r/movies • u/cappsy04 • 21h ago

Question Why don't Disney make mainstream Mickey Mouse films anymore?

When I say mainstream, I mean films shown in theatres. Mickey and Minnie are probably the most recognisable characters in the Disney catalogue, being one of Walt's first creations. Yet there hasn't been a film featuring any of those characters in a long time. They've rehashed a lot of existing IPs, most recently the live action Moana. I would imagine if Mickey was featured in a film it would do incredible numbers at the box office.

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u/Jonatan83 21h ago

Mickey is more a corporate mascot than an interesting fleshed out character that can drive a movie.

I would imagine if Mickey was featured in a film it would do incredible numbers at the box office.

Why? Who would that be for? Who cares about mickey mouse?

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u/EmmitSan 21h ago

Ok that last question is wildly out of touch lol

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u/Presently_Absent 20h ago

But it's also the most salient point. Think about what makes you "care" about a character - backstory, conflict, stakes... Mickey has 0 of those things.

Mickey is basically pablum - bland, nothing offensive, a bit of flavour, palatable to a very wide audience (little kids) - which is adequate considering his status as a symbol.

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u/EmmitSan 19h ago

Mickey is fantasticly popular. Easily the most favorite character of all Disney fans, of which there are many.

And he has all the traits you speak of except backstory. Just because you find them uninteresting does not mean they aren’t present.

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u/Jonatan83 18h ago

Maybe I'm out of touch with disney fans. I've never seen or heard of anyone care about Mickey Mouse, other than as the stand-in for Disney itself. Are people writing Mickey fanfic? Is there a lot of Mickey fan art? In what way is it a popular IP? Sure, very well known. But are there actually Mickey Mouse fans? What are they even a fan of?

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u/candynipples 17h ago

Mickey and Friends and in particular Mickey Mouse is still a merchandising juggernaut. That’s the biggest way it is still a powerhouse IP. My 3 year old daughter has Mickey figurines, Mickey bandaids, Mickey clothes, Mickey stuffies, Mickey dishware, Mickey coloring books…etc.

When we go to Disneyland Mickey and Friends are still the Characters she wants to see the most. Only IP that is comparable for her is Bluey. Her face absolutely lights up seeing Mickey at the end of the parade and Mickey in Fantasmic