Right now, Avatar 2: The Water Sense continues to rake in a staggering box office figure. Beyond the event directed by James Cameron, there are two other phenomena that are surprising due to their unexpected nature. One of them is M3GAN, turned into one of Blumhouse’s most profitable films. The other, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, from DreamWorks. A belated sequel to the original, released eleven years ago.
One month after its arrival on the big screen, this animated film obtained, according to Box Office Mojo, a total of $251,348,975 million. A figure that will probably continue to increase in the following weeks. All with a more or less discreet budget of $90 million dollars, which makes it an appreciable financial success.
And if that weren’t enough, the film is also a critical and public triumph. It was nominated for the Golden Globes in the category of animation and received the approval of Rotten Tomatoes, with 95% positive specialized reviews. Even more interesting is that it has a 93% approval rating from the public. A duo that makes the most recent DreamWorks production a rarity. In turn, in the demonstration that the studio is going through an unbeatable moment.
Pixar, the opposite end of DreamWorks
Curiously, pixar, its traditional rival, goes through a confusing process. Last year, two of his great premieres, lightyear Y GridThey turned into disappointments. Both were experiments that ran into controversy and, although specialized critics praised both, they were not as successful as expected.
Especially the singular spin-off of the subfranchise toy story, which was billed as the studio’s first major film to hit theaters in two years. With a budget of $200 million, its total collection was $226,425,420, which barely made it possible to recover the investment. It also obtained moderate relevance among the specialized press, with 74% positive reviews.
But it was the reaction of the audience that puzzled. lightyear was embroiled in a ridiculous scandal for including a scene showing a same-sex couple kissing. The discussion on the subject turned the argument into the center of an insipid debate about the contents that could —or could not— show an animation supposedly dedicated to children’s audiences. In addition, the collection of the production was the second worst in the history of Pixar, only below cars. A situation that placed her in a position of inferiority compared to her rival DreamWorks of hers.
Part of the analysts considered the feature film a failure. And, when it finally reached the Disney+ platform, it did so without much impact and with relative disinterest among subscribers. Another indication that the animated film had become a difficult stumbling block for the company to analyze.
DreamWorks gang of criminals conquers the box office
2022 was also the year of the triumph of the bad guys, the DreamWorks adaptation of the book series written by Aaron Blabey. Scripted by Etan Coen, it’s a full-fledged heist movie that pays tribute to the genre in multiple ways. But, in addition, it is an imaginative reconstruction of the figure of the traditional villain. A daring experiment in animation with a mixed technique that provides dynamic and fun visuals.
DreamWorks also ran the risk of telling a story that, perhaps, could be considered too adult for a child audience. With nods to movie classics about robberies and assaults, the script is more complex than usual. But Coen knew how to moderate the sober nuance to create a solid and humorous story. The specialized press gave him 88% positive reviews.
Likewise, it had a considerable box office collection: a total of $250 million with a moderate budget of 80. What surprised the most was the reception of the audience, which made it a small phenomenon. With 93% rave reviews from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, the film proved the studio’s experiment in storytelling was successful. Beyond that, it opened up the possibility of others with equal or greater solidity, as is the case of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
The eternal debate between Pixar and DreamWorks
Pixar lives difficult years. From the delay in the premieres of their productions, to their direct arrival in the Disney+ catalog. The studio faces a series of drawbacks that directly affect the success of its projects. Even when it comes to thematic, the company deals with all kinds of awkward discussions.
Onwardsfrom 2020, was the studio’s last feature film to hit theaters before the pandemic and its scant impact was attributed to the health emergency. But it was Soulwhich debuted for Christmas of the same year and went straight to the streaming, which opened an uncomfortable debate. Had Pixar lost its ability to dialogue with both child and adult audiences?
The production, which tells the story of a musician who must face death, was considered too complex for a child audience. But, at the same time, very simple in a more adult stratum. Which condemned the film to conflicting opinions about its quality from which it did not go well. Tipping, on this occasion, the balance towards DreamWorks in their eternal cinematographic battle.
The dilemmas of addressing a hostile audience
Luca, from 2021, also found itself in a difficult public dilemma when it was suggested that the film was about a gay teen romance. Even the director was forced to declare that It was just “a friendship”. However, Pixar was again accused of losing its balance between speeches. An essential point to understand his success in the past. As well as being the point at which it had always managed to far surpass DreamWorks, much more focused on cynical humor and pop references.
Finally, and after some delays, Grid It also premiered in the Disney+ catalog. Once again, Pixar was at the center of a controversy unrelated to the central theme of its story. The premise was criticized for being “overly local” or for showing menstruation in a “shocking” way.
However, the specialized press considered it a solid argument and gave it 95% positive reviews in Rotten Tomatoes. But viewers gave it just 71%. A number still high, but very far from the brightest moments of Pixar. No doubt, director Domee Shi’s film had trouble finding an audience for it. In the end, it became a curiosity within the studio’s filmography, far from the success it was expected to be.
With its decision to be more inclusive, Pixar has had to deal with increasingly harsh collective pressure on its productions. Likewise, with the challenge of overcoming debates outside the center of interest of their proposals. During 2022, he rarely succeeded. Something that, as we have seen, did not happen to DreamWorks.
The year of the new proposals of DreamWorks
DreamWorks has worked patiently for nearly a decade. Hits like the trilogy How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda and the dilogy Boss Baby showed the possibilities of the study. Especially by daring to visual experimentation with simple arguments and essentially emotional. Far from polemics and sensitive discussions, the company’s productions are focused on a type of fun without complications. Much more, as they use meta-referential humor to underpin their success.
Pixar, on the other hand, is in the eye of the hurricane. With his employees complaining about Disney’s restrictions on his content, he must deal with some very close competition. The “Mickey Mouse House” animation division has its own goals and long-term agenda. Is there pressure for Pixar in such a condition? For now, both companies try to maintain the differences between their approaches and premises.
The future of the world of animation
Nevertheless, Pixar carries on the need to resume its personality. Will he be able to do it? The answer is complicated. His next movie Elementary, will be released this year and should be the success that underpins and sustains the work of the studio in the future. A considerable pressure that animation must deal with.
As for DreamWorks, with a quarter of Kung Fu Panda Announced for 2024 and two important wins, it takes things easy. A way of building his own language that gradually gives him a leading position in the world of animation. Perhaps, the true secret of her success.