Disney, the entertainment titan behind some of the biggest franchises in history, is reeling from a shocking internal revelation: its flagship properties, Star Wars and Marvel, are losing their grip on young male audiences. A leaked initiative, reportedly driven by the highest levels of Disney’s leadership, has sent shockwaves through Hollywood, admitting that these billion-dollar brands have faltered and signaling a desperate pivot to find new intellectual properties (IP) to capture the elusive Gen Z male demographic, aged 13-28. With Star Wars absent from theaters for seven years and Marvel’s recent projects bombing, Disney’s scramble for “boy brands” like splashy adventure films and Halloween-themed fare marks a stunning acknowledgment of failure. Social media is buzzing with reactions, with one X post declaring, “Disney admitting Star Wars and Marvel are cooked? This is wild!” As the House of Mouse grapples with its fading empire, is this initiative a bold reset or a sign of creative bankruptcy?

The bombshell dropped via industry insiders, who revealed Disney’s urgent directive to Hollywood creatives to pitch original concepts tailored to young men—a stark departure from the studio’s reliance on Star Wars and Marvel, acquired for $4.05 billion and $4 billion, respectively, over a decade ago. These franchises, once unstoppable juggernauts, have stumbled. Star Wars hasn’t released a film since The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, with projects like The Mandalorian & Grogu and a new Rey-led movie stuck in development hell. Marvel’s recent output, including The Marvels ($206 million globally on a $270 million budget) and Fantastic Four: First Steps (a disappointing $118 million opening), has struggled to recapture the magic of Avengers: Endgame. Disney’s streaming ventures, particularly Disney+, have also faltered, with Star Wars shows like The Acolyte and Marvel’s Ironheart failing to chart on Nielsen’s Top 10. The leaked initiative, spearheaded by Disney’s live-action head David Greenbaum, signals a shift toward fresh IPs—think treasure hunts, global adventures, or spooky seasonal films—to lure back the young male audience that once fueled these brands.

The initiative’s roots lie in Disney’s recognition of a seismic shift in audience behavior. Gen Z men, shaped by COVID-19 lockdowns and immersed in gaming culture, are proving harder to reach. Historically, Star Wars fans were 65-70% male, drawn to lightsaber duels and heroic tales, while Marvel’s MCU attracted 60-65% male viewers with everyman heroes like Tony Stark and Peter Parker. But recent creative choices have alienated this core demographic. Star Wars’s focus on female-led stories, like Rey’s sequel trilogy and The Acolyte’s twin sisters, has drawn criticism for sidelining the “hero’s journey” vibe that resonated with young boys. Marvel’s emphasis on projects like She-Hulk and Captain Marvel has been accused of prioritizing messaging over storytelling, with one X post lamenting, “Disney turned Star Wars and Marvel into lifestyle brands, not hero epics.” The result? A fractured fanbase and declining box office returns, with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ($383 million on a $300 million budget) underscoring Disney’s struggle to deliver “guy-leaning” hits.

David Greenbaum, formerly of Searchlight Pictures, was brought on in 2024 to helm Disney’s live-action division with a clear mandate: recapture the magic of films like Pirates of the Caribbean, which blended swashbuckling adventure with broad appeal. The leaked directive calls for pitches evoking that era—think National Treasure-style treasure hunts or Halloween-timed thrillers—aimed at Gen Z’s love for immersive, escapist stories. Disney’s $1.5 billion investment in Fortnite, integrating Star Wars and Marvel characters, is part of this strategy, hoping to tap gaming’s massive male audience. But fans are skeptical, with one Reddit thread noting, “New IPs sound great, but can Disney make them cool again? They’ve lost trust.” The initiative also reflects a broader industry trend, as rivals like Warner Bros. (A Minecraft Movie) and Universal (Minions: The Rise of Gru) have scored with Gen Z by leaning into nostalgic, fun-driven content.

The admission of failure is staggering, especially given Disney’s history. Star Wars was once a cultural phenomenon, built by George Lucas for “12-year-old boys” inspired by Flash Gordon. Its acquisition in 2012 promised a new golden age, but the sequel trilogy divided fans, and Solo: A Star Wars Story flopped. Lucasfilm’s shift to Disney+ shows like The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi has yielded mixed results, with only Andor earning critical acclaim for its mature storytelling. Marvel, meanwhile, rode high on the Infinity Saga but hit turbulence post-Endgame. The MCU’s Phase Four and Five have been criticized for quantity over quality, with 27 projects since 2019—many deemed “unwatchable” by fans. Thunderbolts and Captain America: Brave New World underperformed, and Daredevil: Born Again failed to chart, fueling perceptions of a brand in decline. A viral X post quipped, “Disney spent billions on Marvel and Star Wars, only to lose the boys who made them huge. Ouch.”

Behind the scenes, Disney’s leadership is reportedly in crisis mode. CEO Bob Iger, who once championed the acquisitions, has acknowledged the need for “great movies that speak to everyone.” The initiative, driven by the C-suite, reflects a strategic pivot away from endless sequels and reboots, which have exhausted audiences. Insiders say Greenbaum’s team is sifting through pitches for original stories, with early concepts including a globetrotting adventure about a young archaeologist and a horror-comedy set during Halloween. But the challenge is steep: Disney’s recent animated films, like Elio ($138 million globally), have also flopped, and the studio’s reputation for “safe” storytelling has dulled its edge. Fans on Reddit are blunt: “Disney forgot how to make bold, fun movies. They’re chasing trends, not setting them.”

The fanbase’s reaction is a mix of vindication and frustration. Many feel Disney’s focus on inclusive narratives—while well-intentioned—alienated its core male audience without fully winning over new viewers. The 2021 firing of The Mandalorian’s Gina Carano over controversial posts, settled in 2025, deepened distrust, with some fans boycotting Star Wars. Social media groans about Star Wars’s The High Republic and its “Force-sensitive dinosaurs” as emblematic of a disconnect. Marvel’s struggles are similar, with The Marvels and She-Hulk criticized for heavy-handed messaging. One X user raged, “Disney called its fans toxic, then wonders why we stopped watching.” Yet, others argue the issue is quality, not politics. Andor and X-Men ’97 prove Disney can still deliver when storytelling comes first, but consistency is lacking.

Disney’s pivot to new IPs is a gamble. Original films lack the built-in audience of Star Wars or Marvel, and Gen Z’s fragmented attention—split between TikTok, gaming, and streaming—makes theatrical success uncertain. The studio’s past attempts at “boy-friendly” originals, like Jungle Cruise (2021), underperformed, and Mufasa: The Lion King (2024) failed to match its predecessor’s draw. Disney’s Fortnite deal aims to bridge the gap, but fans aren’t convinced, with one Reddit post snarking, “Throwing Marvel characters into Fortnite won’t fix bad movies.” The initiative also faces internal hurdles, as Disney’s creative teams are stretched thin across streaming, theme parks, and theatrical releases.

The leaked initiative has sparked a broader conversation about Disney’s future. Some see it as a necessary wake-up call, forcing the studio to rethink its reliance on aging franchises. Others view it as an admission of defeat, with one X post joking, “Disney’s begging for boy brands after tanking the best ones they had. Classic.” The studio’s track record suggests it can rebound—Pirates of the Caribbean and Toy Story were once original IPs—but rebuilding trust will take more than pitches. Fans want stories with heart, not focus-grouped formulas. As one Reddit user put it, “Make good movies, and the boys will come. It’s not rocket science.”

For now, Disney’s secret initiative lays bare a stark truth: Star Wars and Marvel, once the gold standard, are struggling to connect with the next generation. Whether new IPs can fill the void or if Disney can revive its flagship brands remains uncertain. The studio’s scrambling, but the clock is ticking. With The Mandalorian & Grogu set for 2026 and Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, Disney has a chance to course-correct—but only if it learns from its mistakes.