Veteran Disney Exec Launches New Studio as Adult Film Market Struggles

In October 2025, former Disney production chief Sean Bailey has launched a new studio, B5 Studios, as the adult-oriented film market faces significant challenges. Many high-profile dramas and biopics released in the past few months have underperformed at the box office, with poor audience scores and low ticket sales.

For example, 20th Century Studios' biopic "Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere" and Amazon MGM Studios' thriller "After the Hunt" both struggled, earning just $8.88 million and $2.9 million, respectively, despite significant production budgets and star power. Other casualties include Sony's "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" and Darren Aronofsky's "Caught Stealing."

Experts argue that the shrinking of film windows due to the pandemic, as well as the convenience of streaming, have contributed to the decline in adult moviegoers. However, one bright spot has been Warner Bros' "One Battle After Another," which has grossed $180.1 million worldwide and received strong critical and audience acclaim, proving that original auteur-driven films can still find success.

As the industry grapples with these challenges, Bailey's new venture, B5 Studios, will aim to navigate the changing landscape and create compelling content for adult audiences.