It does not take a genius to see that Disney has been losing its magic at the box office. This became painfully obvious at the start of 2024, when CEO Bob Iger slashed a sizable chunk of the workforce- always a telltale sign of a company in trouble. A big part of Disney’s struggle can be attributed to the once-mighty MCU, and its mass production of mediocre stories that fans are starting to tune out now. But then, in July of this year, something changed. Deadpool & Wolverine gave Disney its first billion-dollar hit after three long years of flops.

Now, all eyes are on Moana 2 to pull off the same feat at the box-office. But is this really Disney’s big box office comeback?

Deadpool & Wolverine, starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, grossed over $1.3 billion at the worldwide box office and became the highest-earning R-rated movie of all time. Meanwhile, Moana 2 has become the ninth-biggest release of 2024 with $400 million globally. Impressive as these numbers are, Disney’s current box office performance still pales in comparison to its 2019 glory days. Back then, the studio had seven films cross the billion-dollar mark in a single year.

It included The Lion King, Frozen II, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Toy Story 4, Aladdin, Captain Marvel, and Spider-Man: Far From Home. This year, however, Disney’s billion-dollar club features just two titles so far- Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine. While Moana 2 could become the third highest-grossing film of 2024, the drop in Disney's billion-dollar hits underscores the fact that it is still struggling to reclaim the title as the box office juggernaut. Disney is still 11% behind last year and 27% off the 2019 total. And there is one major reason behind it. 

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No, not the pandemic or superhero fatigue or even the lure of streaming. Disney just does not seem to know what fans want anymore.

Over the past two years, experts have been analyzing how a studio that once ruled Hollywood lost its magic seemingly overnight. The answer is simple. Disney has not kept up with the times. For years, the studio thrived on live-action remakes and high-budget superhero movies- basically all big, flashy, event-style films. While fans still love a good spectacle, mere thrilling action sequences and cutting-edge VFX cannot make up for weak storytelling and predictable plots.

Disney's executives still seem stuck in the past- relying on the nostalgia effect instead of taking some real creative leaps. They are even denying the existence of 'Marvel fatigue' among fans. Even in Disney’s golden year, 2019, most hits were sequels or remakes. But those films still offered something new. For instance, Avengers: Endgame delivered the long-awaited payoff to an epic saga. Now, with Disney’s 2025 slate looking riskier than ever, it might be time for the studio to rethink its approach if it wants to stage a true comeback.

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What do you think about Disney's box-office performance this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!