Boardwalk Times: Stories from the Seashore — Disney’s Tech Company Ambitions 🤖
This month's newsletter includes Disney's Tech Company Ambitions, Walt Disney Animation's Tiana and overall strategy, and the quiet Disney Annual Shareholders Meeting.
Welcome back to Boardwalk Times: Stories from the Seashore!
In this issue, we will be covering:
Disney’s Tech Company Ambitions 🤖
Tiana: Disney+, Disney Animation, and A Shifting Strategy 🐸
Disney Shareholders Meeting Was Quiet This Year 🤫
Podcast Plugs 🎙
Links of the Month 📰
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Disney’s Tech Company Ambitions 🤖
If you could read between the lines of this month’s newscycle, one thing would be abundantly clear and that is Disney wants to project a stronger image of being a tech/innovation storytelling company.
From SXSW to insightful Imagineering YouTube videos to NVIDIA, it’s clear Disney wants to embrace Walt Disney Imagineering and the tech space. The BDX Droid world tour is a key example. Disney partnering with NVIDIA and Google DeepMind on BDX Droids is huge, and the other key is the fact that Disney is paving the way for the next generation of audio-animatronic characters. The BDX Droids are just the start.
“The BDX droids are just the beginning. We’re committed to bringing more characters to life in ways the world hasn’t seen before, and this collaboration with Disney Research, Nvidia and Google DeepMind is a key part of that vision,” Kyle Laughlin, senior VP at Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development, said in a statement. “This collaboration will allow us to create a new generation of robotic characters that are more expressive and engaging than ever before — and connect with our guests in ways that only Disney can.”
So we can expect some exciting audio-animatronic characters on the horizon. I also wouldn’t rule out seeing Disney work with more tech companies like NVIDIA and Google on certain projects. Disney wants to embrace the tech side to show they aren’t just a media company. The media blitz at Walt Disney Imagineering has also been helpful with this narrative.
Cleo Abrams did a great look inside Walt Disney Imagineering. Her video showcased the various innovations at Walt Disney Imagineering. Kevin Feige even made a cameo alongside Disney Parks head Josh D’Amaro. Feige, a well-known Imagineering nerd, also revealed that WDI and D’Amaro’s team actually was on set of a Marvel Studios film to see how they could extend that world into the Disney Parks. (Although it wasn’t revealed in Cleo Abrams video it seems likely to be The Fatastic Four: First Steps which is inspired by EPCOT and Tomorrowland in many ways).
Disney’s SXSW showcase also featured a panel from Disney Accelerator, Disney’s start-up incubator that includes Epic Games and Kahoot as alumni. The startup panel featured names from StatusPro (sports gaming experiences), Illumix (AI/XR experience company), and ElevenLabs (AI audio platform). I wouldn’t be shocked if Disney leans into Accelerator more as they get further into AI, gaming, and the overall tech space.
Speaking of gaming and AI, Disney continues to give optimistic updates about its collaboration with Epic Games. Iger described the new universe as a “gaming platform, streaming platform, creator platform, and also a social network all in one.” It’s very clear Iger wants to paint the picture of how tech-focused Disney is and how the lofty project will make its money back. Plus, Iger and Co. gave some cryptic updates on Disney’s AI efforts. Iger mentioned the importance of human creativity, and he also said Disney is considering three things when it comes to AI: That Disney’s IP remains protected, that Disney’s creators are being respected, and that Disney’s customers are being considered and valued. Let’s see how that plays out, folks!
How does “Disney as a Tech Company” play into succession? Well, look at the guy steering the current focus. Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro is overseeing a massive division — the one that consistently brings in revenue. D’Amaro is also spearheading the Disney-Epic Games universe, a huge company-wide initiative. It’s also no coincidence that most of the tech and innovation space falls under D’Amaro’s purview. We truly may be witnessing a Disney strategy shift in real time. Could Iger/Gorman be soft-launching a more tech-focused Disney under D’Amaro? One thing is for sure that Disney would salivate if it could ever have a stock price that looked like a tech company. (In my own personal opinion —this isn’t financial advice— but Disney has always gotten the short end of the stick from Wall Street, some truly questionable businesses have higher stock prices than a company that consistently makes money…)
The narrative is shaping, and I think we have to keep seeing how Disney portrays itself as a tech company. The company clearly has an ambition to do more in that space. Could the tech and innovation strategy be a way of making Disney stronger against its trio of tech rivals in Apple, Amazon, and Netflix? We will have to see.
Have a topic you want me to cover? Drop me a line at boardwalktimes@yahoo.com!
Tiana: Disney+, Disney Animation, and A Shifting Strategy 🐸
Tiana was caught between two eras. The Princess and the Frog sequel series was caught between the streaming gold rush, where no expense was spared, and the inevitable contraction period. The series is now going to be a special on Disney+. The special will be directed by Joyce Sherri and Meet the Robinsons/Winnie the Pooh director Stephen Anderson. (Listeners of The Zach Perilstein Show learned about Stephen Anderson’s involvement first.)
There has been a lot of discussion about the switch. Mainly, fans are questioning Walt Disney Animation and why the series wasn’t just turned into a theatrical film. First off, I think a lot of people in this space gave false hope that it was a possibility after Moana 2.
Moana 2 was lightning in a bottle. The series was ahead of Tiana in terms of development, Disney had an open release slot, and Moana was skyrocketing in popular. It was the perfect storm. For Tiana, if that series were pivoted to a film. It wouldn’t be as fast a turnaround, and it would likely have to be the second Walt Disney Animation film in a year and in a different release slot. With a new original film in 2026 and more Frozen on the way, Disney, I guess, didn’t want to do it.
The other reality is that a Tiana series would cost more than what it would bring back to Disney+. Maybe Disney could’ve just used it as a way to restock the content cupboard, especially as its original streaming slate dwindles. However, this was the same case for the Moana Disney+ series, but these projects wouldn’t bring in new subscribers. If you’re a fan of Moana and Tiana, you’re already subscribed to Disney+.
Yet, Princess and the Frog/Tiana fans have the right to feel a bit frustrated. The property just got an attraction in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Usually, that means a property is going to get more chances to shine, not less. Some are questioning why Disney would utilize The Princess and the Frog in an attraction but not feel confident enough to give it a new film. It’s a legitimate question, and I would love to see how someone at Disney could answer that.
Walt Disney Animation is shifting its strategy and longform animation is just too expensive for the studio. Walt Disney Animation wants to keep up the momentum from Moana 2 with Zootopia 2, the untitled original film, and the next two Frozen films. Maybe the Tiana decision will become clearer as the new CCO Jared Bush reveals Disney Animation’s new slate. Maybe there simply wasn’t room for the project to exist as a longform series or film on this current slate.
I am very confident in the Tiana special, though. It’s going to be an exciting project to watch when it comes out.
Disney Shareholders Meeting Was Quiet This Year 🤫
The meeting was quiet this year, besides the surprise Coco 2 announcement. Nothing crazy happened. As we covered earlier in this newsletter, Disney CEO Bob Iger answered questions on Epic Games and AI, but there were three other questions that fascinated me.
On a Figment series: Iger jokingly said he’s been asked about “good old Figment” around fifteen times as CEO. Iger then said he wants to explore doing a series or a series of shorts around the character. Everyone was, of course, giddy about Iger’s answer, but I found it a bit odd that they didn’t even bring up the fact that a Figment film was in development. Did the project die? Can it be resurrected? As Iger noted, it’s clear the demand for Figment is there.
On DVC Standalone properties: Iger was asked if Disney has any plans to do more standalone Disney Vacation Club resorts in different regions like Disney’s Aulani in Hawaii, Disney’s Hilton Head Resort, and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.
Iger says Disney is not currently looking at more Aulani-like projects. So everyone’s dream of more DVC resorts in distinct locations went up in smoke. The dream of the Disney DVC ski resort remains, just that, a dream.
On Disney Experiences expansion and building new resorts: Iger was asked if Disney was looking at more parks globally. Iger shot it down and cited how the Disney Cruise Line is expanding the brand into new markets. Iger said they will continue to expand at their current destinations. So, no Disneyland Brazil or Disneyland Australia on the horizon. Yet I think if Disney were to build a brand new park, you would have to look at Paris, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and even Tokyo as the next ones up to get another gate. The domestic parks will continue to expand what they currently have.
Read the entire Annual Shareholders Meeting takeaways piece.
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Podcast Plugs 🎙
Boardwalk Times Multiverse of Marvel has kicked off Better Call Murdock — A Daredevil: Born Again After-Show. (Spotify) (Apple)
The Zach Perilstein Show returned with a new episode with NBC News journalist and After Disney author Neil O’Brien. (Spotify) (Apple)
The Lowdown on the Plus-up has a new episode about The Rocket Belt Saga: The Man Who Flew Above Disneyland's Tomorrowland in the 1960s. (Spotify) (Apple)
LINKS OF THE MONTH
— ‘We only build technology in the interest of storytelling’: The BDX Droids and Disney’s overall robotics efforts are heating up. (Tech Radar)
— Win or Lose: Pixar’s Visually Vibrant Series Takes Some Big Swings. (Boardwalk Times)
— It’s Tough To Be A Bug’s Life Fan. (Boardwalk Times)
— A long list of ride closures is making Disney World less fun. (Sherwood News)
— Why are there so many live-action remakes? Reuters explores the critical reception and box office of the Disney animated classics versus live-action remakes. (Reuters)
— Most Snow White stories this month have been rehashes of the controversy. Yet this Variety piece shines a light on some of those moments in a new way. Even though we are beating a dead horse, I don’t think this will be our last Snow White tell-all story. (Variety)
— Park Lore’s Brian Krosnick pens a touching tribute to Theme Park Tourist, a theme park website that I’m sure many of you reading this have checked out. (Park Lore)
— Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter shares thoughts on the future of animation at Pixar, Toy Story 5, and AI. (The Hollywood Reporter)
— Avengers: Doomsday cast is full of surprises so far. (The Hollywood Reporter)
— Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is receiving an update. (Disney Parks Blog)
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