Disney keeps trying, and failing, to launch sci-fi franchises. Whether it be original attempts like 2015's Avatar 2.
The Tron franchise has never gained significant traction, yet is still arguably Disney's most successful sci-fi property to date (with Disney's Tomorrowland was a box office flop, despite its impressive budget and an ittedly fun sci-fi premise: an alternate-dimension cityscape, loosely inspired by the Disney theme land Tomorrowland.
Disney hasn't completely failed in of sci-fi, since it owns the studios responsible for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars; however, in of Disney's house productions, it has struggled to produce a marketable science-fiction franchise. Disney has had many successful movie franchises — Artemis Fowl, failed to find audiences or impress critics.
Why Disney Sci-Fi Franchises Keep Failing
The aforementioned movies have certain commonalities. In virtually all 21st-century examples, the reason why John Carter failed is because of impossibly high standards: the only way it was going to break even was if it was in the top 10 of all grossing films in 2012.
The other main issue with these Disney sci-fi movies is that they all suffer from fundamental story problems. "Over-ambitious," "uneven storytelling," and "incomprehensible" are common criticisms lobbed at these movies. Whether it is the result of too much producer interference and a "writing-by-committee" approach or simply not enough emphasis on adequately developing the script before shooting begins, the arguably biggest fault of these sci-fi titles is that the stories are hard to follow.
How Avatar 2 Can Break The Disney Sci-Fi Curse
merger with 20th Century Fox in 2019. Cameron is producing four Avatar sequels, scheduled to release over the next seven years. The franchise is set to be a significant sci-fi presence over the next decade — and since the first two are being produced simultaneously, viewers can expect at least those two to arrive in theaters. Cameron has a strong track record as a director; his success isn't guaranteed, but it is highly probable.
Disney could be in a position to launch the next major sci-fi franchise with Avatar 2; not only will there be the other direct sequels that are already scheduled, but also the potential for merchandising, TV spin-offs, and other films set in the universe. The flipside, however, is that while can save Disney's sci-fi problem, it will also be disastrous if it fails. After post-production on Avatar 2 and 3 is finished, shooting on Avatar 4 and 5 is expected to begin — which doesn't leave a lot of room for Disney to react to Avatar 2's box office performance. Hopefully, these movies break the Disney sci-fi franchise curse — rather than add to the long list of disappointing attempts.
