Disney legend John Musker, whose credits including The Little Mermaid, Hercules, Aladdin, The Princess and the Frog, and Moana, lampooned The Walt Disney Company for going “woke.”
Moana in Moana (2016), Walt Disney Studios
In an interview with Spanish outlet El PaÍs, Musker commented on his work with The Princess and the Frog, “We weren’t trying to be woke, although I understand the criticism. The classic Disney films didn’t start out trying to have a message. They wanted you to get involved in the characters and the story and the world, and I think that’s still the heart of it.”
He added, “You don’t have to exclude agendas, but you have to first create characters who you sympathize with and who are compelling.”
Next, Musker declared, “I think they need to do a course correction a bit in terms of putting the message secondary, behind entertainment and compelling story and engaging characters.”
A scene from Hercules (1997), Walt Disney Pictures
READ: Disney CEO Bob Iger Says It Is Not The Company’s Job “To Advance Any Kind Of Agenda”
Musker also criticized the company for it’s live action remakes of animated film.
He said, “Companies are always like, ‘How do we reduce our risk? They like this, right? We’ll just do it again and sell it to them in a different form.’ Or they think, ‘Well, we could make it better.’”
John Musker via Canadian Animation Blog YouTube
He specifically criticized Disney’s most recent live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid, “I think there was a question even with The Little Mermaid. They didn’t play up the father-daughter story, and that was the heart of the movie, in a way.”
“And the crab — you could look at live animals in a zoo and they have more expression, like with The Lion King,” he continued. “That’s one of the basic things about Disney, is the appeal. That’s what animation does best.”
Halle Bailey as Ariel in Disney’s live-action THE LITTLE MERMAID. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2023 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Earlier in the interview, he also criticized the way Disney makes films now as well. While talking about his work on Moana, he shared, “Moana was a very difficult project. It was our idea, but with Pixar and John Lasseter, our story kept changing hands. In the ‘90s, we had Jeffrey [Katzenberg]. He was an emperor, you know. But there weren’t 10 Jeffreys.”
“Now, you have too many people to satisfy, before we didn’t have 15 directors telling you how to make the movie. But in some ways, they were right, it was a good thing,” he said.
MAKING SPACE – Disney and Pixar’s “Lightyear” introduces Alisha Hawthorne (voice of Uzo Aduba), Buzz’s long-time commander, fellow Space Ranger and trusted friend. Directed by Angus MacLane (co-director “Finding Dory”) and produced by Galyn Susman (“Toy Story That Time Forgot”), the sci-fi action-adventure opens in U.S. theaters on June 17, 2022. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Disney CEO Bob Iger has made comments similar to Musker’s regarding the company’s push of divisive themes. During the company’s annual shareholder meeting earlier this year, Iger was asked by an alleged shareholder, “Is it possible for Disney to stay out of political and social agenda and just provide entertainment?”
Iger responded, “Our job is to entertain first and foremost. And by telling great stories we continue to have a positive impact on the world and inspire future generations just as we’ve done for over 100 years. Disney has always been and will continue to be a source of hope, joy, and optimism for people of all ages.”
“We are committed to telling stories that reflect the world around us and using those stories to entertain stories from all walks of life,” he asserted. “I believe we have a responsibility to do good in the world.”
He then declared, “But we know our job is not to advance any kind of agenda. So as long as I’m in the job, I’m going to continue to be guided by a sense of decency and respect. And we will always trust our instincts.”
Bob Iger via New York Times Events YouTube
Despite Iger’s comments, the company’s actions tell a different story. For example, the company’s subsidiary Lucasfilm and Marvel Comics recently revealed Pride Variants for various of its Star Wars comics. One of the covers features an LGBT Jedi named Ruu that was introduced in the company’s short story collection, The High Republic: Tales of Light and Life. The cover also included the ‘progress pride rainbow” colors overlaid on the Star Wars logo.
Star Wars #47 variant cover by Phil Jimenez (2024), Marvel Comics
In the parks, Disneyland announced Disneyland After Dark: Pride Nite in April. Disneyland Resort’s Public Relations Director Kelsey Lynch commented on the night, “Disneyland After Dark: Pride Nite returns to the Disneyland Resort for its second year with colorful celebrations, joyful photo opportunities, event merchandise, fabulous food and divine drinks.”
She adds, “Disneyland After Dark: Pride Nite celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community, bringing allies and community members together as Disneyland park is illuminated with rainbow projections.”
Disneyland Pride Nite via Patrick Dougall YouTube
More recently, in Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: Tales of the Empire animated series, the company introduced a character that is referred to by Barriss Offee and the Fourth Sister with “they/them pronouns.”
New Star Wars show on Disney+ ‘Tales of the Empire’ features a non-binary character that uses they/them pronouns.
Parents, make sure you know what your kids are watching!
They’re after your kids. pic.twitter.com/KNnjtWnEUI
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 6, 2024
What do you make of Musker calling for The Walt Disney Company to course correct awake from being ‘woke’?
IMO the Marxists have pushed this agenda harder then Russia and China do in their film making, so having any form of messaging relating to the extreme left ideology will not be tolerated by anyone if OTHER company’s want to make any money again.
Disney will never recover from this was a children’s brand that was trusted to entertain, that trust has been lost and insidiously abused by predators. Even if they twittered the whole place out, you can not replace 80 years of trust.
Exactly! I only wonder, where is the new Disney? Are we too divided as a culture to produce a new Disney or accept one if it comes along?