Jim Hill at Jim Hill Media has an article about how the House of Mouse is “managing expectations” for the performance of Ratatouille at the box office this year. In other words, Jim is talking about how word is going around behind-the-scenes not to expect Ratatouille to be a big hit this summer, where it is crowded by anticipated sequels, wizards and robots, so if it doesn’t perform well at the B.O. it’s not that big of a deal, and if it does perform well, that’s perfect!
It’s being called the “ … little film with the great big heart.” Which is perhaps a polite way of saying that the folks at Disney Studios don’t expect this new Brad Bird film to do all that well at the box office next month. Jim Hill explains why the Mouse now appears to be working behind-the-scenes to help lower industry expectations for Pixar’s next big release
says Jim.
If your interested, have a read.
Last modified: May 29, 2007
Dissapointing, the way they look at it, IMO.
They should simply wait and see, then spend all their ‘gloating’ or ‘oh well…’ time.
I persoanlly think Ratatouillle will do very in competition, but, in my opinion, I don’t think it’ll top anything outstadingly as Nemo did.
Puh-ha! That’s crazy. I must say that the way Disney runs things and looks beyond expectations these days is rather…ludicrously saddening in some ways.
I appreciate the fact that they have a “back-up plan” in the rare case that Ratatouille does not perform well at the box office, but you would think that after a few years of experience working alongside with and observing the successful productions of Pixar Animation Studios that Disney would come to trust the said company’s will power and talent to churn out an almost perfect masterpiece every time. Sure — I suppose Cars could have done better, but this is Brad Bird we’re talking about here…as far as Ratatouille is concerned. Personally, I expect the film itself to exceed expectations and blow its audience clean off their seats from the pure and ingenious plot of the thing. I’d be more than surprised if this dish doesn’t satisfy people’s hunger this summer….
But, as always, we’ll see what happens. I have faith in the crew at Pixar Animation Studios and I trust that the film will do well, if not astoundingly well.
Thanks for the information though, luxo jr. and Jim Hill! I never pass up any Ratatouille news that rears its head around the corner.
And this folks is why we take Mr. Hill with a very large grain of salt.
A “very large grain of salt”? He should be taken with a truckload of salt… 😀 😉
Maybe Jim Hill shouldn’t be anyone’s idea of the “go-to source” for facts or useful information, given his track record. I’m surprised that anyone with self-respect bothers to read his diatribes and self-puffery.