Has Disney lost its magic? Or did it only have it for a fleeting period? It would seem that the company's zenith lasted from 1989 to the early 2000s, beginning with "The Little Mermaid." Sure, they've had mega-hits since then, like "Frozen," as well as the first arc of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which concluded in 2019 with "Avengers Endgame." But I've grown concerned over Disney's inflated budgets resulting in seemingly uninspired films, such as the recent parade of live-action remakes of their more beloved properties - including the aforementioned "The Little Mermaid."

Then there are other expenditures, like the purchase of 20th Century Fox, and current CEO Bob Iger plans to spend $60B on the parks. Disney may now be a media colossus, but are we going to witness their Waterloo? Whatever debt Disney had previously has now been drastically increased — and for what? Being able to own the X-Men and Fantastic Four? Recycling movies and shows like "The Simpsons" on Disney's proprietary streaming service? Creating milquetoast remakes that nobody asked for while costing hundreds of millions?

I sincerely hope that the Disney leviathan can shake their recent funk and return to providing quality and novel entertainment again.

Max Ian Engel

East Lyme