As a long-time movie lover and someone who has witnessed the evolution of storytelling in animation, it’s disheartening to see Pixar, a studio that once championed groundbreaking narratives, seemingly bowing down to fear and prejudice. The misguided conclusion drawn from the perceived failure of Lightyear is a step backwards for diversity and representation in cinema.
As a die-hard Pixar fan, I can’t help but ponder if the box office underperformance of “Lightyear” was due to a fleeting, yet impactful same-sex kiss, causing some adjustments in the script of “Inside Out 2“. After all, “Lightyear”, being the first significant Pixar release since the COVID-19 pandemic and a spinoff of the beloved “Toy Story” franchise, unfortunately didn’t meet expectations. The film faced several challenges, including a narrative that was too intricate for general audiences and the reprising role of Buzz Lightyear by a new voice actor, which sparked debate among fans. However, the brief kiss between Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba) and her wife, Kiko, seemed to have caused quite a stir. Despite lasting merely a second, the scene generated a significant amount of controversy, with an Oklahoma theater chain attempting to omit it from screenings.
It seems that Pixar and Disney may have misunderstood the impact of the film “Lightyear”. In a recent analysis on the production difficulties of “Inside Out 2”, IGN interviewed several former Pixar employees who were dismissed in May. Multiple insiders claim that Disney management internally attributed a significant portion of “Lightyear’s” financial shortfall to a same-sex kiss in the movie, with one employee stating, “It is, as far as I know, still the belief among leadership that ‘Lightyear’ was a financial failure due to its queer kiss. However, this is not the reason the film underperformed.
As a devoted cinephile, I’ve noticed an interesting ripple effect in the Pixar universe, particularly in the development of “Inside Out 2”. Reports indicate that the creators received persistent feedback to tone down any perceived gay undertones in the character development, specifically for the lead character Riley. Sources claim that certain influential figures were uncomfortable with overt queer themes and insisted on excluding such elements from “Inside Out 2”.
An additional reference mentions, “It’s important to note that Riley isn’t explicitly portrayed as gay in the canon. While her character may imply it subtly due to certain situations, it is never stated outright in the movie you watched. However, this aspect of her character has been intentionally played down on several occasions.
Pixar Is Learning the Wrong Lessons from Lightyear
Including a same-sex kiss in ‘Lightyear’ was a significant move that came amidst cultural turmoil. The Disney CEO, Bob Chapek, was facing criticism over his handling of the company’s response to the controversial Florida bill, HB 1557, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay Bill,” which restricted discussions about LGBTQ+ topics in classrooms. Initially, the kiss scene was removed from ‘Lightyear’, but later it was reinstated due to protests by many LGBTQ+ employees and allies at Pixar who accused Disney and Pixar leadership of suppressing “explicitly gay affections.” This was especially relevant considering the friendship between Luca and Alberto in the 2021 film ‘Luca’. When ‘Lightyear’ underperformed, some critics, who often use the phrase “go woke, go broke,” attributed its failure to the same-sex kiss rather than the actual factors.
Recently, Pixar President Pete Docter faced criticism for stating that the studio aims to create “universal stories,” leading some to perceive this as a dismissal of movies like Luca, Turning Red, and Elemental, which were initially marketed as deeply personal tales from their filmmakers. Whether intentional or not, it appeared as though stories focusing on women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community might be excluded from the definition of “universal.” Pixar had begun the 2020s with courage, welcoming new directorial talent and pursuing fresh concepts. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the studio’s choice to release Turning Red, Soul, and Luca directly on Disney+, where their potential success seemed limited, left many Pixar fans and employees disheartened. Similarly, the reluctance towards LGBTQ+ themes has sparked anger among Pixar staff members.
It seems Disney is regrettably catering to a vocal minority, and even Pixar staff members are disheartened by this. According to an IGN report, one Pixar employee expressed, “‘Many of us have come to terms with the possibility that we might never witness a significant LGBTQ+ character in a Pixar film.’
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2024-09-16 22:31