New Disney star, 78, gets franchise thumbs down
Despite the fact that it will launch the Cannes Film Festival, a Disney movie titled ‘Up’ is being given the thumbs down by toy manufacturers and investors because the story is based on a grumpy 78-year-old man not considered commercially attractive.
Financial analysts claim that the movie will not produce spin-off merchandising deals involving toys, clothes, food and soft drinks because they “doubt younger boys will be that excited by the main character”.
A widower, Carl Frederiksen, ties balloons to his house to become airborne and accidentally drags an eight year old scout along with him.
They then embark on a series of wild and spectacular adventures in South America.
Hamish Pringle, director general of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, said that advertising ageism was a major factor.
“Older people are rarely the centerpiece of campaigns despite the booming grey market and the obvious reality that we are an ageing population. One of the contributing factors is that most of those working for ad agencies are under the age of 40”.
The chief executive of Disney, Robert Iger, said that “we seek to make great films first. If a great film gives birth to a franchise we are the first company to leverage such success.
“A check-the-boxes approach to creativity is more likely to result in blandness and failure,” he said.
