Variety has published a fascinating piece on new Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro, exploring the challenges he'll face taking over the company from Bob Iger (if nothing else, he can rest assured it won't be as disastrous as Bob Chapek's time in charge).
The article, which is well worth reading in its entirety, touches on the state of both Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm after a challenging few years for the MCU and Star Wars.
Addressing the audience fatigue surrounding superheroes—caused, in part, by an oversaturation of Disney+ TV shows—it's said that Avengers: Doomsday is still expected to be 2026's highest-grossing movie. That's according to rival studio heads, anyway.
"Some pundits argue the future of the superhero franchise may ride on the hotly anticipated 'Avengers: Doomsday,'" writes the trade, "although sources inside the company’s film division believe the health of the MCU does not hinge on an individual title. Executives are pleased with what they’ve seen for the December release."
That's a positive sign, especially amid continued reports that Avengers: Doomsday was filmed without a finished script. Longtime MCU fans will know it isn't exactly out of the norm for Marvel Studios to do so, of course.
On the Star Wars side, it's said "there are concerns" that The Mandalorian and Grogu's unconventional Super Bowl TV spot failed to hit the mark and generate the excitement Disney's marketing team was hoping for. The promo was criticised by fans eager for a new trailer, and while one did eventually follow, the moment to get the movie in front of that huge Big Game audience came and went.
We've seen Marvel struggle with bringing its streaming characters to theaters, but it's simply too soon to say whether The Mandalorian and Grogu will give Star Wars fans what they've been looking for on the big screen.
Fortunately, "There’s a sense that 'Star Wars: Starfighter,' a spinoff from 'Deadpool & Wolverine' director Shawn Levy, is more likely to satisfy fans when it hits theaters next spring, with sources who have seen footage praising Ryan Gosling’s performance and suggesting Levy has recaptured the franchise’s spirit of fun."
Another sci-fi franchise with an uncertain future is Avatar. Despite grossing over $1.4 billion worldwide, Fire and Ash was considered something of a disappointment after its predecessors flew past the $2 billion mark. Now, D'Amaro needs to decide whether it's worth Disney continuing to fund filmmaker James Cameron's vision for Pandora.
As one insider puts it, "If you make $1 billion on the next movie, you still lose hundreds of millions..."