Disney is slowly losing its magic. Since its founding in 1923, the Disney brand has been known for creating magical memories and a fairytale-like reality for people all around the globe. However, recently, the unappealing political views of America have negatively impacted the original morals and integrity of Disney.
Many classic Disney films have been receiving criticism regarding sexist and ethnic/racial stereotyping; the everlasting tale of a prince saving his princess is beginning to be bashed by today’s society and feminists. More women in today’s patriarchal society are standing up for their independence, and the entertainment industry is picking up on it. The characters Moana and Merida are good representations of how the industry should adapt to the cultural changes of society, but in many cases, new live-action versions of original fairy tales are changed too drastically, or they simply cannot live up to the quality and nostalgic feeling that watching the classics can bring someone.
From a more political standpoint, new bills that were introduced in Florida are heavily impacting Walt Disney World concerning the LGBT community. The welcoming announcements have changed from “ladies and gentlemen” to “dreamers of all ages.” The problem doesn’t seem to stem from the inclusivity but mainly from the major changes being made to the original brand, which is heavily affecting the industry’s future. New movie themes are shifting from fairy tale themes to education about society. Although this is beneficial to the brand’s targeted and highly influential audience, they are losing viewers and support from adults due to the controversial topics that are talked about in these new films and shows. A prime example of this would be the movie Elementals. This movie has great reviews and gives an important message to impressionable children about the real world, but it is fairly different from some of the originals, which can be controversial to different audiences. Depending on the viewers’ beliefs of how Disney should be represented, these adaptive changes to today’s world can either be the beginning of a new era or the ending of an extraordinary one.