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Credit: Inside the MagicThe Walt Disney Company is facing backlash over its latest decision pertaining to a major franchise reboot.
Disney has been no stranger to controversy, especially over the last few years. The company, which owns many popular properties like Walt Disney Animation, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, 20th Century Studios, as well as many other media corporations and entities, such as ABC and ESPN.
Over the last couple of years, Disney has faced backlash from many different subsects of its fan base. The last few animated films that the company has released– Pixar’s Lightyear (2022), Disney’s Strange World (2022), and Pixar’s Elemental (2023)– have all underperformed at the box office, with Lightyear and Strange World being listed as multi-million dollar mistakes. The company has also laid off more than 7,000 employees, including executives in its Disney Parks & Resorts division, and the many umbrellas of the company.
On March 20, 2019, The Walt Disney Company completed its acquisition of 21st Century Fox (now called 20th Century Studios), including its major entertainment assets, such as 20th Century Fox Film Corporation. This historic deal marked a significant milestone in the entertainment industry, consolidating a vast array of intellectual properties under Disney’s umbrella.
The acquisition of 20th Century Fox by Disney was a monumental move that reshaped the landscape of Hollywood. It brought together two entertainment powerhouses, combining Disney’s rich history in animation and family-friendly content with 20th Century Fox’s extensive film library and diverse range of properties. With this acquisition, Disney gained control over iconic franchises such as Avatar, X-Men, Deadpool, Planet of the Apes, and Alien, among others.
One of the primary motivations behind Disney’s acquisition was to expand its content offerings and bolster its streaming platform, Disney+. By acquiring 20th Century Fox’s assets, Disney obtained a vast catalog of films and TV shows that could be utilized to attract a broader audience to its streaming service. This move allowed Disney to further solidify its position as a major player in the increasingly competitive streaming market.
Now, as Disney has been in control of the movie studio for more than four years, the company has begun to take steps toward making its future known. Of course, many fans know that Disney has been working on the future of the Avatar franchise and Deadpool franchise, but what many may not know is that a franchise worth more than $600 million at the box office is also getting a reboot.
Disney and 20th Century Studios are currently in the midst of production of a reported reboot of the Alien franchise. However, this has been met with controversy as production is reportedly continuing, even in the midst of Hollywood shutting down. We Got This Covered recently reported that production on the film will continue as most of the cast members who are a part of the film are not a part of the Screen Actors Guild.
“Pre-production is currently underway in Thailand, with multiple soundstages and equipment being hired out,” the report said. “The positive – at least for those who want to ignore the strikes – is that the majority of the people involved in the production are members of other unions such as Equity, with only two principal cast members being part of the Screen Actors Guild, which allows shooting to carry on without having to utilize those two talents in particular.”
The original film, titled Alien, was directed by Ridley Scott and introduced audiences to a terrifying extraterrestrial creature known as the Xenomorph. Set in the future, the story follows the crew of the commercial spaceship Nostromo, who encounter a deadly alien life form after responding to a distress signal on an unknown planet. The film brilliantly blended science fiction and horror elements, creating a sense of suspense, claustrophobia, and a feeling of constant threat.
Aliens, directed by James Cameron and released in 1986, continued the franchise’s success and took a more action-oriented approach. This sequel introduced the character of Ellen Ripley, portrayed by Sigourney Weaver, as the sole survivor of the Nostromo. Ripley returns to the planet LV-426 with a team of colonial marines to confront the Xenomorphs once again. The film expanded the mythology, introduced new characters, and added a layer of military sci-fi to the franchise, becoming a blockbuster hit.
The franchise continued with several more films, including Alien³ (1992), Alien: Resurrection (1997), and two prequels, Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Covenant (2017).
What do you think of this Disney reboot? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!