Originally Posted By dagobert >>>Empire Strikes Back. The Toy Story sequels. The Dark Knight.<<< And I agree with you again. I have mentioned The Empire Strikes back in one of my previous posts.
Originally Posted By DiscoYeti I prefer the intensity and suspense of the original Alien, but Cameron's sequel is a lot of fun. Terminator 2 is a good example. Regardless of quality, we're living in an age in which sequels regularly outgross the originals. That will be a tall order for Avatar 2, but the odds for success are in its favor.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Well, wasn't there some talk about how Iger wants TWDC to become more a distribution company instead of being concerned with content. In a way this is using the parks as distribution channels...<<< Exactly... and while that might make Disney very rich, their prestige and clout is quickly falling.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>//>>>Well, wasn't there some talk about how Iger wants TWDC to become more a distribution company instead of being concerned with content. In a way this is using the parks as distribution channels...<<< Exactly... and while that might make Disney very rich, their prestige and clout is quickly falling. <<< Do you think that would change with a new CEO. At the end of the day, the CEO is still responsible towards the shareholders. We can only hope that a new CEO might change the current direction Disney is going.
Originally Posted By dagobert From Los Angeles Times: >>>One of the executives, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions were confidential, also said that "Avatar"-themed attractions are being considered for Disney's parks in Paris and Hong Kong.<<< <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-disney-avatar-20110921,0,6660553.story" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/busines...53.story</a> I hope it is considered for WDSP and not for DLP.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 So wait we didn't like that Disney did nothing to counter Potter and now that they do we still don't like it?
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 And let's not forget what was Disney's big aqusition a few years ago? Marvel. But where can't they use the characters? The theme parks. I think this is to take some of the sting of that.
Originally Posted By tonyanton I think they could use Marvel outside of Florida...perhaps a third park in California would feature Avatar and Marvel?
Originally Posted By MousDad I see a lot of positives in this (Welcome to the dance, Disney! Nice of you to finally show up!), while I also agree with the negatives posed by EE and others. But the long and short of it is this: This only happened because Avatar is the #1 moneymaker of all time - and there's 2 more on the way. Story, asthetics, placement, theme - irrelevant. Bob must be in a state of unparalleled euphoria right now. It's like having a PoC level franchise dropped in your lap. Like he went Wil E Coyote and pulled one out of the 'ACME Insta-Franchise' box. (Just add water) They don't even have to create the movies!! It's the pinnacle of the new Disney!!! I would love to see what the merchandising agreement looks like. Oh, I haven't seen Avatar either.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I have no reason to believe this won't actually happen - and I hope it does. But when I saw construction wasn't set to begin until 2013, the first thing that popped into m y head was David Coperfield's Magical Underground.>> There's a blast from the past! Copperfield Magic Underground was an amazing concept - my favorite restaurant designer David Rockwell (Animator Palate amongst other Disney projects) came up with this great conceit and these fun levitating tables. It would have worked so well - Copperfield and his partners must have lost a fortune on it as they had leases signed in at least three locations (Vegas, NYC and WDW). If I recall correctly they did actually start on some exterior work for the NYC location - which is now a Sbarro. You could see the "front" to the location which was Colossal Monuments Unlimited. It would have been so much more than the usual themed restaurants like Mars 2012 that is still virtually opposite the NYC location.
Originally Posted By u k fan <<<I hope it is considered for WDSP and not for DLP.>>> Me too as WDSP needs substance fast, but I could see something working at the back of Discoveryland!!!
Originally Posted By Nobody Just food for future thought: I seem to remember Cameron saying that he would like to explore the under-sea world of Pandora in one of the next films. If so, I would imagine that environment to be a major part of a ride or attraction.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Question for leemac: Is this the "under wraps" project that Joe Rohde is working on?>> Yes which is why I couldn't comment before! This one is a little too close to home for me to wade in.....for now.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 I've seen the movie twice once in theaters in 3D. It's been the only movie to justify the extra cost. And then once on blu-ray. I loved it in theater and I liked it at home.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I thought Avatar was one of the most overrated movies of recent years (along with Titanic - as a screenwriter, Cameron is a fine action director). That said, it LOOKED great. And if Cameron gets as much input as Rowling got with WWOHP, I can see this land looking terrific and being a wonderful environment. I think it makes perfect business sense. Even with just one film (which didn't have a prior book or comic book series), there were some "Avatar geeks" out there, and it usually takes several films for a franchise to grow its mythology and get a dedicated geek base. That will probably only grow. And, as someone else said, it prevents someone else (presumably Uni) from getting their hands on it. Will the attractions be terrific? That's the big question. Cameron has a rep for going all out, spending tons (or, in this case, insisting that Disney does), and having a dazzling end product - dazzling visually, anyway, if not necessarily very "deep." I also would have preferred a broader Beastly Kingdom, which this will probably displace. But it's possible this will produce a great environment with some fine attractions... we'll have to wait and see about that.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Regarding Harry Potter......was I the only one who didn't care for the movies?" No. I can't tell one from the other and skipped the last two. Wizards do nothing for me.
Originally Posted By Pentacat How does this work out financially for TWDC? Will TWDC foot the entire bill for the construction AND pay a licensing fee to Cameron & Company? I think the Avatar world will be an amazing addition to WDW but at what price? Would the money be better spent developing an attraction based on an existing property that TWDC already owns?
Originally Posted By ChiMike >>Does anyone believe that Tom Staggs really sat down and personally answered questions submitted by the readers of the Disney Parks Blog???? I am sure that all of this had been written beforehand and they just added a few quotes as appropriate... And why do they answer a question about the film being rated PG-13 by mentioning that there will be two sequels??<< I think a team of 8 lawyers and 1 social marketing "guru" sat down and argued about adverbs. >>Still can't make up my mind about it. I see the potential for an interesting addition. I just don't like it when they limit themselves to just one "world" which reduces the creative possibilities. Which btw is something I don't like about lands like Carsland and Harry Potter as well. I prefer an old fashioned Adventureland at the MK or Asia at AK as my idea of a perfect theme park land.<< That's a great point. Best on I have read yet in all the fodder on various sites. It is what use to be great about Lost Continent at IOA - ironically. It was the only land that didn't have that strict tie to a licensed property. I too would like to see a return to abstract lands.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>It is what use to be great about Lost Continent at IOA - ironically. It was the only land that didn't have that strict tie to a licensed property.<<< Agreed, and it was the only land that really worked for me (JUrrasic Park to a lesser extent).
Originally Posted By leemac <<How does this work out financially for TWDC? Will TWDC foot the entire bill for the construction AND pay a licensing fee to Cameron & Company?>> Yup - a hefty licensing fee and merchandise revenue sharing deal. No ticket receipts sharing like Uni has for Potter though. That was always the sticking point for WDP&R's negotiations with WB/JKR.
