‘Strange World’ out on Disney+ a month after cinema run

CEBU, Philippines — Walt Disney Animation Studios’ latest offering “Strange World” had its streaming debut on December 23 through Disney+, barely a month after its Philippine theatrical run.

The 61st animated film from Disney (excluding Pixar) has a star-studded cast, with Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, Gabrielle Union, Lucy Liu, Alan Tudyk, and comedian Jaboukie Young-White lending their voices.

The story focuses on the Clades, a family of explorers embarking on an adventure on a mysterious island dominated by surreal creatures and a very familiar face.

It takes inspiration from films such as “Journey to the Center of the Earth” and “King Kong”, as well as classic pulp magazines which serve as a basis for the film’s animation style. “Strange World” is also progressive as it features an openly LGBTQ+ character, a first for a Walt Disney Animation Studios film.

Despite an interesting premise and a well-known cast, the film actually bombed at the box office. With a budget of around $135-180 million that does not include marketing, it only earned $57 million at the box office. Industry projections estimate that Disney lost $147 million for releasing the movie in theaters worldwide.

While no clear reason was given as to why the film  flopped, there are a couple of explanations that might explain its underperformance.

Disney did not release “Strange World” in some countries in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia including China as featuring LGBTQ+ characters in animated films in these countries might warrant its ban.

It was also not released in theaters in France due to Disney’s public disagreement with the country’s laws regarding its release window system where theatrically-released films are not allowed to be on streaming services for a certain period of time. Disney defied this ruling by making “Strange World” a Disney+ exclusive, meaning the film will be available on the platform for French viewers at home instead on the big screen.

While it may not have found its audience on the big screen, it’s not too late for the animated film to gain new viewers from home.

Disney’s streaming service was just recently launched in the Philippines – November 17 to be exact. With “Strange World” landing on Disney+ during the holiday season, it serves for great family viewing at home if they are not interested to check out the latest Filipino offerings on the big screen during the two-week-long Metro Manila Film Festival.

The quick release of “Strange World” to Disney+ might also help gain viewers due to the platform’s wider accessibility. “Encanto”, a film that was already doing decently at the box office despite the threat of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, gained wider commercial success and garnered a bigger fan following after its release on Disney+. The film was released in US theaters on November 24, 2021, with its Disney+ release a month later on December 24 – a strategy that would later be repeated for “Strange World.”

“Strange World” also received positive reviews from critics who watched the film on the big screen. It may be soon to tell whether it will gain a cult following after its release on the Disney streaming platform, but its gorgeous pulp-inspired animation style makes it tempting for viewers to hit the play button and give the movie a try.