（Image Source: Walt Disney Studios）
Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger previously announced last year that Disney would more carefully observe audience preferences and avoid producing content that might alienate certain demographics. Now, industry trade Variety recently reported, citing numerous industry sources, that Walt Disney Studios has been actively encouraging Hollywood creators over the past few months to develop films capable of drawing large numbers of young male audiences back to theaters and boosting the struggling theatrical market.
（Image Source: Walt Disney Studios）
Variety noted that Disney defines "young males" as Gen Z, aged 13 to 28. Their research indicates that Gen Z is a demographic largely immersed in video games, and whose formative years were marked by extended periods of home isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a lower propensity to spend outside the home.
This significant responsibility currently rests with David Greenbaum, head of Disney's live-action film division. Variety reported that Disney's own studio has lacked male-targeted franchises like "Pirates of the Caribbean" for nearly a decade. The studio hopes to regain lost male audiences by revitalizing the franchise. Consequently, the planned new sequel starring Margot Robbie has been put on hold, as Robbie's version was set to heavily focus on female characters.
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Furthermore, many screenwriters, directors, and producers within Hollywood have been particularly surprised that Disney is now strongly encouraging the development of original works for the theatrical market and is actively seeking new IPs and new film franchises. In fact, during Disney's quarterly earnings call earlier this month, Iger stated that Disney's current focus on managing existing IPs would not overshadow original works, and that their primary objective is simply to "produce great films."
via： Variety