaters raised the ticket pricing several dollars simply because during the renovation years back they installed all recliners which cut the theater capacity in half for each theater. Less capacity=less profit=can see why they raised it. Sure you're getting recliners but that was not the primary reason to raising the pricing.

If you can't find a theater low in costs well that's that though No worries we're good on the subject so I'll move on. Thank you for providing the clarification on the areas you were talking about

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I’m in NJ and the AMC near me with the big comfy chairs are around $16+ on a Friday or Saturday night. Older movies are around $13 or more.

If you do the prime theater that has sound in the chairs, the chairs vibrate and other special things those are starting $20+ on a Friday or Saturday. They only put new releases in the prime theater.

They did have $6 Tuesday’s but it had recently gone up to $7.