Recently, Disney’s newest movies, like 2025’s Elio, aren’t performing well at the box office, causing questions about what might be going wrong for the company. Many critics are starting to blame the audience for the films’ poor feedback, suggesting that the viewers just aren’t interested anymore. However, I believe the real issue is that Disney has relied too heavily on nostalgia; instead of creating original stories that connect with the changing audience, Disney’s recent films seem out of touch.
One main reason Disney’s recent movies are struggling is because they focus on nostalgia and franchise-building, like Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney classics, rather than taking risks with new original ideas. While these franchises are very popular, they become predictable and lose the interest of the audience if they don’t bother to evolve. Disney appears to be hesitant to produce original content that pushes these limited boundaries, which might be why films like Elio haven’t captured viewers’ attention. Instead of telling stories that are new, different, and thoughtful, Disney seems to be relying on what’s already familiar, which can bore their audiences.
Critics argue that Disney is unfairly blaming the audience for their many mistakes; to this reporter, blaming viewers for a movie’s failure feels like avoiding responsibility. Instead of asking what they could be doing better, like improving storytelling, representation, or marketing, it feels like Disney quickly reverts to the idea that the audience isn’t interested. It’s like they expect us, the audience, to come to them, instead of trying to understand that the audience’s tastes are changing, and that Disney needs to change too.
Junior El Vasquez shared their perspective on the Disney controversy. “Current Disney movies are too worried about making money. They’re too scared that if they add too much diversity either kids won’t understand it or parents won’t like it, and in turn they won’t make money.”
The shift in audience preferences has definitely had an impact on Disney’s more traditional approach. Disney movies used to be focused on fairy tales, moral lessons, and unique animation styles. Today, viewers want more diversity in characters, complex stories, and themes that audiences can relate to, not just characters that have specific trauma or that are too narrowly focused. Disney’s marketing used to rely on nostalgia and familiarity, but now they need to connect more deeply with what the audience wants.
In my opinion, Disney should do more to regain our trust. They need to make more original, bold stories that are relevant to today’s world, not just safe sequels or remakes that destroy the message of the original film, like the recent adaptations of Snow White and Lilo & Stitch. Using different voices and giving more opportunities to underheard voices could help Disney stand out again. They should also listen to feedback from viewers, whether it’s through social media, surveys, or focus groups, to better understand what we as an audience want from their future movies. When they involve us in the creative process, we feel more connected and valued; then, maybe we will experience the magic we long for.
