--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doesn't even matter how successful a…" description: "\"It doesn't even matter how successful a movie like 'Up' is: you'll never sell a lot of toy walkers. But that's the way we spread out the risk.\" — Edwin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0d/edwin-catmull-5340_film_it-doesn-t-even-matter-how-successful-a_900058.png" --- # It doesn't even matter how successful a movie like 'Up'… ![“It doesn't even matter how successful a movie like 'Up' is: you'll never sell a lot of toy walkers. But that's the way we spread out the risk.” quote by Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0d/edwin-catmull-5340_film_it-doesn-t-even-matter-how-successful-a_900058.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0d/edwin-catmull-5340_film_it-doesn-t-even-matter-how-successful-a_900058.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0d/edwin-catmull-5340_film_it-doesn-t-even-matter-how-successful-a_900058.png) > “It doesn't even matter how successful a movie like 'Up' is: you'll never sell a lot of toy walkers. But that's the way we spread out the risk.” [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even successful films may not sell related merchandise; risk is spread across many ventures. **In simple terms:** Success doesn't guarantee all outcomes. Key Takeaway Diversify investments and expectations. Themes risk management industry merchandising Mood analytical pragmatic Type business philosophical When to use this quote - film production - toy marketing - business strategy Key Concepts portfolio theory creative economics Questions to Reflect On - How can creators balance artistic and commercial goals? - What strategies mitigate market uncertainty? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on a single hit can be costly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matter Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-successful-671573/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Spread Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spread-risk-1232105/) [Successful Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-movie-962055/) [Toy Walkers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toy-walkers-1232104/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Walkers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walkers/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [“The idea, in the wake of the savings-and-loans disaster, was to spread risk outward from those immediately involved in lending to mortgage borrowers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-tooze/the-idea-in-the-wake-of-the-savings-and-loans-disaster-was-to-spread/) [Adam Tooze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-tooze/) > [“In the end it does not really matter whether I am successful in a thousand and one things. In the end the only thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-d-s-father-winfrid-herbst/in-the-end-it-does-not-really-matter-whether-i-am-successful-in-a/) [S.D.S Father Winfrid Herbst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-d-s-father-winfrid-herbst/) > [No matter how successful you are, change is always good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-beane/no-matter-how-successful-you-are-change-is-always-good/) [Billy Beane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-beane/) > [No matter how successful you get, always send the elevator back down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-lemmon/no-matter-how-successful-you-get-always-send-the-elevator-back-down/) [Jack Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-lemmon/) > [No matter how successful you become... there's always that sense that you could be better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-mineo/no-matter-how-successful-you-become-there-s-always-that-sense-that/) [Andy Mineo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-mineo/) > [“No matter how successful and rich you become, you will not be happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sylvester/no-matter-how-successful-and-rich-you-become-you-will-not-be-happy/) [Kevin Sylvester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sylvester/) > [There are always ups and downs, no matter how successful you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liana-liberato/there-are-always-ups-and-downs-no-matter-how-successful-you-are/) [Liana Liberato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liana-liberato/) > [You can be burned out no matter how successful you are, and you can be unhappy no matter how successful you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kan/you-can-be-burned-out-no-matter-how-successful-you-are-and-you-can-be/) [Justin Kan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kan/) > [“It was important to remember who you were and where you came from, no matter how successful you became.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-bushnell/it-was-important-to-remember-who-you-were-and-where-you-came-from-no/) [Candace Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-bushnell/) > [No matter how well you do, no matter how successful you are, they're always going to criticize you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-bridges/no-matter-how-well-you-do-no-matter-how-successful-you-are-they-re/) [Todd Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-bridges/) > [I think everybody's goal was to make something that was really broad for a big audience, which was my goal too. But my main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/i-think-everybody-s-goal-was-to-make-something-that-was-really-broad/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can't be successful throughout in your movie career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramya-krishnan/you-can-t-be-successful-throughout-in-your-movie-career/) [Ramya Krishnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramya-krishnan/) > [I think 'The Lost World' could've been a successful movie except for the fact that it pre-dated the good special effects and computer graphics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/i-think-the-lost-world-could-ve-been-a-successful-movie-except-for/) [John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/) > [But then when I'm in a halfway successful movie, it irritates the hell out of the critics in New York, because they'd like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-reynolds/but-then-when-i-m-in-a-halfway-successful-movie-it-irritates-the-hell/) [Burt Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-reynolds/) > ['Jaws' freed me to discover that a successful movie didn't make a damn bit of difference to my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-gary/jaws-freed-me-to-discover-that-a-successful-movie-didn-t-make-a-damn/) [Lorraine Gary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-gary/) ## More by Edwin Catmull > [Lucasfilm has always had an openness to technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/lucasfilm-has-always-had-an-openness-to-technology/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Creative ideas aren't like Jenga blocks, where they fall apart and you've got to start from scratch, though it can feel that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/creative-ideas-aren-t-like-jenga-blocks-where-they-fall-apart-and-you/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [With every one of our films, we try to touch emotions, but we don't try to touch the same emotions each time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/with-every-one-of-our-films-we-try-to-touch-emotions-but-we-don-t-try/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Every new idea in any field needs protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/every-new-idea-in-any-field-needs-protection/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Creativity has to start somewhere, and we are true believers in the power of bracing, candid feedback, and the iterative process - reworking, reworking,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/creativity-has-to-start-somewhere-and-we-are-true-believers-in-the/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [At heart, we believe that the films that work well are the films that do touch people emotionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/at-heart-we-believe-that-the-films-that-work-well-are-the-films-that/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Creativity doesn't follow titles. It just comes from where it comes from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/creativity-doesn-t-follow-titles-it-just-comes-from-where-it-comes/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [We'll fund a project even if I'm skeptical because I'd rather be proven wrong by somebody on the inside than by somebody on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/we-ll-fund-a-project-even-if-i-m-skeptical-because-i-d-rather-be/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [I actually feel awkward being at the center of attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/i-actually-feel-awkward-being-at-the-center-of-attention/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [We have a whole industry which is gigantic: games. Games is very successful. It's its own art form, though, and it's not the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/we-have-a-whole-industry-which-is-gigantic-games-games-is-very/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [A movie contains literally tens of thousands of ideas. They're in the form of every sentence; in the performance of each line; in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/a-movie-contains-literally-tens-of-thousands-of-ideas-they-re-in-the/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [With certain ideas, you can predict commercial success. So with a 'Toy Story 3' or a 'Cars 2,' you know the idea is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/with-certain-ideas-you-can-predict-commercial-success-so-with-a-toy/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [Beware of being blinded by your own success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/beware-of-being-blinded-by-your-own-success/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [My best advice came by examples. A supportive environment at home, school, and grad school. Support at the New York Institute of Technology, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/my-best-advice-came-by-examples-a-supportive-environment-at-home/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) > [When it comes to producing breakthroughs, both technological and artistic, Pixar's track record is unique. In the early 1990s, we were known as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-catmull/when-it-comes-to-producing-breakthroughs-both-technological-and/) [Edwin Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) [Explore all 101 Edwin Catmull quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-catmull/) ## More Film quotes > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [ Brad \[Dourif\] would tell himself that he was not intentionally trying to mimic Jack Nicholson in any way. I think that actually bothers him… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kirschner/brad-dourif-would-tell-himself-that-he-was-not-intentionally-trying/) [David Kirschner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kirschner/) > [My only close-to-game-plan is to follow good writing. If the writing is in TV or if it's in theater or in film, that's it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-driver/my-only-close-to-game-plan-is-to-follow-good-writing-if-the-writing/) [Adam Driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-driver/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [Pakistan now is like a horror film franchise. You know, it's 'Friday the 13th, Episode 63: The Terrorist from Pakistan.' And each time we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/pakistan-now-is-like-a-horror-film-franchise-you-know-it-s-friday-the/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) [Browse all 32,254 Film quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It doesn't even matter how successful a movie like 'Up' is: you'll never sell a lot of toy walkers. 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