Hindu gods can be the new superheroes.

Smithsonian:  Veteran Pixar Animator’s Newest Book Is an Epic Undertaking

Sanjay Patel is an artist and former Pixar animator who produces Youtube animated videos and illustrated books based on thousands of years of Hindu mythology.  That seems like a gold mine of narratives that major studios should investigate.

Since Toy Story 4 came out in 2019, Pixar has produced 8 movies, with 7 of them losing money.  Disney, Pixar’s parent company, seems stuck on sequels and live action remakes. 

Pixar’s sequels can sell tickets, but they are getting played out.  Toy Story 4, Incredibles 2, and Cars 3, all made money, but are based on IP’s that are a couple of decades old.  Pixar intends to produce movies with depth and heart, but fresh stories aren’t landing.  Elio, Elemental, Turning Red, Luka, Onward and Soul, all lost money.

Pixar movies try to say something profound, but the movies plod along or are too predictable to get people out to the theaters.  Ancient myths that survive, tell deep truths.  Look to other cultures, but present the myths in an accessible way. 

The Netflix movie, KPop Demon Hunters originated from the director’s “desire to create a story inspired by her Korean heritage, drawing on elements of mythology, demonology, and K-pop to craft a visually distinct and culturally rooted film. ”  It’s the most watched movie in Netflix history.

KPop Demon Hunters is so popular, that after being available to watch free on Netflix, it had a two day release in theaters and made $18 million.  On those two days, it made five times more money per theater, than any other movie showing that day.

I’m not a K-Pop fan, but watched KPop Demon Hunters because so many people were talking about it.  The movie wasn’t for me, but I can see why it’s popular.  The animation looked great, the characters were appealing, no teen angst, and the plot wasn’t predictable.  The songs were catchy, and not the sappy stuff that Disney puts out.

I’m not adding anything new to the Indian philosophical tradition or the mythological stories themselves. The only thing I’m doing bringing a new voice, a fresh perspective—which, in my case, is a laid-back Southern California artist-guy perspective. I want to tell these stories in a way that fits me and my lifestyle, to show the characters in a way I think looks cool and evocative and interesting.

It takes the right people to produce popular media based on mythology.  The advantage is that they start with stories and characters that aren’t entirely unknown.  When the MCU started, the audience weren’t comic book nerds, but had some familiarity with the superheroes and their backstories. 

It’s a serious story, but Patel hopes his retelling will capture the imaginations of middle schoolers like his oldest son, Arjun (who shares the name of the Mahabharata’s hero). “You have to remix these ideas,” he says, “if you want them to survive.”

Adults are irritated that kids aren’t listening, but make no effort to tell a good story.  When I was in junior high, I attended CCD.  That was Sunday school, on Tuesday evenings, for teenagers.  It was all, “Jesus walks with you” boring stuff.  Nobody ever told me about St. George the Dragon Slayer or St. Joan of Arc who led the French army and was burned at the stake.  We didn’t even learn about St. Patrick or St. Valentine, and they both have popular holidays.  They had their chance, and blew it.  I’m a heathen, so I hope they’re happy.

Disney may not have the writing and production talent to generate good movies.  Disney management may not have the judgement or confidence to try something different.  The recent Pixar movies, Elio, Elemental, Turning Red, Luka, Onward and Soul, all cost twice as much money to produce as KPop Demon Hunters, and nobody went to see them.  If major studios are going to survive, they need to stop blaming the audience or making excuses, and get people who can make popular media.