'Strange World' Disney's 2022 Animated Film

[SuddenStorm]

Not to mention Star Wars has been a dud in China and they've been increasingly blocking Marvel. I don't see Disney going out of their way to antagonize China further and have their animated movies, whether WDAS or Pixar movies, blocked for much longer because of objectionable content. They'll want to keep some foothold there for their parks if nothing else.

Exactly. DEI is important- but for Disney, so is making money. They will need to strike a balance- and if the DEI stuff is noticeably limiting the box office overseas that's something Disney will have to figure out.

 

[Disney Analyst]

People took their 8-year-olds to see Wakanda Forever.

I never said it’s not up to the parents. I did say that we need more gay, and I stand by that.

And do you notice how no one has mentioned the lesbian couple in Wakanda Forever?

Shouldn’t that tiny moment have ensured the film tanked, by the standards in here?

 

[mickEblu]

Not to mention Star Wars has been a dud in China and they've been increasingly blocking Marvel. I don't see Disney going out of their way to antagonize China further and have their animated movies, whether WDAS or Pixar movies, blocked for much longer because of objectionable content. They'll want to keep some foothold there for their parks if nothing else.

Right and to create different versions of those WDAS and Pixar movies would be disingenuous to say the least.

 

[mickEblu]

People took their 8-year-olds to see Wakanda Forever.

I never said it’s not up to the parents. I did say that we need more gay, and I stand by that.

No I believe you said we need more gaaaaaaayyyyyyyy.

 

[Chi84]

Things change but I believe that people will always be protective when it comes to their kids. That, I don’t see changing. Also change isn’t always good. Some things get better and some things get worse.

Don’t forget while extolling the virtues and sacred rights of parents that some of them are passing some pretty strong poison on to their kids. It can take generations to dilute.

Of course, people will always want to protect their children against things that are harmful - it’s the definition of what’s harmful that changes.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Disney would be very unwise to let Chinese censorship dictate its entertainment offerings.

Exactly. China is also notorious for removing black actors and actresses from movie posters. It’s bigotry. They’re an extreme example.

Society changes, albeit slowly. We are all much more accepting now than in the 50’s. When I was young, a movie like Wakanda would never have been made, and people would have had no trouble justifying their prejudices.

It’s hard to sit back and wait, but Disney is headed in the right direction. Maybe they will lose some fans (while gaining others) for the time being. But the more people see all types of relationships, the more normal they will appear to them. Maybe it will take some time, but “dinosaurs” always go extinct in the long run.

Absolutely. Progress takes time, but Disney and other companies are moving along with the change and said progress, which is a good thing.

 

[Californian Elitist]

And do you notice how no one has mentioned the lesbian couple in Wakanda Forever?

Shouldn’t that tiny moment have ensured the film tanked, by the standards in here?

This is exactly what I was getting at earlier. Plenty of people took their young children to see Wakanda Forever, and I’ve yet to see any complaints about the lesbian scene. It keeps raking in money. This is partially why I refuse to believe homosexuality scenes are why Lightyear and Strange World tanked.

 

[mickEblu]

Don’t forget while extolling the virtues and sacred rights of parents that some of them are passing some pretty strong poison on to their kids. It can take generations to dilute.

Of course, people will always want to protect their children against things that are harmful - it’s the definition of what’s harmful that changes.

I don’t think a large part of this country will ever feel that the stuff we we saw in Strange World and Lightyear are necessary/ appropriate for a PG animated film. And you are exactly right parents pass down their values to their children and that will continue to happen in Middle America and many other parts of the country Which is why things aren’t going to change as much as you think. Unless Disney can find a way to start making these movies for 15 million dollars instead of 180.

 

[TP2000]

It's almost like being gay isn't always someone's defining personality trait.

Stop making sense! You'll upset people!

Being gay is not a personality trait at all.

But you reduced us in the gay community to that by claiming that Disney needs to be more "gaaaaayyyy" (your words), whatever the hell that means by adding all those extra vowels.

As a gay man who grew up in the last half of 20th century when being gay was literally a criminal act, I am more than extra vowels in the 21st century.

I am a person with my own thoughts and ideas and opinions and culture. Please respect my diversity, that's all I ask.

Whether a group is a minority doesn’t matter, but k.

Have a good evening.

It's not even close to my bedtime, so I'm still up this evening.

Gays are 10% of the American population. Blacks are 13% of the American population. Asians are 8% of the American population. So why on earth would anyone expect Blacks and Gays and Asians to make up 40% or more of movie characters, film after film, year after year? Not to mention we didn't even discuss the biggest minority group, the Latinx Latinos who make up about a third of the American population?

Knowing that I am in a minority, about 10%, of the human population... why would I expect that I be represented in more than 10% of Disney film characters? Especially films aimed at small children whose parents probably aren't ready to discuss homosexuality with their 8 year old son?

Leave the gay stuff to the PG-13 movies, and they can underperform in the marketplace all on their own because of it.

But at least Burbank execs and HR ladies can feel good about themselves, even if they just cost their company profit.

 

[Chi84]

I don’t think a large part of this country will ever feel that the stuff we we saw in Strange World and Lightyear are necessary/ appropriate for a PG animated film. And you are exactly right parents pass down their values to their children and that will continue to happen in Middle America and many other parts of the country Which is why things aren’t going to change as much as you think. Unless Disney can find a a way to start making these movies for 15 million dollars instead of 180.

Right. But what I’m saying is that - however slowly - values can and do change. That’s why groups of people who were discriminated against for ages are now accepted and welcomed in Middle America.

 

[mickEblu]

Right. But what I’m saying is that - however slowly - values can and do change. That’s why groups of people who were discriminated against for ages are now accepted and welcomed in Middle America.

Sure and that’s because I’d like to think common sense always prevails. In this case I’d like to believe I’m on the side with common sense. I think it’s perfectly fair to ask that our children's movies be free of the content we saw in the last two Disney animated movies.

 

[Chi84]

Gays are 10% of the American population. Blacks are 13% of the American population. Asians are 8% of the American population. So why on earth would anyone expect Blacks and Gays and Asians to make up 40% or more of movie characters, film after film, year after year?

Good question. Maybe it’s to make up for all the decades when the movies pretended those people didn’t exist.

 

[TP2000]

Exactly. DEI is important- but for Disney, so is making money. They will need to strike a balance- and if the DEI stuff is noticeably limiting the box office overseas that's something Disney will have to figure out.

It is, and they will.

The fact is that Strange World underperformed (the polite way of saying bombed) in overseas Western countries that allowed it to be shown at a greater rate than it bombed in the USA.

Apparently, Strange World was a total bomb everywhere. And it bombed even worse in foreign countries where allegedly hip and enlightened people live, unlike unfashionable American places like Ohio or Texas or Idaho. But the British and Belgians and French and Australians disliked Strange World even more than we did! Shocker!

 

[Californian Elitist]

Stop making sense! You'll upset people!



But you reduced us in the gay community to that by claiming that Disney needs to be more "gaaaaayyyy" (your words), whatever the hell that means by adding all those extra vowels.

As a gay man who grew up in the last half of 20th century when being gay was literally a criminal act, I am more than extra vowels in the 21st century.

I am a person with my own thoughts and ideas and opinions and culture. Please respect my diversity, that's all I ask.



It's not even close to my bedtime, so I'm still up this evening.

Gays are 10% of the American population. Blacks are 13% of the American population. Asians are 8% of the American population. So why on earth would anyone expect Blacks and Gays and Asians to make up 40% or more of movie characters, film after film, year after year? Not to mention we didn't even discuss the biggest minority group, the Latinx Latinos who make up about a third of the American population?

Knowing that I am in a minority, about 10%, of the human population... why would I expect that I be represented in more than 10% of Disney film characters? Especially films aimed at small children whose parents probably aren't ready to discuss homosexuality with their 8 year old son?

Leave the gay stuff to the PG-13 movies, and they can underperform in the marketplace all on their own because of it.

But at least Burbank execs and HR ladies can feel good about themselves, even if they just cost their company profit.

I reduced you to what now? I added the extra vowels and bolded the words for emphasis. You do it all the time. If you took offense, that wasn’t my intention. Considering my beliefs, that would think that I have somehow reduced all gay people to extra vowels literally makes zero sense. I’ve spoken up more for the advancement of the LGBTQ+ community here more than you have. Let’s keep it real. You tell jokes and make a mockery of young gay people who make statements for themselves and try to speak up for themselves and call gay people “boring,” but then turn around and accuse me of reducing the gay community to extra vowels. How sway?

@LittleBuford @Disney Analyst As gay men, if you felt like I reduced everyone in the gay community to the letters “a,” and “y,” (I’m not even sure what that means), please let me know.

Nothing about this stuff you’re going on about in regards to being a minority resonates with me. I’m a minority and will NEVER question why I can’t be represented more and would NEVER encourage black people to stop asking for more representation. I don’t believe in expecting less representation simply because I’m black and a minority. Imagine me telling young black children to expect less. Never, ever. Same for the LGBTQ+ community.

 

[mickEblu]

Let’s just go back to elephants that can fly, pixie dust and glass slippers. I think we’d all be better off. Including Disney.

 

[TP2000]

Good question. Maybe it’s to make up for all the decades when the movies pretended those people didn’t exist.

Great.

So for the next 50 years you are going to put nothing but Black Lesbian Paraplegics in all your romantic comedies?

Again, I'm in a minority class as a gay man who can make a great cocktail and throw out a witty line.

Just a few decades ago my mere existence was illegal and prevented me from serving in the Armed Forces or US federal government because I was inherently immoral and a national security risk. The joke is that I was an enlisted member of the Armed Forces for more than four years, but we'll pretend I just never found the right girl.

I was also asked to stop attending my Lutheran church in downtown Seattle, due to my "chosen sinful lifestyle" (their words). The same Lutheran church that now has photos on its website of rainbow flags and Black Lives Matter banners, because they need to keep the collection plates full in the 21st century. Apparently God changed his mind since 1978?

With all that said, the last thing I want is for the next 50 years of cinema to feature nothing but racial and sexual minorities in all manner of films, from Disney cartoons at Thanksgiving to RomComs in May and June. Because that's not the current reality. The current reality is that gays make up about 10% of American society, Blacks make up 13% of American society, Whites make up 60% of American society, etc., etc.

We can't atone for 120 years of previous omissions by making all future films for the next 50 years full of nothing but racial and sexual and HR approved minorities. That would just be dumb and super cringey.

 

[TP2000]

I reduced you to what now? I added the extra vowels and bolded the words for emphasis. You do it all the time.

I do it all the time because it's my scene. It's not your scene, so you should be careful when you try to speak for a community that you are not a part of. But tread lightly, and we'll welcome you with open arms!

If you took offense, that wasn’t my intention.

Thank you. Apology accepted. It's the internet after all, and the typed word is harder than the spoken word to communicate with! It's fine, we'll move on.

Considering my beliefs, that would think that I have somehow reduced all gay people to extra vowels literally makes zero sense. I’ve spoken up more for the advancement of the LGBTQ+ community here more than you have. Let’s keep it real.

You say that as if you get extra credit points somewhere for such a thing.

I merely ask that you acknowledge I have a lived experience of the 1960's/70's/80's that is radically different and much more difficult than your HR protected life in the 2020's.

Please respect my lived experience, that was often painful. My own government considered me a National Security Threat by my mere existence. Let that sink in.

Nothing about this stuff you’re going on about in regards to being a minority resonates with me. I’m a minority and will NEVER question why I can’t be represented more and would NEVER encourage black people to stop asking for more representation. I don’t believe in expecting less representation simply because I’m black and a minority. Imagine me telling young black children to expect less. Never, ever. Same for the LGBTQ+ community.

I just think that minorities like ourselves should be represented truthfully and believably. Gays are only 10% of the population, so let's not make 30% or more of Disney film characters gay. Because that would be fake and dumb.

 

[Chi84]

Gays are only 10% of the population, so let's not make 30% or more of Disney film characters gay. Because that would be fake and dumb.

You have to give them some leeway though. Who’s going to be in charge of making sure 10% of Disney film characters are gay? They may err on the side of too much representation to make up for the total lack of it in times past.

 

[mickEblu]

I don’t think I’m particularly liberal or progressive either. I know a good number of people who identify as conservatives who don’t have problems with gay relationships.

I don’t have any problems with gay relationships either

 

[TP2000]

You have to give them some leeway though. Who’s going to be in charge of making sure 10% of Disney film characters are gay? They may err on the side of too much representation to make up for the total lack of it in times past.

Agreed. Which is why I purposely chose 30% as the point where it becomes cringey and dumb.

20% is probably going to have to be the benchmark for the 2020's, because of the lack thereof in previous decades. But even that is a stretch, and it must be handled very carefully. Shoehorning it in to every family animated film that comes along twice per year isn't helping the cause.

Everyone just needs to relax. Calm down. Space it out. Wait for a story or character that really makes sense. Then it will feel more organic and natural. And dare I say, entertaining?!?

That last word, "entertaining", might seem shocking to some who are stuck in a loop of HR approved slogans and talking points, but this is the entertainment industry after all. And the audience votes with their wallet.

As of now, it just feels forced and fake at best, and offensive at worst. Executives in Burbank are checking boxes and pumping up their annual bonus with this stuff. It's dumb, and you can spot it from a mile away.