Disney Fires Marvel Marketing Division

[psylockolussus]

They are all fired up.

 

[TheVileOne]

Does this mean we get better posters? Imo, the final one sheets for Marvel Studios films have sucked. Except for IM1. That was a neat Rocketeer ripoff.

Let's get some Drew Struzan action on Avengers .

 

[Liam_H]

All 3 were poorly received.

A Disney executive probably sees a movie like Captain America, which holds a roughly 80% approval rating on rotten tomatoes, and stars one of the biggest comic book characters ever, limping along at the box office, and they probably ask themselves "Why in the hell didn't this movie break 200 M?"

Hopefully we won't see major characters limping their way towards breaking even in the future.

Marketing for a movie is what determines the first weekend box office, the quality of a movie and how well its received determines its legs. The job of the marketing department is to sell a movie to initial audience no matter how good or bad it is.

Prince of Persia, Mars Needs Moms, and Tron had okay OW(Tron/PoP) at best to god-awful(MNM). They dropped off pretty quickly after that. Tron had a better multiplier because of holiday season but it was still domestic disappointment.

 

[Zant]

Lets not forget that Nic cage Wizard movie last summer.They put it up againt Inception.Disney are good,but they are not perfect

 

[Liam_H]

Yes, Sorceror's Apprentice did bomb but they knew it was going up against Inception or Despicable Me for a long time. They could've have easily moved it. And it wasn't a throw away movie, they spent $150 million on it so marketing failed.

 

[psylockolussus]

They should released National Treasure 3 instead of The Sorcerer's Apprentice.

 

[TheVileOne]

I agree. I think Jon Turtletaub wasted his time there because I mean, families love those National Treasure movies. I really enjoy them. I don't get why they wouldn't have fast tracked a third one.

Sorcerer's Apprentice was just . . . ugh.

 

[TheVileOne]

Here is another article with a little more info:

http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/disney-axes-marvels-top-marketing-execs-30378

The Walt Disney Co., which bought Marvel Studios in 2009, has fired much of the company's marketing department in a restructuring.

Dana Precious, executive vice president of worldwide marketing, Jeffrey Stewart, vice president for worldwide marketing and Jodi Miller, manager of worldwide marketing, are out.

Both Disney and Marvel declined comment.

The move comes about a year before the release of "The Avengers" -- Marvel's first release under the Disney banner.

Also read: Downey Jr. Calls 'Avengers' To Arms At Jam-Packed Disney Fanfest

Before Disney bought the company, Paramount, which distributed Marvel films, more or less handled the company's marketing.

Now it appears that Disney, which brought the cast of "The Avengers" to its D23 Expo last weekend, will a more hands-on approach to Marvel's marketing.

An individual familiar with the situation called the move a restructuring.

M.T. Carney, Disney's head of marketing, will oversee that function at Marvel.

Precious (right) joined Marvel as executive vice president, worldwide marketing, in August 2010. Before then, she was co-president, New Media, at Ignition Creative. She also has been executive vice president, domestic theatrical advertising at Twentieth Century Fox and executive vice president, theatrical marketing creative advertising, at Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Deadline first reported the news.

Disney's MT Carney is taking over the position.

 

[psylockolussus]

I just hope the DVD and BluRay of The Avengers doesn't have that "Disney FastPlay".

 

[kedrell]

^What's that?

 

[babykhris]

. What is Disney's FastPlay?
Disney's FastPlay is a new technology that puts you in control of your viewing preferences.
You can choose to use your remote and navigate through our user-friendly EasyFind menus, or you can simply put in the disk and go sit down and relax and the DVD automatically begins. You don't have to push a button!
You can watch the feature presentation just like you would in theaters. After the trailers and feature, stay tuned for an exciting selection of Bonus Features.

 

[psylockolussus]

Disney FastPlay is a waste of space and it isn't a technology.

 

[babykhris]

Disney has tapped Randi Hiller to head up casting at the Walt Disney Studios.

The veteran casting director replaces Marcia Ross who announced she was leaving the Mouse House in February. She had been with the studio since 1995.

As VP of casting, Hiller will oversee the casting of Disney's live action films. Hiller already has had a relationship with Disney owned Marvel, recently casting "Thor," "Captain America: The First Avenger" and "The Avengers." Her recent credits also include Lionsgate's "Warrior" and HBO's "Cinema Verite."

She reports to the studio's production prexy Sean Bailey.

 

[TheVileOne]

Sounds like a good person to have around over at Disney now that Marvel is a subsidiary of the company. Thanks for letting us know khris.

And I loved Warrior, probably one of my favorite movies this year. Isn't doing very well though .

Should also be interesting to see how Disney's upcoming slate does and what it will mean for Rich Ross' future since he replaced the long tenured and well liked Dick Cook.