Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>I detest the whole April Fools Day crap.<< I like a well-placed joke, but it seems like in recent years it's just devolved into posting false news stories every year. That's not clever, it's just lazy
Originally Posted By PeterPan1313 >>>There is no possible way whatsoever that Paradies Pier will be turned into a "Trains" land or that a faster-and-grander-than-Casey-Jr. train ride will be shoehorned in and around Paradise Bay with a stretch going under the DCA Performance Corridor.<<< April's fool jokes notwithstanding, most people wouldn't be surprised to know that Pixar is looking at a Trains film. With a production budget of pennies, Planes had made a ton of cash. Anyway, I've heard that the Trains movie will be done by Pixar, and thus will be a notch or two higher quality than Planes. One storyline they were batting about was a modern passenger train engine who wants to go "off the passenger rails" to find his grandfather (and old fashion style train) who got lost working in the Lost Dutchman mine. Also, Carsland is a big hit, and Trowbridge is interetsed in letting Lasseter and Co. look at what can be done with Pacific Wharf in the future, and yes, one idea they've batted about is a 'Trainsland', which would mesh with the CA-theme in that area of the park. I've heard that the inclusion of "California Limited" billboard in Buena Vista street happened because they were pondering a Trains spin-off/sequel at this date. I think that the people who think that Trains won't happen are the same folks who thought that the Nemo Subs were history with Finding Dory right around the corner.
Originally Posted By PeterPan1313 >>>I saw the 2 Cars films ... that was enough for me. The Planes films did absolutely nothing for me, it looked like "Cars" in planes ... and if Leemac says it's a dead idea ... the reason is obvious. <<< The only reason they did Planes before Trains was because Lasseter is a *big* trains afficionado. and hence Trains will be Pixar, not a DisneyToon Studios sort of picture. Lasseter et al are cognizant of the fact that Planes wasn't up to snuff critically, but they also are aware that the 'concept' of a Cars spin-off is a money maker.
Originally Posted By phruby I'm all for a Trains movie as long as one of the trains looks like John Candy.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance "I like a well-placed joke, but it seems like in recent years it's just devolved into posting false news stories every year. That's not clever, it's just lazy" Even the San Diego zoo posted fake, amazing animal facts on their Facebook page last year. And of course I fell for it. lol I can't believe the zoo felt the need to do that!
Originally Posted By monorailblue Whoever is feeding you your info, PP1313, is having a hilarious time at your expense. Since no one on earth but you has heard of this planned train-themed film, let me just offer Pixar some helpful thoughts: It can't be done in the manner of Cars or Planes. Trains cannot do anything but go forward and backward. They cannot turn, much less turn around. Too limiting. It only works on the Island of Sodor because everyone ignores the fact that side-by-side engines could never even make eye contact, much less communicate with each other, and because that island has a total population of about 100, but has 5,000 miles of train tracks with dozens of places that have 2, 3 or even 4 tracks abreast. A film based on human characters who happen to operate trains is something entirely different.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Trains cannot do anything but go forward and backward. They cannot turn, much less turn around.<< Cars can't talk or drive themselves or sit in normal grandstands. Who makes the paint Ramone uses? Who manufacturers Luigi's tires? For that matter, who made the buildings in the town of Radiator Springs? Is it some sort of post-apocalyptic world where machines have taken over for extinct humans? None of that matters in the world of animation and imagination. I'm not saying that I'm anxious to see a Trains movie necessarily, but it certainly could work any number of ways.
Originally Posted By monorailblue Way to miss the point. Even in a train movie, trains can't turn and look at each other: the tracks don't move. Even in Disney films.
Originally Posted By berol Real world trains and tracks can't do that. Cartoon trains and tracks can.
Originally Posted By leemac <<With a production budget of pennies, Planes had made a ton of cash.>> You clearly have no idea about TWDC. Nothing is made for pennies in the modern day Disney. Planes Fire and Rescue was a $50m movie with a $75m int'l marketing and distribution cost. The movie grossed less than $150m so TWDC took a bath on it (they only barely covered the production costs). I'm happy to educate you on basic maths if you like. Movies that don't make money under Iger don't get a second chance - see John Carter, Oz et al. These spin offs are dead. Cars 3 will no doubt move from development to production as Lasseter won't want the last taste of his baby in the mouths of consumers to be the terrible Cars 2. Plus it keeps him busy and away from other projects. Small price to pay.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>The movie grossed less than $150m so TWDC took a bath on it (they only barely covered the production costs).<< Was the goal of that movie supposed to be at the box office? From the impression I got, it was just a thinly-veiled attempt to push more merchandise. How much as Consumer Products made as a result of it?
Originally Posted By leemac <<Was the goal of that movie supposed to be at the box office? From the impression I got, it was just a thinly-veiled attempt to push more merchandise. How much as Consumer Products made as a result of it?>> It is very rare that a movie property is not successful at the box office and shifts merch. There is usually a direct correlation - see Frozen. Planes merch didn't shift well at all hence it has all been liquidated by the Disney Stores. I'm sure Dusty will continue to pop up on pjs and other stuff but his attempts to mine box office gold are over.
Originally Posted By Ifzorro68 Don't know if the Planes 3 movie is still a go although it was in October but the characters are still being used in more ways than pajamas. Planes merchandise was third in sales for Disney behind Friozen which came in second in sales and the characters are being used in a large promotional way throughout the state and rest of the country. National parks and state parks are using them to remind guests to help prevent fires and large billboards are seen anywhere near state parks. As a matter of fact they are a few short miles from anaheim all over the coachella valley. Planes merchandise is also sold along the very popular Cars merchandise in toy aisles just because the disney stores are removing it from their shelves it doesn't mean that it's not selling well. Disney stores remove items constantly to make room for newer items because of limited space.
Originally Posted By Ifzorro68 Also, above the 150 million in box office revenue the second planes movie made over 25 million in DVDs sales in the first month of release which was right before the holiday season and has most likely past the 200million by now. For a movie that was produced by the toon division and destined originally to be a direct to video series like the popular tinker bell movies I think it's done pretty well. Will they do a planes 3, difficult to say but I don't think its a dead franchise even if it's not made for theaters I think we might see it for tv or video
Originally Posted By leemac <<Don't know if the Planes 3 movie is still a go although it was in October>> Planes 3 hasn't been put into production. The sequel was always tracking soft and the studio have no plans to greenlight another movie considering the box office dud that was Planes Fire & Rescue.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Also, above the 150 million in box office revenue the second planes movie made over 25 million in DVDs sales in the first month of release which was right before the holiday season and has most likely past the 200million by now. For a movie that was produced by the toon division and destined originally to be a direct to video series like the popular tinker bell movies I think it's done pretty well.>> Do you want me to explain the math? Production Costs $50m Int'l distribution & marketing costs $75m Total Cost $125m Total gross $150m - Disney will have received approximately 50% of that - $75m $50m loss Home video made $25m in 2014 - it was out of the charts at the start of this year. Margin is c.20% so that is a princely $5m. First run loss $45m The last info we had from DCP said that Planes was not a core line. That suggests it wasn't the third biggest seller as you have suggested.
Originally Posted By Ifzorro68 Actually I wasnt sugestiong anything, That information was in a report released last month and ls similar report about the sales of planes merchandise was also released after the first movie came out. You were the one that said that the product was not selling, reports released in regard to sales and strengths of Disney merchandise suggests otherwise. And there is obviously some sort of interest in the product since the franchise is still being licensed for other uses. Wether the last movie made money or not
Originally Posted By Ifzorro68 One of the article published after the release of Planes sequel From Fortune magazine August 2014 "Meanwhile, Disney’s entertainment studio’s revenue grew 14% to $1.8 billion as the company continued to ride the mega success of ‘Frozen,’ which was released in theaters last fall and went on to become the highest-grossing animated film ever. The popularity of ‘Frozen’ merchandise, as well as items tied to the Planes and Spider-Man franchises, also pushed sales of Disney’s consumer products unit up 16% to $902 million." The product might not be on the level of some of the other brands that they are focused on but it's obvious that it is making money for Disney and will most likely continue even if no further investment is made to push the brand
