The Walt Disney Co. said it expects retail sales of its Disney products to rise by 10% to $23 billion thanks in part to the popularity of its first summer flick with Pixar Cars and its upcoming release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.
Since the Cars film opened June 9, box office dollars have been pouring in. The animated movie has earned more than $110 million and was No. 1 at the box office for two weeks straight. Disney is supporting Cars with one of the largest products launches since The Lion King in 1994.
With Disney’s acquisition of Pixar, the entertainment company is considering a Cars sequel. “The potential now exists,” Andy Mooney, chairman of Disney Consumer Products, said at a news conference last week at the 2006 Licensing International Show.
Films like Cars are giving Disney a shot in the arm financially. The company’s target was to reach $23 billion in sales. “With less than half the financial year remaining, I am now confident we’ll meet this target,” Mooney said.
For 2007, Disney plans to release its third film based on Pirates of the Caribbean, and a second installment to the Chronicle of Narnia series.
While demand is steady for some of Disney’s other well-known properties, including Winnie the Pooh and Disney Princesses, Disney is also banking on demand for products around its July 7 release of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.
At the licensing show, Disney announced it is removing the Tinker Bell property from its Disney Princess line, which is projected to grow 15% over last year to $3.4 billion worldwide in retail sales, to give the brand its own franchise. Also for fall 2007, Disney is launching animated film Tinker Bell in a direct-to-video release by DisneyToon Studios and Walt Disney Home Entertainment. The Tinker Bell character will be voiced by actress Brittany Murphy. The release will be supported with a marketing campaign and consumer products line at major retailers around the world.
Network
