Given that my last Disney-themed story for Quartz was a resounding success, I was all to happy to return to that company for today’s story, on how even Disney is finally embracing the anti-hero:

While the wholesome company built on Mickey Mouse cannot create a series around the likes of drug kingpins or serial killers, its Disney Villains (as the company has been branding them in theme parks and merchandising) offer them an ideal entrée into at least semi-dark territory. An early attempt at this was Wreck-It Ralph, last year’s animated film hit about a misunderstood video game villain who becomes the hero, which grossed a healthy $471 million worldwide.

Now Disney is ready to go all-in on the notion that in pop culture, it’s good, and lucrative, to be bad.

Sometimes, even villains can save the day!

Disney’s dark new turn: Turning villains into heroes

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I stepped a little bit out of my comfort zone for my latest Quartz story, on why a movie studio’s stock often falls after its film has a blockbuster opening weekend. As I wrote,

The post-blockbuster stock dip has become a surprisingly common occurrence in recent years. Here’s why: just as Hunger Games fans spent months eagerly awaiting the film’s opening weekend, investors were likewise buying up LGF shares, causing the stock to double in the past year. This mirrors activity around an eagerly-anticipated new tech products, like iPhone and iPad releases, as investors buy in anticipation of a big event, then try to unload their shares to those suddenly interested in buying in after the gargantuan sales figures come out.

The more you know!

Why blockbuster opening weekends cause falling stock prices

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