Disney Erases New Movie From Existence After Two Months
Disney has removed the science fiction adventure film Crater from its lineup a mere seven weeks after its debut. The movie is the latest casualty in the company’s content purge, which saw Willow, a series adaptation of the 1988 film of the same name, Brian K Vaughan’s Y: The Last Man, and documentary series The World According to Jeff Goldblum get dumped from the streamer.
Directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez from a script by John Griffin, Crater boasts a talented cast, including Mckenna Grace, Isaiah Russell-Bailey, Billy Barratt, Orson Hong, Thomas Boyce, and Scott Mescudi. Released via Disney+ on May 12, the film earned mostly positive reviews from viewers and critics, which makes its axing all the more disappointing.
Crater takes place on a lunar colony in 2257, where people extract resources necessary for humanity’s journey to a newly established settlement called Omega. The story revolves around a young boy named Caleb. Following his father’s death, Caleb is scheduled to be relocated to Omega according to a contractual provision that states families of deceased mine workers must be sent to the new planet.
Just a little over a month since its premiere on Disney+, Crater has been removed from streaming.
However, before Caleb’s permanent departure to another world, his three friends – Dylan, Borney, and Marcus – team up with a new arrival to the colony named Addison. Together, they embark on a daring escapade, stealing a lunar rover to visit a crater that held significance for Caleb’s parents. Throughout their journey, the group faces several challenges and ultimately takes control of their destinies.
Beneath the futuristic science fiction backdrop, Crater is a classic Disney tale of friendship and personal growth, where a group of kids grapples with impending separation as they seek one memorable final night of enjoyment.
Released via Disney+ on May 12, the film earned mostly positive reviews from viewers and critics, which makes its axing all the more disappointing.
In a recent earnings call, Disney’s CFO, Christine McCarthy, explained the company’s content purge, saying the streamer plans to write down specific projects by eliminating them from Disney+. The objective is to streamline their production efforts, focusing on a reduced number of projects that demonstrate the potential to drive subscriber growth.
This initiative has resulted in the elimination of over 30 film and television titles, leading to a $1.5 billion write-down for Disney in the third fiscal quarter. The company is currently reviewing its content library. It expects further removals of produced content from its direct-to-consumer and other platforms, which primarily concluded at the end of June.
Where else is Disney cutting content?
Most of these removals are anticipated within Hulu, particularly affecting licensed content from networks like NBC and Fox. Major franchises like Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar are expected to remain intact. Although less popular and potentially even Disney-produced content may face removal, as the company aims to increase profits by 2025.
Removing original content allows Disney to avoid paying residuals to the creators and workers involved, thus generating cost savings. This tactic has been criticized by the Writers Guild of America (WGA), the Directors Guild of America (DGA), and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), who are fighting for fair wages and residuals for their members.
