With the Middle Eastern summer in full swing and school holidays in place, a family movie night is the perfect way to kickback and relax with loved ones!
As travel restrictions are still in place for most countries and with the heat of summer dampening outdoor plans, a family movie night seems the perfect way to relax and bond with family over a tub of popcorn.
Here are our top picks to help you decide what to watch on a family movie night:
The Lion King
A wise man once said, “old is gold” and we couldn’t agree more! Watching the original The Lion King has a charm of its own, the emotions, the thrill and not to mention the excitement! A perfect treat for you and your family.
The Harry Potter Series
Avada Kedavra all your boredom away with the Harry Potter series! Nothing beats magic, wands, and sports played on flying broomsticks! A series for youngsters and adults alike, Harry Potter and his battalion seems like the perfect go-to for a family movie night.
Frozen 1 and 2
A Disney original is always a good idea for family movie night. Be it Elsa’s magical powers or witnessing Anna’s love bring together her family – a movie with a happy ending is a movie for all!
The Pursuit of Happyness
Released in the early 2000’s, The Pursuit of Happyness is about a struggling salesman who takes custody of his son as he’s determined to begin a life-changing professional career.
Minions Series
Starring adorable little minions in lead roles, the Minions series is one to rev up the creative minds of your little ones at home. Filled with mischief, laughter and adventure, it is the perfect pastime these summer holidays. The latest installment, Minions: The Rise of Gru is set to hit the BIG Screen
The Princess Diaries
Breaking barriers of how each princess’ purpose is to have her prince, The Princess Diaries lead by example through their plot. Teaching girls about women empowerment and how even princesses make the silliest of mistakes, this widely loved movie is a must watch for all!
Avengers Marathon
Marvel fanatics, assemble! Everybody loves a good superhero movie with action, adventure, emotions and just the right kind of storyline. Filled with twists and turns, this adventurous, action-packed series will keep you hooked!
Back to the Future
With the latest sci-fi movies in today’s day and age, it’s always nice to kick back with an original that way ahead of its time. Back to the Future is about a 17-year-old high school student who is accidentally sent thirty years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, an eccentric scientist.
Up
Get ready for some waterworks and for your heart to be filled with joy. Up is one of Disney’s most popular award-winning animation that is based on 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen, who travels to Paradise Falls in his house equipped with balloons, inadvertently taking a young stowaway.
The Chronicles of Narnia
Based on a seven-book series, The Chronicles of Narnia has four movie installments, all revolving around a magical land with magical beings who must fight to protect what is theirs.
A plethora of blockbusters are also set to release on the BIG Screen over the rest of summer and the start of fall: Free Guy (August), Paw Patrol (August), Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September), Venom: Let There Be Carnage (Septmeber), Dune (September), Hotel Transylvania: Transformania (September), Addams Family 2 (September) No Time to Die (October), Clifford the Big Red Dog (October) and more.
Book your tickets and head to the cinema for an immersive experience with your family and friends!
Sources: IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes
Following a long-running history of successfully bringing legendary tales to life through animation and music, and hot off the heels of live-action remakes such as Dumbo, Aladdin and The Lions King in 2019, Disney is set to release the reboot of Mulan in March 2020.
Mulan – directed by Niki Caro, is the story of a young woman named Hua Mulan who risks everything out of love for her family and her country to become one of the greatest warriors China has ever known.
The remake will star Liu Yifei as the title character and since Disney premiered its teaser and official trailer, fans noticed some pretty big changes – General Shang, Shan Yu, or Mushu are no more!
The original animated movie was a musical, with characters singing songs throughout the story. According to Caro, there will also be no singing in this live-action adaptation, either.
Audiences in general can’t seem to get enough of Disney’s live-action remakes of classic animated films. They’re big, they’re colorful and most of them seem to be offering a new take on beloved characters.
Below are Worldwide Box Office figures for Disney’s most recent live-actions remakes:
Cinderella (2015) – Over US$534 Million
The Jungle Book (2016) – Over US$962 Million
Beauty and the Beast (2017) – Over US$1.26 Billion
Aladdin (2019) – Over US$1.05 Billion
The Lion King (2019) – Over US$1.65 Billion
The remake of the Chinese warrior is already poised to capture the hearts of audiences from around the world, and has broken a few records.
The official teaser trailer for Mulan logged an epic 175+ million views (globally) in its first 24 hours online, making it the 2nd ‘Most Viewed Debut Trailer’ for a Disney live-action adaptation. It is also the 7th ‘Most Watched Trailer’ of all-time behind Avengers: Endgame (trailer 1 & 2), Avengers: Infinity War (trailer 1 & 2), The Lion King (teaser trailer) and It (teaser trailer).
Watch the final trailer for Mulan:
Here’s why Mulan will be yet another Disney remake success:
A Symbol of ‘Girl Power’
Similar to other Disney movies, Mulan (1998) has not been forgotten and still gets heavy rotation in households all over the world. This means new generations have been introduced to the girl who dresses up like a guy to take her father’s place in the army. Hua Mulan battles it out with the enemies—more than once— then goes on to saving the kingdom, all while breaking free from the shackles of patriarchy. Little girls across the world love what Mulan represents – a young girl who fights for herself and never backs down.
Kids’ reviews of the original movie from 1998 reveals that little girls love what Mulan represents.
Here are some reviews from girls ages 11-13 on Common Sense Media:
“Mulan is an inspiration to me! The way she defeats the army and shows that women can do anything men can do really moves me. I also love her love interest, voiced by Donny Osmand. Mulan has violent scenes because it is war based and it might be scary for young children. Mulan was my first hero and I’m sure she inspires many other women.”
“Disney movies are usually stereotypical and about girls (meaning blonde blue eyed models) that fall in love and become princess with help from a magical beings. Not this girl! I love how Mulan fights for herself and never backs down … Mulan has good messages about that girls are strong and just as powerful as men. Every girl should see this movie at least once. One of my favorites. Really just an inspirational movie about girl power. Very good. Mulan is a true hero in my book.”
When it comes to the movie director, Niki Caro (The Zookeeper’s Wife) is at the center of this period-piece action fantasy. Caro is the second female director to be hired by Disney to direct a movie exceeding a $100 million budget following A Wrinkle in Time. Caro has a highly-impressive track record as a director and having a woman’s eye on a legendary female-fronted tale is a good move by the studio.
Speaking at the New Zealand Power of Inclusion Summit in 2019, Caro pointed out that Mulan is a landmark for representation not just for having a woman director, but also for having a female director of photography in Mandy Walker (Hidden Figures) and a female first assistant director, Liz Tan (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Hobbit Trilogy).
‘Nostalgia’ a Magnet at Box Office
What makes Mulan an unforgettable character? Her brilliance, heart, and bravery are what made her a legend. Though she’s already smart and compassionate, Hua Mulan winds up becoming a fierce fighter in the Chinese army, learning to work on a team and independently. Honor and love for family were central to her journey. All of those elements are present in all versions of the film’s trailer.
Fans of Disney’s first version of Mulan are hyped about seeing a more realistic portrayal of the warrior’s story. She’s a favorite among Disney princesses and although the new film will be missing Mushu and its charming musical numbers, that won’t stop people from seeing it.
2020 Version Closer to the Original Story
When Disney released Mulan in 1998, it did not go over well with Chinese audiences. Part of that had to do with a lack of promotional activities in the country, but since the ‘90s, the Chinese box office has become a powerhouse for American films. Another reason it flopped was because of its storytelling. Various versions of Hua Mulan’s story have been told in Asian cinema for decades, but those were accepted since they focused on the original epic.
The BBC reports that Disney was extra careful with the story of Hua Mulan this time, using the 6th century ballad as its guiding light. This time, the storytelling will be more inclusive of traditional Chinese customs that were the norm at the time.
When the BBC examined how the trailer was received overseas, they mentioned the social media site, Weibo, where users posted comments such as: “Hua Mulan was the heroine who graced our storybooks in school. I’m happy that the trailer is setting her story up as more of a Chinese martial arts epic rather than an American cartoon.”
In spite of complaints about historical inaccuracies, the trailer has been well-received for Mulan, a film that’s shaping up to be a depiction of the legendary girl warrior who’s been celebrated for centuries. For many fans, March can’t come fast enough.
An All-Asian Star Cast
Not only is Mulan great for its strong female lead, but the 2020 version seems to have done justice by avoiding whitewashing. The live action remake is sticking to its plot and heritage, with casting focused on actors of Asian ethnicities who appeal to both Chinese and Western audiences.
After a team of Disney casting directors conducted a year-long search, traveling across five continents and auditioning nearly 1000 candidates, Liu Yifei was selected to play the role of Hua Mulan.
*Did you know – According to the cinematographer of the film, the battle sequences in Mulan were all done in front of the camera and Liu Yifei did 90% of her own stunts.
Donnie Yen has been cast as a fresh character named Commander Tung, who will serve as Hua Mulan’s mentor and teacher. Yen is best known for his role in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2012), the Ip Man films and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).
Among the new characters introduced for this version of the film, the main antagonist in the movie is a powerful witch named Xian Lang, played by Li Gong. The actress also played the main villain in Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) to much acclaim. Her inclusion adds an element of magic to Mulan not seen before, perhaps creating new circumstances for the army.
Jason Scott Lee – best known for his portrayal of Bruce Lee in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993) and his voice role of David in Lilo & Stitch (2002) is also joining the movie as Bori Khan.
Jet Li has been casted by Disney as the Emperor of China in the upcoming live-action film. Li is one of the most prominent Chinese actors to grace Hollywood, starting with his debut in 1998’s Lethal Weapon 4. In the early ’00s he made a name for himself as a martial artist action hero, most recently appearing in The Expendables movies. Li and Liu Yifei have worked alongside each other before in The Forbidden Kingdom (2008).
Yoson An will play the role of Chen Honghui – Mulan’s rival and love interest, in 2020’s version the legendary tale.
Boxoffice Pro is projecting Mulan to make $40 – 60 million in its US opening, while Motivate Val Morgan forecasts over 520K admissions for the movie in the UAE.
Mulan is set to grace cinemas across the Middle East on 26th March, 2020. Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities alongside this MEGA Blockbuster.
Sources: Deadline, Forbes, Heroic Hollywood, The Hollywood Reporter, Cheat Sheet, The Numbers, Boxoffice Pro. and Wikipedia
Disney’s record-setting year at the box office simply won’t quit until the calendar rolls over. As the year comes to a close, Disney has remained king of the 2019 worldwide box office, producing eight out of the year’s 10 highest-grossing films.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hit cinema screens the past weekend and had a strong opening at $175.5 million in the United States. While that’s not as large as The Force Awakens (2015) or The Last Jedi (2017), it’s still going to make the movie a huge hit for Disney, giving them another spot in the top ten highest-grossing US releases of 2019 – edging out Jordan Peele’s acclaimed Us, which grossed $175.05 million at the box office in the United States earlier this year. As such, Disney has produced eight of this year’s top ten, which is a truly unprecedented level of success.
With the success of numerous films including Avengers: Endgame, Aladdin and Toy Story 4 earlier this year, Disney has been growing at an astonishing rate and has earned a record-setting $10 billion at worldwide box office. The recent growth in success of Disney shouldn’t come as a surprise, given that the studio has always been a prominent player in the entertainment industry and has also begun to buy and consume its competition over the last couple of years.
The following 2019 movies also sit in the top ten, all of which were produced by Disney:
Avengers: Endgame
Worldwide Box Office: $2,797,800,564
The Lion King
Worldwide Box Office: $1,656,313,097
Toy Story 4
Worldwide Box Office: $1,073,394,813
Captain Marvel
Worldwide Box Office: $1,128,274,794
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Worldwide Box Office: $1,131,927,996
*Disney’s Marvel Studios produced Spider-Man: Far From Home while Sony handled distribution. Therefore, the film’s box office earnings doesn’t technically count towards Disney’s total for the year.
Frozen II
Worldwide Box Office: $1,165,209,889 (to date as the film is still screening in cinema)
Aladdin
Worldwide Box Office: $1,050,693,953
The only non-Disney movies to crack the top 10 in North America this year were Joker ($333.3 million) and IT Chapter Two ($211.5 million) – both titles produced by Warner Bros.
Disney has officially become the first studio in history to bring in $10 billion at the box office in a single year, and that total doesn’t count Spider-Man: Far From Home, nor does it account for the Fox titles the studio distributed following the $71.3 billion merger of the two companies earlier this year. Thus, Disney has han alarmingly good year and the competition is, without doubt, struggling to accomplish even a fraction of that success financially.
Disney’s 2020 release schedule is far less packed with anticipated movies. However, there are a few major titles including a live-action adaptation of Mulan and Black Widow and The Eternals from Marvel.
Watch trailers:
Mulan:
Black Widow:
Disney’s box office dominance is poised to continue in the new decade, as they will now be in full control of Fox content moving forward, with X-Men and Fantastic Four being two example franchises that can be used for further financial wins.
Contact a member of our sales team for cinema advertising opportunities alongside Disney Blockbusters in the upcoming year!
Sources: The Verge, CinemaBlend and The Numbers.
Cinema is appealing to a more diverse group of consumers than ever before, making it an attractive platform for many brands to utilize. In order to ensure brands reach and engage their target audience effectively with their cinema promotion, there are certain consumer trends to be kept in mind, considering their potential impact on the outcome of a campaign.
The following article was published on LinkedIn by Casey Story – Organization Development Professional | Learning & Development Specialist | Sales Trainer & Coach
Kurt Wagner from Recode Media wrote an article stating that, “2019 will mark the first-time digital ad spend in the US outpaces TV and print combined.” Marketers will attest to this trend as there is a noticeable change in expectations among clients. Media planning conversations use to focus mostly around aspects including: Audience, engagement, reach, recall, like-ability, however the stakes have been shifting since 2008. Which most will remember as the year we all started walking around with cash registers in our pockets (personal smartphones).
Shifting of expectations from brands are steering agencies and media sales professionals to steer towards a ‘Positive Business Outcome’ approach to their media strategy. These teams are now focused on identifying the right consumers, reaching them in the right environment, engaging with them at the right time, and on the right devices to achieve and prove delivery of the KPI’s set forth by their clients.
While digital advertising allows brands to achieve several of these key components in the new outcome-based approach to planning, there are several considerations including: identifying the right consumers, reaching them in the right environment and engaging with them at the right time, that must still be supported by other channels in the traditional media space.
The following are three US consumer trends in 2019/2020 that make cinema advertising a more viable channel than ever to support brand goals:
Subscription Movie Going is Still Alive
Similar to blockbuster, taxi services and the music industry, the movie going industry did not feel a major disruption of their consumer’s expectations for a long period of time. The model was straightforward: negotiate with studios to fill theaters and auditoriums with blockbuster hits, sell tickets and concessions, invest in capital improvements that enhance the overall experience if/when needed. The main purpose was that the content on screen should be enough to encourage consumers to spend $10-20 dollars per ticket to see the films. Here’s where MoviePass makes its entrance.
The long-term arithmetic reflected in MoviePass’ model made it clear that without improved compensation from the circuits, the company was working on both borrowed time and money. As we know, the negotiation never happened, and MoviePass has been written down by its holding company.
The low-cost subscription model that MoviePass introduced however dramatically changed the consumer expectation regarding the cost of going to the movies. For the first time in years the exhibitors (Cinemark, Regal, AMC) have had to adjust their pricing strategy and are introducing subscription plans of their own. These actions have been well received by consumers. AMC recently announced that since launching their Stubbs A-List program (a $19.95 monthly subscription) in June of 2018, they have enrolled over 700,000 members.
This trend is important for advertisers considering cinema campaigns, because the data shows that when consumers have access to lower priced movie tickets, they see more movies. In the same article published in Variety, AMC noted that Stubbs A-List members had accounted for over 14 million movie ticket sales in the same amount of time.
Cinemark, Regal, and regional affiliates throughout the US are all working to finalize or develop their own subscription-based models to adapt to this shift in consumer expectation. What this means for advertisers is that passionate movie goers, those same consumers that drive 73% of spending in the US will be coming out in record numbers to their local movie theaters throughout 2019 because for the first time in years, they have a more affordable way of doing so.
Hollywood’s Franchise Era
The question, “When will Hollywood introduce us to new stories?” often rings in the minds of movie-goers alike. Ben Fritz’s book The Big Picture – The Fight for the Future of Movies answers this and discusses Hollywood’s shift towards the ‘franchise movie model’.
The reality is most consumers want two things when they choose to go to the movies:
Consumers may argue that they would prefer more adult dramas, romantic comedies, horror films, etc. However, the facts (historical ticket sales), reveal otherwise.
Looking at 2019’s slate of films, it is safe to say that we are in the heart of the Hollywood franchise era. The opportunities to experience something larger than life and culturally relevant are already driving record box office sales.
Captain Marvel (2019) made a total of $1,126,129,839 at the Worldwide Box Office. While remakes of popular Disney classics have been making cinema rounds. Classics such as: Dumbo made a total of $347,866,307 since its release in March 2019. Cinema-goers have also witnessed a rise in live-action remakes of popular Disney films this year, with movies such as The Lion King which made a whooping $1,638,761,919 at the box-office (to date). Whereas, the live-action version Aladdin’s live action version made a total of $1,037,017,346 since its release in May 2019.
From the Marvel Universe, the concluding film of the franchise- Avengers: End Game broke records at the box-office banking a total of$2,795,473,000 and continued to run in cinemas for 20 weeks across cinemas in the US.
The last quarter of the year holds great promise for the box office with mega sequels such as Frozen II, Jumanji: The Next Level and the concluding film of the Star Wars series: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker soon to release across cinemas worldwide.
Advertisers considering cinema campaigns should look closely at the historical success of the franchise model in domestic ticket sales. In the last four years, the highest grossing movies yearly in the US have come from within a franchise. This trend appears to continue throughout 2019. With the increased occurrence that moviegoers will be visiting theaters due to: Lower priced subscription service tickets and quality of content, advertisers have a unique opportunity to extend their reach among this audience year round.
Content Marketing: A Driving Force for Customer Connections
As digital spending eclipses traditional media spend this year, the digital marketplace has certainly become increasingly noisy. When adopting a positive business outcome marketing strategy, the goal is less about a brand’s ability to yell louder and more often than their competition. The goal, hence must shift, and brands must identify innovative ways to engage with their audience in an authentic manner, a trend that is leading the shift toward content marketing.
There are generally two approaches to developing a content marketing strategy:
When a brand has done well adopting either strategy, they pull their audience to their message instead of simply pushing more content into an already crowded marketplace. The impressions delivered from a content marketing strategy are much more valuable because customers actively seek out the content and actively share the message to other, like-minded, potential consumers.
Cinema is one of the last channels available for brands to tell an authentic story, at scale, in an environment with no ad skipping devices, and in front of consumers looking to be entertained.
Content marketing pieces delivered in this environment cut through the noise. Campaigns resonate with consumers, and the transparency of the cinema platform provides piece of mind for brands seeking to reclaim bot served impressions and eliminate wastage of advertising resources.
Are these trends similar in the Middle East?
Movie Ticket Offers
Leading cinema chains in the Middle East have tied up with mobile network providers (Example – du and Etisalat in UAE), offering cinemagoers to buy one movie ticket and get the other free. Similarly, numerous banks also provide customers a range of Debit and Credit card offers to availing movie-ticket and/or a free upgrade on the size of popcorn and beverages at the candy counter. Certain bank cards also offer moviegoers a buy 1 get one get one free movie ticket deal.
Such offers affirm the fact that when consumers have access to lower priced movie tickets, the frequency of cinema visits increase.
Love for Franchise Films
The craze among movie-goers for popular franchise films isn’t limited to the United States alone. Cinema statistics in the Middle East reveal the love and commitment among movie-goers in the region.
Following are statistics of UAE admissions for MEGA blockbuster franchise films:
Captain Marvel (2019)
Ran for 12 weeks and did over 425K admissions
Dumbo (2019)
Ran for 12 weeks and did over 180K admissions
The Lion King (2019)
Did over 697K admissions in the first 8 weeks since release
*The movie is still screening across select cinemas in the UAE
Avengers: End Game (2019)
Ran for 15 weeks and did over 848K admissions
Cinema Experiences like Never Before
A number of cinema chains in the Middle East offer unique cinema experiences – thus catering to the increasing demand by cinemagoers to watch movies like never-seen before. Audiences can now enjoy the latest blockbusters on mega screens such as IMAX, MAX, Dolby Cinema, nibble on gourmet delights at Dine-in Cinemas or opt for a luxury experience such as Gold by Rhodes, Theatre by Rhodes and Platinum Suites, while lounging in a comfy reclining seats, or dive into action on with 4DX and ScreenX.
VOX Cinemas recently launched a concept of ‘Distraction- Free Cinema’ to ensure cinemagoers immerse themselves entirely in the cinematic experience by tuning out all the distractions from theatres which include: no use of mobile phones or smartwatches, no late arrivals and no guests under the age of 18. Ninja-like staff are on surveillance inside the cinema throughout the screening.
In summary….
As price discovery, consumer targeting capabilities continue to improve the effectiveness of a brand’s digital execution, it’s important for marketers to identify the channels that allow them to reach a brand’s right consumer, in the right environment, at the right time, with a creative and authentic message.
Based on the forecast of movies, the trends in consumer behavior, and a shift in how brands are building relationships with their audience, there has never been a better time to double down in the cinema space.
Source: LinkedIn, Vox.com, AdAge, The Numbers, MVM Statistics
It’s been said that Disney films have a ‘circle of life’. After years of being heralded as a classic, they get transformed into a live-action remake, and now it’s time for The Lion King to ROAR!
Releasing in cinemas across the Middle East on 18th July 2019, this summer blockbuster will not only revive a classic hit with pioneering photo-real animation technology – delivering a film experience that will be undoubtedly WILD, but is predicted to outshine the success of The Jungle Book (2016).
Watch the trailer of The Lion King 2019:
Here’s what we know about the movie so far:
Rating
Based on Disney’s other live-action remakes and its target audience, it can be presumed that the movie’s rating in the Middle East will end up being a PG feature. Disney would want this movie to be accessible to almost everyone. Therefore, while the remake may take some creative liberties – being a tad darker than its predecessor, the studio wouldn’t risk making it PG-13.
Is the Live-action Remake a Musical too?
Disney’s live action remakes have varied in terms of how closely they match the animated movies they’re based off of. Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast were straightforward adaptations that took a few creative liberties, while Maleficent and Alice in Wonderland saw significant differences.
Our guess is that we’ll have to wait and see as to how much of the live-action Lion King’s plot will deviate from the original movie. It has been confirmed that the July 2019 release will remain a musical, featuring songs that Simba and the gang made melody back in 19994 – which of course we all remember the lyrics to. However, don’t be surprised if, like in Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King remake includes a few original tunes to give it a different feel.
*Did you know – Hans Zimmer – the music supervisor/original score arranger from the 19994 classic, has been brought back to score the remake.
Director
Jon Favreau kicked off his directing career with Made (2001), and followed with Elf (2003) and Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005). Iron Man (2008) marked his biggest blockbuster venture yet, and, along with Iron Man 2 (2010), he helped lay the groundwork for what the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) would become in later years. After scaling back his MCU duties, Favreau kept the blockbuster train in motion with Cowboys and Aliens (2011), and the acclaimed comedy-drama Chef (2014), which he also wrote and starred in. His successful adaptation of The Jungle Book (2016) – Disney’s biggest hits of that year, wowed audiences, and no doubt is one of the reasons why he was tasked with executing the remake of the 1994 classic.
Favreau has proven his skills in delivering a compelling story revolved around realistic-looking, talking animals. Therefore, giving audiences a good remake of The Lion King should not be too hard a task for him, or is it? One thing to remember is that the disparity between the Indian jungle and African savannah is vast, and of course, no beast ROARS louder than lion!
*Did you know – Jon Favreau has also been tasked with Jungle Book 2, for which the release year is still to be confirmed.
Who are voicing the main characters?
Simba – After J.D. McCrary is done voicing young Simba in The Lion King remake, Donald Glover (Magic Mike, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Solo: A Star Wars Story) will take over as the adult prince.
Mufasa – The Lion King remake has only brought back one actor from the original movie, but of all the original performers who could have returned, this would be the person most of us would have wanted back for a reprisal. James Earl Jones will voice Mufasa again, as his voice is unique and one of the best in Hollywood.
*Did you know – This is the second character that Jones has recently revisited, as he reprised Darth Vader in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Nala – Beyonće has snagged the role of Nala, and will take over once Shahadi Wright Joseph is through voicing the lioness. It was reported at the end of March 2017 that Beyonće was Favreau’s top choice to voice Nala, but at the time, she hadn’t made a decision about accepting the role because of her pregnancy. With Beyonće on board, it’s quite likely that she might go on to produce the movie’s soundtrack. Finger’s crossed!
Scar – Chiwetel Ejiofor will succeed Jeremy Irons as the voice of Scar in The Lion King remake. Ejiofor has only voiced one character (Dr. Watson) in 2018’s Sherlock Gnomes, but his face has become all too familiar on the Hollywood circuit (Triple 9, Doctor Strange and The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind).
Timon – In this remake, the famous meerkat Timon – originally voiced by Nathan Lane, will be voiced by Billy Eichner, whose voice is just as memorable as Lane’s.
Pumbaa – There’s no Timon without Pumbaa… is there? Nah, we didn’t think so either! Seth Rogen voice the remake, and while Rogen is a one of Hollywood’s top comedy actors, most of his movies definitely aren’t family friendly. Just saying!
Rafiki – Now who can forget Rafiki: the ape who serves as the shaman of Pride Rock, best remembered for holding up aby Simba for all the animals to see. The late Robert Guillame voiced Rafiki in the 1994 classic and will be succeeded by John Kani (Captain America: Civil War).
Sarabi – Alfre Woodard will voice Sarabi – Mufasa’s wife/Simba’s mother, in The Lions King 2019. Her recent credits include State of Affairs, Luke Cage, Burning Sands and A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Zazu – Rowan Atkinson voiced the uptight majordomo in the original Lion King, and for the remake of 2019, John Oliver will take over as Mufasa’s bird-brained confidant. Oliver is primarily known for his work on The Daily Show and Last Week Tonight.
The Hyenas – The final characters on the list of main characters are Scar’s goons the hyenas – Azizi, Shenzi and Kamari, voiced by Eric André, Florence Kasumba and Keegan-Michael Key, respectively.
Watch the star cast of The Lion King 2019:
Here are some admissions for previous Disney releases in the UAE:
Frozen (2013)
Ranks 5th in UAE’s Top 10 Movies of 2013
Screened in cinema for 20 weeks
Approximately 284K admissions
Cinderella (2015)
Ranks 10th in UAE’s Top 10 Movies of 2015
Screened in cinema for 12 weeks
Approximately 303K admissions
The Jungle Book (2016)
Ranks 1st in UAE’s Top 10 Movies of 2016
Screened in cinema for 20 weeks
Approximately 747K admissions
Finding Dory (2016)
Ranks 4th in UAE’s Top 10 Movies of 2016
Screened in cinema for 21 weeks
Approximately 384K admissions
Moana (2016)
Ranks 8th in UAE’s Top 10 Movies of 2016
Screened in cinema for 21 weeks
Approximately 314K admissions
Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Ranks 3rd in UAE’s Top 10 Movies of 2017
Screened in cinema for 14 weeks
Approximately 498K admissions
Incredibles 2 (2018)
Ranks 9th in UAE’s Top 10 Movies of 2018
Screened in cinema for 17 weeks
Approximately 378K admissions
Motivate Val Morgan forecasts over 750K UAE admissions for The Lions King 2019.
Don’t miss out on making your brand ROAR alongside The Lion King!
Contact a member of our sales team for advertising opportunities with this MEGA Summer Blockbuster!
Relates Article:
2019 Set to be Disney’s Biggest Year Ever!
Animation Movies Appeal to Audiences of All Ages
Sources: Entertainment Weekly, The Edge, CinemaBlend
Avengers: Endgame marks the culmination of what is arguably Hollywood’s greatest ever storyline, one which began with the release of Iron Man more than a decade ago and has captured the imagination of a generation ever since. This blockbuster has broken several records in the past few months which include – the highest-grossing worldwide opening weekend, highest admissions in the UAE, highest trailer views within 24 hours and the longest runtime in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
The unprecedented anticipation surrounding this film has led to exceptional box office numbers.
Highest-Grossing Worldwide Opening Weekend
As announced by Disney, Avengers: Endgame pulled in an estimated $1.2 billion in worldwide box office in its opening weekend – effortlessly smashing the record of $640.5 million done by Avengers: Infinity War which released last year. The figure makes this star-studded movie the first film in history to surpass $1 billion in ticket sales in its debut weekend – creating a new benchmark in the world of cinema.
Highest UAE Admissions
With over 485k admissions, Avengers: Endgame broke records in the UAE for having the highest admissions in the first four days since its release (Wednesday 24th April – Saturday 27th April 2019), beating the record held by The Fate of the Furious (2017) by 39%.
Last year, Avengers: Infinity War ran for a total of 23 weeks in the UAE and did over 730,00 admissions, making it the No. 1 movie in UAE’s ‘Top 10 Movies of 2017’. Avengers: Endgame is most likely to garner a larger lifetime admission figure of close to 750k admissions in the UAE.
As per Gulf News, a Disney source confirmed that Avengers: Endgame released across 300 screens and has collected Dh26.4 million since its opening day. A well-placed UAE cinema source also stated that the 22nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe recorded well over 500k admissions across the first five days of its screening, becoming the biggest film to ever release in the country.
As of May 7th 2019, the movie has done over Dh40 million at UAE box office.
VOX Cinemas has also confirmed Endgame’s record run since its opening. As per a spokesperson from VOX, “Avengers: Endgame broke our record for advance ticket sales, more than doubling the number of tickets sold in our previous record for the film Baahubali 2. The movie contributed [towards] 80 per cent of the three-day weekend box office and the highest recorded admissions across VOX Cinemas on 26th April 2019.”
Reel Cinemas reported a ‘record-shattering’ opening weekend with the release of Avengers: Endgame, adding that it had doubled its box-office results over its prequal – which took six days to reach the same collection.
VOX Cinemas and Reel Cinemas, together with other cinema exhibitors across the Middle East – such as AMC Cinemas (KSA), screened the movie throughout the day (on a 24-hour basis) during the opening weekend to match the demand of ticket sales.
In addition to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, VOX Cinemas also confirmed that the film broke records in Muscat (Oman) and Kuwait.
Highest Trailer Views
According to Disney, the first official trailer of Avengers: Endgame – released on December 7th 2018, is the most viewed trailer across 24 hours in movie history with over 289 million views (tabulated across multiple platforms – YouTube, Facebook and Twitter). This anticipated trailer surpassed previous records set by Avengers: Infinity War of 230 million views and The Lion King teaser which racked up 224.6 million views.
Longest Runtime in the MCU
While most MCU movies are over two hours long, Avengers: Endgame is the first installment to cross the three-hours threshold with a runtime of 3 hours and 2 minutes – 22 minutes longer than Avengers: Infinity War.
In 2018, not only did Avengers: Infinity War top the worldwide box office, but it was also the only movie to hit more than the $2 Billion mark in worldwide box office revenue of 2018 – making it the fourth highest grossing movie of all time after Avatar (2009), Titanic (1997) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). Avengers: Endgame is forecasted to be an even bigger hit than its prequel, and moreover, it has a chance of becoming the highest-grossing film of all time – on pace to dethrone Avatar.
Avengers: Endgame is expected to gather momentum as one of the most successful movies in history with fans already booking to watch the movie for the second time round.
Upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe films:
Spider-Man: Far from Home – 4th July 2019
Black Widow – 1st May 2020
The Eternals – 6th November 2020
Black Panther 2 – 12th February 2021
Shang-Chi – 7th May 2021
Doctor Strange 2 – 5th November 2021
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – 6th May 2022
Sources: Screenrant, Hollywood Reporter, Gulf News, , The National, Arabian Business and CNBC
In 2019, Walt Disney Studios may break box office records for having the highest-grossing year of all-time for a Hollywood studio.
Since the start of Hollywood’s golden age, Disney has been at the forefront, pushing forward creativity – mainly animation movies.
While Disney experimented in live-action films over the years, it wasn’t until the 2000s that they really took the medium seriously – with their very first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Gore Verbinski’s 2003 Pirates of the Caribbean movie was the studio’s first PG-13 film ever, and its overwhelming success ultimately convinced Disney to pursue more movies in that vein.
Eventually, that meant acquiring Marvel Entertainment in 2009 and Lucasfilm in 2012. Thanks to a steady stream of Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars releases, as well as a new trend in live-action remakes from the company’s flagship studio, Disney has managed to dominate the worldwide box office, and 2019 seems to be the year where the studio will take things to the next level.
Walt Disney Studios is set to release nine blockbusters in 2019, and while nine releases are a lot for one year, it’s actually the size of them that’s truly overwhelming:
Captain Marvel (March)
Dumbo (March)
Avengers: Endgame (April)
Aladdin (May)
Toy Story 4 (June)
The Lion King (July)
Artemis Fowl (August)
Frozen 2 (November)
*Awaiting the release of the trailer
Star Wars: Episode IX (December)
*Awaiting the release of the trailer
Taking all of these movies into account – two saga endings, two massive live-action remakes, and several other highly-anticipated films, Disney is on track to top their record of being the only studio in history to earn US$6 billion at the worldwide box office twice. In fact, they just might be the first studio to hit US$7 billion (if not higher) in 2019. With Avengers and Star Wars releasing in the same year, not to mention another Frozen film, it’s VERY possible.
Disney Movie Success – UAE
Don’t miss out on advertising your brand alongside these highly anticipated Disney Blockbusters of 2019.
Contact us for more information on cinema advertising opportunities across the Motivate Val Morgan circuit.
Sources: ScreenRant, YouTube and MVM Analysis
Animation has come a long way since the early days of hand-drawn cartoons, and over the years, Hollywood has delivered a number of animation movies that have performed consistently well at worldwide box office.
Disney films have enjoyed lucrative re-releases prior to the home video era, and also enjoyed later success following the acquisition of Pixar in 2006, of which the Toy Story films, Finding Nemo films, and Inside Out have been the best performers. Beyond Pixar animation, the Shrek, Ice Age, Madagascar and Despicable Me series have met with the most success.
Animation Movies Success – Worldwide:
Animation Movies Success – Middle East:
So, what’s the draw to animated movies? It can’t just be the kids’ attraction – is it the parents’ attraction too? Or is it because with a fair amount of violence and nefarious activity in our modern world, it’s nice to occasionally escape with a family-friendly movie that warms our adult hearts and gives us hope?
Animation movies are clever at weaving parts of the adult and children’s’ worlds together. They are cute and funny – which is why they appeal to kids, but also depict deeper meaning and complex visual stories – appreciated and enjoyed by older audiences as well.
It’s a genre similar to that of fine wine – it gets better with age!
Here are 4 reasons why adults enjoy animated films as much as kids:
1. They remind us of our childhood
Remember the good old days when ‘nap time’ was a requirement, rent and bills were non-existent, and a trip to the cinema meant watching a movie on a giant screen, with lots of giggles and plenty of popcorn. Who doesn’t like reminiscing on the glory days of being a child?
Animation movies give us adults a taste of our youth while simultaneously warming our cold and bitter grown-up hearts. As the saying goes, age is nothing but a number, and childlike wonder is attractive at any age.
2.They universally speak to all generations
Animated movie characters speak to the importance of close relationships found in family and friends and encourage bravery, open-mindedness, kindness and loyalty. Then there is the appeal of happy endings – whilst most of characters experience some challenges and make mistakes along the way, they always end up where they belong and alongside the people they belong with. They are movies about overcoming obstacles, forming friendships and growing up, and they offer valuable life lessons to all audiences regardless of age or experience.
3.We finally get all of the jokes
While the jokes never fail to enrapture children in laughter, there is also a layer of more discreet, mature humor that you only understand once you watch the film as an older viewer. In fact, mature audiences take away a whole different message from many of the films than do young viewers.
For instance, Disney/Pixar’s most popular and profitable properties Toy Story featured more than just a few adult jokes – which possibly flew above our heads as kids:
When Buster needs to get out of the room, Jessie hops on a toy car and rides it like a skateboard, launching herself on the door handle to help Buster escape. A wide-eyed Buzz is clearly awestruck and his wings shoot up – fully ‘perpendicular’.
When the Barbies at Al’s Toy Barn draw a lot of attention from the other toys, who are obviously attracted to them. When Mr. Potato Head later finds himself next to Tour Guide Barbie, he repeats to himself, “I’m a married spud, I’m a married spud…”
And If you’ve seen the original Madagascar, remember Marty the zebra who occasionally exclaimed ‘Sugar Honey Iced Tea!’. As kids, this meant nothing to us, but as adults we can distinguish that the first letter of each word spells out a somewhat frequently used ‘not-so-kid-friendly’ term – and that knowledge alone is simply remarkable!
4.The morals hit far closer to home now than they did when we were kids
Remember that time that Andy from Toy Story had to move away to college and decided to give away his beloved toys?
Or being able to identify with Nemo’s need for independence as he grows and understanding Marlin’s difficultly with accepting his son’s growth, as our own parents have had to learn to accept?
There’s no denying that animated movies are awesome!
As per research conducted by IPSOS in the UAE, 68.5% of cinemagoers enjoy watching animation movies – of which 71.6% are aged between 25-34 and 67.2% are aged 35+.
With appeal across multiple age groups and having continued to deliver extraordinary results (in terms of box office earning and admissions) over the last couple of years, animation movies provide advertisers with a platform to target larger audiences.
Upcoming blockbuster animation movies in 2019 include:
*Movie release dates are subject to change.
Contact a member of our sales team for cinema advertising opportunities alongside upcoming animation movies.
Sources: Cult Critic, The Bottom Line, The Artifice, The Odyssey Online, Ranker, BBC Magazine, Mic Network Inc, The Numbers, Wikipedia, MVM-IPSOS Report and MVM Analysis.
