For more than a decade, Sean Bailey has run Disney’s animated film “reimagining” factory, with quiet efficiency and superhero-class output. His live-action work “Aladdin” collected $1.1 billion at the box office, but the photorealistic ”The Lion King’ earned $1.7 billion. Live-action versionbeauty and the beast‘ grossed $1.3 billion.
Disney likes cash. The company also sees Bailey’s remake operation as critical to staying relevant. Disney’s classic animations are treasured by fans, but most of them showcase ideas from another era, especially when it comes to gender roles.
The reimagining Mr. Bailey refers to the remake finds a way to keep Disney’s story from going backwards. His heroines are empowered and the casting emphasizes diversity.Live-action ‘Snow White’ to star in next year’s live-action ‘Snow White’ Rachel Zegler As a princess known as “the most beautiful of them.” Yara Shahidi recently played Tinker Bell in Peter Pan and Wendy, becoming the first black woman to play Tinker Bell on screen.
“We want to reflect the way the world exists,” said Bailey.
But its worldview and business strategy have increasingly put Disney and Mr. Bailey, a low-key and low-key operator, in the middle of a very loud, very unceremonious cultural warfare. ing. It seems to me that anyone who admires Disney will always complain about being forced to “awaken.”
Many companies find themselves in this situation. the goal, anheuser busch, Nike –But Disney, which has a strong influence on children who are shaping life’s beliefs, faces its own challenges.In this bipartisan moment, both sides of the political divide Excited for Disney I endorse them, citing the movie that came out of Mr. Bailey’s corner of the Magic Kingdom as a prime example.
Consider his remake of The Little Mermaid, which hit theaters two weeks ago and cost an estimated $375 million to make and sell. The new version removes the problematic lyrics from the 1989 original. (“It is she who shuts her mouth that catches a man.”) The biggest change is Harry Baileyis black, but plays the mermaid Ariel. Disney has long portrayed its characters as white, including in its theme parks.
Support for Baileyespecially from people of color and film critics, Torrent of racist comments On social media and on movie fan sites. Some people lash out at ‘The Little Mermaid’ unacceptable Horrors of Caribbean slavery. A minority of LGBTQ people criticized Disney hired a heterosexual man to be the make-up artist for the animated villain Ursula. Inspired by drag queens.
Disney has long viewed this kind of social media storm as a storm in a teapot, where trends today can be replaced by new complaints tomorrow. In 2017, for example, theaters in Alabama refused to screen the live-action version of “Beauty and the Beast.” It contained a three-second scene of two men dancing in their arms. that is, global news articles. Ultimately, the uproar didn’t seem to affect ticket sales.
Result is? That’s what Disney wanted.”little mermaid” grossed over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, but the frenzy died down when the film hit theaters. Feedback scores from test screening were as good as in the initial review. “Alan Menken just told me he thinks this movie is better than the animated movie,” said Disney CEO Robert A. Iger at a movie premiere last month. He said while referring to the Oscar-winning composer.
Instead, “The Little Mermaid” will top out at nearly $600 million, a box office analyst said Sunday. The main reason for this is that the film was “review bombed” abroad, and online trolls faltered as movie sites were flooded with racist one-star reviews. Analysts say the film has outperformed “Aladdin” in North America and received an A from ticket buyers in CinemaScore’s exit polls, despite weak attendance among white moviegoers in some parts of the United States. It was in good shape, earning grades. Support from black and Latino audiences makes up for the shortfall.
Bailey declined to comment on the racist reaction to the film. “Although the international opening was milder than we had hoped for, the film is doing very well and we believe it will set us up for a very long run,” he said Saturday. I have,” he said.
Bailey, 53, said:lone Ranger“Not much has been said about his live action.”Mulan,” Better. But Disney always supported him. Bailey said, “I had some big swings and some big mistakes.” “We appreciate that the company management understands that it is part of the creative business.”
Bailey has been president of Walt Disney Studios Film Production for 13 years, an eternity in Hollywood where film directors are often fired every few years. During that time, Disney has been affected by: dismissal of executives, multiple restructuring efforts and changes in film distribution strategy. The down-to-earth Bailey is popular with stars and their agents and helps bring stability.
Kevin Huben, co-president of the Creative Artists Agency, said: “He’s a wonderful, polite, respectful, fair guy who does his job quietly without being flashy.” “But that doesn’t mean he’s reluctant. Quite the opposite. He gets his hands dirty. If a deal goes awry, he steps in there and finds a way to make it happen.”
In 2014, for example, Bailey flew from Los Angeles to Budapest for dinner with Angelina Jolie. She had agreed to appear in Maleficent, but she seems to have cooled off after reading the revised script. Whatever he said to her worked. “Maleficent” and its sequel grossed $1.3 billion together.
“Sean is something you don’t see very often these days, and certainly not in the movies,” Jolie said in an email. “He’s consistent, steady and decent. Like all movies, he’s equal and fair when we face difficulties. As a story, it might not be interesting.” But that’s what we need more of.”
Before Bailey’s arrival, Disney’s live-action films had few women and little diversity. Bailey has focused almost exclusively on female-led stories. He also worked with young actresses of color such as Storm Reid, Nico Parker, and Naomi Scott, as well as Ava DuVernay (“Wrinkle in Time”) and Julia Hart (“Stargirl”). has defended female directors such as Meera Nair (“Queen of Kathu”). ).
“I think what he’s doing is very important,” he said. Geena Davis, actress and gender equality activist. “It’s not just about inspiring little girls. It’s about normalizing men and boys and making it completely normal to see girls doing interesting and important things and occupying space.” is.”
The next film in Mr. Bailey’s division will be “Haunted housewill be released in theaters on July 28, and will star in Lakeith Stanfield (Oscar nominees for “Judas and the Black Messiah”), Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish. “Haunted Mansion” was directed by Justin Simienauthor of “Dear White People”, inspired by Disney theme park rides.
“We felt it was an opportunity to make a really cool Disney-worthy PG-13 movie that’s genuinely scary, but also charming and fun,” Bailey said.
Bailey has watched “The Little Mermaid” 18 times as Disney’s pipeline progresses, and has seen live-action versions of “Moana,” “Hercules,”Lilo and StitchYes, “Hocus Pocus 3” will be held. (His department makes two to three big-budget movies a year for theatrical releases, and for Disney+ he makes three low-budget movies.)
Directed by Oscar-winning “Moonlight” writer Barry Jenkins, the photorealistic prequel “Mufasa: The Lion King” is set for release in 2024. Bailey said ‘The Lion King’ could expand into a ‘big, epic story’. Like the “Star Wars” franchise. “If you can find a story, there’s a lot of room for execution,” he said.
While nothing has been officially announced, the return of the five Pirates of the Caribbean movies is also a priority. “I think we’ve done a really great and exciting story that pays homage to the films that have come before but also tells something new,” said Bailey. The troubled star of the series is Johnny Depp, returning as Captain Jack Sparrow? “We haven’t made a decision at this point,” Bailey said, slowly opening the door.
One of Bailey’s blows is that he hasn’t launched a new series. His bets on the original film mostly paid off. The dog sledding drama “Togo” produced for Disney+ in 2019, critical hit I couldn’t break through it. “Tomorrowland‘ was an ambitious 2015 fantasy that crashed and went up in flames. At some point, the studio can no longer endlessly recycle old stuff. Xerox of Xerox, Xerox of Xerox will be a blank page.
“It’s really hard to break through that and get creative and big commercial wins,” Bailey said. “We will continue to work hard.” He pointed to a project based on “.graveyard book‘ tells the story of a boy who is raised by a cemetery’s supernatural inhabitants.
Every studio struggles to produce original hit songs. But Disney’s efforts add to the glaringness that always comes with making it even more difficult.
Like Iger, Bailey doesn’t hide his political leanings. He was close to New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker, a friendship that began in 2000 when Bailey held a fundraiser for him in Hollywood. (Mr. Bailey has many famous friends. He goes back in time with Ben Affleck, helped launch Dwayne Johnson’s tequila brand and serves on the board of directors for Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute. )
But Bailey is in the business of making movies for everyone. That challenge, he said, is part of what makes his job interesting.
“How do you keep up with the changing audience both internationally and domestically?” Bailey said. “In an increasingly polarized world, how do we tell stories—stories that matter to everyone?”
