Will Marvel's Success Change Disney's Thinking on Star Wars?

Disney's acquisition of Marvel and Lucasfilm has raised questions about whether their success in cinematic storytelling will significantly alter how Disney approaches its iconic franchise, Star Wars.

Patterns of Thought in Corporations

Corporations, like humans, have patterns of thought and core competencies. A corporation's primary function is to produce a defined set of products or services consistently. This makes it challenging for a company to pivot and suddenly excel in a different area without significant structural changes. Disney, for instance, has built its legacy on creating a consistent "magical" experience across various channels, from movies to theme parks and beyond. This consistent experience is one of its key strengths and differentiators.

Disney's Core Competency: Creating a Magical Experience

Disney's ability to create and maintain a magical experience is unparalleled in the entertainment industry. Their core competency lies in crafting a cohesive and enchanting narrative that spans multiple mediums. Other companies like Warner Bros. and NBC Universal have attempted to mimic this success, but none have been able to consistently replicate Disney's experience. Fox, for example, had a potential to disrupt the market with fresh content but ultimately failed to compete with Disney's well-established brand.

Acquisitions and Strategy Shifts

Disney's acquisition of Marvel and Lucasfilm marked a significant shift in its strategy. After the decline of its core boy-oriented brands, such as Star Wars and Marvel, Disney sought to diversify its portfolio by adding more appealing content to different demographics. The idea was to reach young boys through Marvel films and cartoon series, while appealing to older audiences with Star Wars.

However, integrating these properties into its established brand proved challenging. Boys and men, traditionally a hard demographic to target in the entertainment industry, represent a significant obstacle. The only reliable ways to capture male attention now are through sports and influencers like Joe Rogan. With its core sports brand, ESPN, declining, Disney may struggle to maintain its magnetic appeal to this demographic. This explains why Disney's attempts to sell content aimed at boys, such as 'Rogue One' and 'Solo', have not been as successful as expected.

The Resilience of Marvel's Strategy

Contrastingly, Marvel has established a well-oiled machine for product development. Their ability to consistently create and market content geared towards females has been a huge success. The character Rey in Star Wars, for example, took on a prominent role, which Disney plans to continue leveraging. In fact, Marvel has proven more resilient in this regard, as evidenced by the massive success of their female-led projects.

Given this, it seems likely that Disney will continue to double down on male demographic content until it finds a new strategy that works. This mirrors their approach with Marvel, but with a potentially different focus. By continuing to adapt its strategies based on market success, Disney can ensure the longevity of its beloved franchises.

Conclusion

While Marvel's success opens the door to new possibilities, it is unlikely to fundamentally change Disney's approach to Star Wars. Continued successful content will likely lead Disney to further invest in and explore opportunities within the Marvel framework, while its core strategy with Star Wars might remain unchanged. Nevertheless, the adaptability of both Marvel and Disney demonstrates the importance of flexibility in an ever-evolving entertainment landscape.