Merida to Join the Disney Princess Line

[thelittleursula]

Because, you tell me...with the focus of attention on these characters are their movies you forget there are other ones for boys. Even Jasmine has made sure to alienate boys towards Aladdin; so ironic given the fact that this is one of the very few male oriented films. More so, when their male leading movies are nowhere to be found.

Where´s the interest shown by Disney in the male leading movies (being merchandise and/or the treatment of the movie itself on BR/DVD)?

I've always said that a Disney Hero/ Prince line-up would be really cool. But yeah Disney movies are starting to turn into a young girl media and not a Family entertainment source like Walt originally wanted it to be.

[GreatGreg]

Have you not been reading the news?

Disney bought Marvel and Lucasfilm. Instant boy audience now.

[DC Fan]

Yes.

As you said, both franchises that Disney didn´t create.

Meanwhile, movies like Aladdin, Tarzan, Hercules, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Treasure Planet, Atlantis and even The Lion King are just forgotten.

[thelittleursula]

Yes.

As you said, both franchises that Disney didn´t create.

Meanwhile, movies like Aladdin, Tarzan, Hercules, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Treasure Planet, Atlantis and even The Lion King are just forgotten.

I disagree that The Lion King is being forgotten because it's Disney's big animated success; the rest however...sadly yes. ):

Poor Hercules.

[pap64]

Yes.

As you said, both franchises that Disney didn´t create.

Meanwhile, movies like Aladdin, Tarzan, Hercules, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Treasure Planet, Atlantis and even The Lion King are just forgotten.

I disagree that The Lion King is being forgotten because it's Disney's big animated success; the rest however...sadly yes. ):

Poor Hercules.

If you want to go back even further... Sword in the Stone, Robin Hood, The Rescuers and its sequel, The Great Mouse Detective, and many others.

Ralph's success may have bucked the trend a bit, so hopefully Big Hero 6 is enough of a hit that it provides Disney with a gender neutral franchise.

[GreatGreg]

Why create a franchise, when you can buy it?

[DisneyEra]

I disagree that The Lion King is being forgotten because it's Disney's big animated success; the rest however...sadly yes. ):

Poor Hercules.

If you want to go back even further... Sword in the Stone, Robin Hood, The Rescuers and its sequel, The Great Mouse Detective, and many others.

Ralph's success may have bucked the trend a bit, so hopefully Big Hero 6 is enough of a hit that it provides Disney with a gender neutral franchise.

To bad that this franchise never took off:
http://media.mightyape.net.nz/images/pr ... 237-5.jpeg
http://cdn0.spong.com/pack/d/i/disneyhe ... s-PC-_.jpg
http://bimg1.mlstatic.com/rompecabezas- ... 9_1074.jpg

[Atlantica]

Now I don't see why that didn't work?! Was there just no audience for it, or was the merchandise developed not good enough?

[DC Fan]

My guess is that Disney is just lazy.

Why take the time to invest in a new project that you don´t know if it´ll pay off when you already have the Princess line that you don´t need to put that much effort into it. Just drain it to the last drop.

And as said before...it really is a shame. The same way girls have the Princesses line it would habe been great to see boys enjoy Heroes line and see them playing with action figures and related stuff.

[GreatGreg]

Aladdin is the only strong movie in that hero list.

Both TARZAN and HERCULES underperformed (although I love HERCULES now, I admit I did not like it at first viewing).

PETER PAN is outdated and 'uncool'.

CARS is a much hipper property, and you can see that Disney has had plenty of success with that. They have also had success with THE LION KING.

However, the smarter business move is to purchase an established brand. With STAR WARS and MARVEL (AVENGERS) they don't have to worry about losing any boys' interest now.

They have a huge potential to revamp their theme parks too. You can already see the effects Disney has on both properties already. All in all, it is a good thing.

[thelittleursula]

Aladdin is the only strong movie in that hero list.

Both TARZAN and HERCULES underperformed (although I love HERCULES now, I admit I did not like it at first viewing).

PETER PAN is outdated and 'uncool'.

Yeah Tarzan and Herc don't seem to be having much of a fanbase to gain sales from male or females. Though Peter Pan is super popular over here. They even re-played the original movie in the cinemas for a couple of weeks. Though I doubt that it's outdated and uncool because Jake and the Neverland Pirates. Plus Cinderella and Snow White are much older movies than Peter.

[DC Fan]

Aladdin is the only strong movie in that hero list.

We´ve already talked about it.

Aurora is much popular as herself than the actual Sleeping Beauty film.

Pocahontas is there, how many girls actually have her as her favorite character?

Disney just had to bet for the line and give it a try and support it. But that never happened and will never do.

[Atlantica]

Around the time of the Faries launch, wasn't there supposed to be a Bunnies line?? That disappeared very quickly. Along with 'Ariel's Sisters' line too.

[GreatGreg]

I don't know if Peter Pan is really popular in Europe or not, but how many boys have Peter Pan merchandise, as opposed to say, Cars, or Iron Man, or Spider-Man, or Star Wars.

In North America I would say it is 1:100. I have never seen any boy (older than the age of three maybe) dress up as Peter Pan for Halloween, but there are tons of comic book and sci-fi heroes.

That's what Disney needs -- a comic book or sci-fi hero!

[Super Aurora]

I don't know if Peter Pan is really popular in Europe or not, but how many boys have Peter Pan merchandise, as opposed to say, Cars, or Iron Man, or Spider-Man, or Star Wars.

In North America I would say it is 1:100. I have never seen any boy (older than the age of three maybe) dress up as Peter Pan for Halloween, but there are tons of comic book and sci-fi heroes.

That's what Disney needs -- a comic book or sci-fi hero!

That's because Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Star Wars are more awesome than Peter Pan. Its simple logic.

[Disney's Divinity]

I don't know if Peter Pan is really popular in Europe or not, but how many boys have Peter Pan merchandise, as opposed to say, Cars, or Iron Man, or Spider-Man, or Star Wars.

In North America I would say it is 1:100. I have never seen any boy (older than the age of three maybe) dress up as Peter Pan for Halloween, but there are tons of comic book and sci-fi heroes.

I dressed up as PP in the 5-7 age range. But it was more to complete a set with my sister since she wanted to be Tinker Bell (she actually ended up looking more like the Blue Fairy ). I never got much choice in Halloween outfits.

Come to think of it, I think I dressed up as Aladdin one year, too. But I agree that Aladdin and TLK are the only boy's films Disney has that are well-known and still beloved. I would throw Tarzan in as a minor hit in that regard, although I think it's known more because Tarzan the character is remembered. Hercules did alright at the time, but Disney has made it almost completely unknown with the current generation. It's too bad Treasure Planet and Atlantis flopped so badly, because I would've loved if they had become franchises (they had things I liked between the bad).

[Atlantica]

Spoke to a girlfriends little one today (she's 3) and we were chatting about the Princesses; I asked her about Brave, and her lasting thoughts on the story and film were "how funny" the brothers as little bears were. She made no mention of Merida; I asked her about her and she looked totally blank!

[DC Fan]

I don't know if Peter Pan is really popular in Europe or not, but how many boys have Peter Pan merchandise, as opposed to say, Cars, or Iron Man, or Spider-Man, or Star Wars.

In North America I would say it is 1:100. I have never seen any boy (older than the age of three maybe) dress up as Peter Pan for Halloween, but there are tons of comic book and sci-fi heroes.

That's what Disney needs -- a comic book or sci-fi hero!

That's because Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Star Wars are more awesome than Peter Pan. Its simple logic.

Or maybe because there´s no merchandise for Disney heroes contrary to all that´s available for Disney princesses.

If you were to tell me there´s the same amount of Disney heroes merchandise as Disney princesses and the former don´t sell as well as the later then ok. Keep with the girl´s line.

But that´s not the case. How do someone expect for boys to dress up as Peter Pan, Aladdin, Hercules, Tarzan and stuff when that´s not available. On the contrary, a girl just needs to enter most stores and there are tons of Princesses merchandise to choose from.

Example:

Look ar this search made for ALADDIN; even look at what´s written in the URL...

http://www.disneystore.com/disney-princ ... arch=10002

Searh for PETER PAN:


http://www.disneystore.com/peter-pan/mn ... arch=10002

Searh for HERCULES:

http://www.disneystore.com/disney/store ... lished%3A1

Search for TARZAN:

http://www.disneystore.com/disney/store ... lished%3A1

Now, tell me boys have where to chose from.

[Kyle]

There used to be more to choose from in the 90s. One of my favorite toys was Jafar's staff, you could puppet its mouth and his eyes would light up. For hurcules they had armor/weapon play sets They ought to bring that kind of thing back.

[Super Aurora]

Or maybe because there´s no merchandise for Disney heroes contrary to all that´s available for Disney princesses.

If you were to tell me there´s the same amount of Disney heroes merchandise as Disney princesses and the former don´t sell as well as the later then ok. Keep with the girl´s line.

But that´s not the case. How do someone expect for boys to dress up as Peter Pan, Aladdin, Hercules, Tarzan and stuff when that´s not available. On the contrary, a girl just needs to enter most stores and there are tons of Princesses merchandise to choose from.

Example:

Look ar this search made for ALADDIN; even look at what´s written in the URL...

http://www.disneystore.com/disney-princ ... arch=10002

Searh for PETER PAN:


http://www.disneystore.com/peter-pan/mn ... arch=10002

Searh for HERCULES:

http://www.disneystore.com/disney/store ... lished%3A1

Search for TARZAN:

http://www.disneystore.com/disney/store ... lished%3A1

Now, tell me boys have where to chose from.

Even if Disney did have a Heroes line including costumes and shit, (which they did in past but it failed miserably), boys are more than likely going to still go for the more cool, badass, awesome looking characters to look up to or dress as. And that is exactly what Marvel and Star Wars displayed. Even as a kid in early 90's I barely remember anyone actually wearing a Disney male character. I do however remember kids in my time dressing as Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and horror monsters like Jason Voorhees or Freddy Kruger.