In a stunning turn of events, Disney has signaled a dramatic shift in its strategy, reportedly stepping back from its heavy focus on Star Wars and Marvel franchises after years of alienating their core audiences. The entertainment giant, which acquired Lucasfilm in 2012 and Marvel in 2009, is now scrambling to reconnect with young male fans, particularly those aged 13 to 28, following a string of critical and commercial missteps. This pivot, announced in August 2025, comes as Disney acknowledges that its attempts to broaden the appeal of these iconic franchises may have backfired, leaving Star Wars and Marvel struggling to recapture their former glory. With a renewed push for original, male-oriented stories, Disney is desperate to rebuild trust and reignite the spark that once made these brands global juggernauts. Here’s a deep dive into what went wrong and what this bold new direction means for the House of Mouse.
The Rise and Fall of Disney’s Star Wars and Marvel
When Disney acquired Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion and Marvel for $4 billion, it was a power move to dominate the male-driven sci-fi and superhero markets, complementing its traditionally female-skewing Disney Princess brand. Star Wars, with its lightsaber duels and epic space battles, and Marvel, with its comic book heroes like Iron Man and Spider-Man, were cultural touchstones for generations of male fans. Data from a 2024 Wrap report confirms that Star Wars fans are 65-70% male, primarily aged 25-44, while Marvel’s audience is 60-65% male, drawn to stories of heroism and adventure. These franchises were built on universal appeal but resonated deeply with young men inspired by characters like Luke Skywalker and Tony Stark.
However, Disney’s efforts to diversify these properties sparked controversy. The Star Wars sequel trilogy (2015-2019), led by Daisy Ridley’s Rey, was criticized for sidelining legacy characters like Luke Skywalker, portrayed as a disillusioned hermit in The Last Jedi. Fans felt the saga strayed from George Lucas’s vision of a story for “12-year-old boys,” as he reiterated in a 2017 set visit to Solo. Projects like The High Republic and The Acolyte, with their focus on diverse Jedi and complex narratives, were seen by some as prioritizing inclusivity over the action-packed simplicity that defined the originals. Social media backlash labeled these moves as pandering, with posts on X lamenting, “Dinosaurs in Star Wars? This isn’t for us.”
Marvel faced similar criticism. Post-Avengers: Endgame (2019), the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) leaned into female-led stories like The Marvels, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and Ms. Marvel, earning the nickname “M-She-U” from detractors who felt male heroes were being overshadowed. A 2024 Wrap report noted that films like The Marvels failed to draw female audiences as intended, while alienating the MCU’s 60-65% male fanbase. Disney’s leadership, including Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and Marvel’s Victoria Alonso, pushed for inclusivity, but critics argued this came at the expense of storytelling quality. The 2023 box office flop of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which depicted Harrison Ford’s iconic hero as a broken figure, further fueled perceptions that Disney was mishandling male-driven franchises.
The Backlash and Audience Disconnect
The backlash against Disney’s direction was swift and vocal. Kathleen Kennedy’s 2018 “The Force is Female” campaign, tied to a Nike event, became a lightning rod for criticism, seen as a signal that Star Wars was pivoting away from its 65-70% male audience. Social media platforms like Reddit and X buzzed with frustration, with fans accusing Disney of dismissing their core demographic. A 2024 post on r/StarWarsTheories argued, “Disney bought Lucasfilm and Marvel for boys, then turned them into girl brands,” reflecting a sentiment that the company prioritized ideology over audience expectations. Labeling critics as “bigots” or “toxic” only deepened the divide, as noted in a 2024 Pirates and Princesses article, which warned that alienating fans could “destroy the franchise.”
Box office and streaming data tell a grim story. The Marvels (2023) earned just $206 million worldwide, the lowest in MCU history, while Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny underperformed despite a prime release slot. Star Wars hasn’t seen a theatrical film since The Rise of Skywalker (2019), with Disney+ series like Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Book of Boba Fett criticized for lackluster storytelling. Even acclaimed shows like Andor couldn’t fully offset the perception that Star Wars had lost its way. Marvel’s Disney+ output, including Ironheart and Secret Invasion, struggled to match the cultural impact of hits like WandaVision or Loki, with viewership numbers lagging. A 2025 The Wrap report highlighted how the rush to produce streaming content “diluted” both brands, dragging down their creative quality.
Disney’s Desperate Pivot
In August 2025, Variety reported that Disney, under new live-action studio head David Greenbaum, is actively soliciting pitches for original intellectual properties (IP) aimed at Gen Z males aged 13-28. This shift acknowledges a critical misstep: in chasing broader demographics, Disney overlooked the young male audience that fueled Star Wars and Marvel’s success. The company’s leadership now faces the challenge of rebuilding trust with fans who feel betrayed by years of perceived neglect. Greenbaum’s mandate is clear—create stories that recapture the adventure, heroism, and relatability that defined these franchises’ golden eras.
Disney’s pivot isn’t just about new content; it’s a strategic retreat from overextending Star Wars and Marvel. CEO Bob Iger, in a 2023 CNBC interview, admitted that Marvel’s “zeal” for Disney+ content “diluted focus and attention,” with plans to scale back production. This pullback aims to prioritize quality over quantity, focusing on theatrical releases and standalone stories rather than interconnected universes that demand extensive viewing. The success of Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), which grossed $1.3 billion by leaning into male-oriented action and humor, serves as a blueprint. Unlike recent MCU entries, it avoided heavy-handed messaging, resonating with fans who craved unapologetic entertainment.
What’s Next: A New Direction for Disney?
Disney’s new strategy emphasizes original IP tailored to young men, potentially moving away from the sprawling narratives of Star Wars and Marvel. While the company isn’t abandoning these franchises entirely—Star Wars has Andor Season 2 slated for April 2025, and Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts are in the pipeline—the focus is shifting to fresh stories. Think action-packed adventures, buddy comedies, or sci-fi epics that echo the spirit of A New Hope or Iron Man without the baggage of existing lore. Disney is reportedly exploring concepts like a gritty space opera or a modern-day adventure series, drawing inspiration from hits like Top Gun: Maverick, which successfully targeted male audiences with straightforward, high-energy storytelling.
The challenge lies in execution. Fans remain skeptical, with posts on X questioning whether Disney can deliver without “lecturing” or pandering. A 2025 Outkick report noted that Disney’s political alignment and perceived disdain for “toxic masculinity” alienated its core audience, making authenticity critical. The company must prove it understands what young men want: stories of courage, camaraderie, and triumph that don’t shy away from spectacle. Hiring visionary creators unburdened by corporate agendas could help, as could empowering directors like Jon Favreau, whose The Mandalorian remains a rare Star Wars success.
A Cultural Reckoning
Disney’s pivot reflects a broader reckoning in Hollywood, where audience fatigue and backlash against agenda-driven content have forced studios to reassess. The Thursday Murder Club and Lioness, both 2025 releases, show that compelling storytelling can still captivate without alienating core demographics. For Star Wars and Marvel, the road to redemption is steep. Fans want a return to the mythic heroism of Luke Skywalker and the everyman charm of Tony Stark, not convoluted plots or divisive messaging. Disney’s acknowledgment of its missteps is a start, but rebuilding trust will require bold, authentic stories that resonate with the boys and young men who once saw these franchises as theirs.
As The Silence of Laughter and other upcoming projects signal a shift toward quality, Star Wars and Marvel may take a backseat while Disney experiments with new IPs. Whether this gamble pays off remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the House of Mouse is fighting to reclaim its magic. For now, fans await a new era of storytelling that honors the spirit of adventure that made Star Wars and Marvel iconic, hoping Disney can deliver before the Force fades entirely.
