Animators Were Reportedly Instructed to Make ‘Inside Out 2’ “Less Gay” Following ‘Lightyear’ Same-Sex Kiss Scandal

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As a lifelong Disney enthusiast, I must admit, the recent revelations about the studio’s internal dynamics are nothing short of disheartening. It’s 2024, and it seems we’re still grappling with the same old prejudices that hinder creativity and inclusivity.

After an entire year without releasing a movie that earned over a billion dollars, it seems Disney is once again thriving, having two films this year surpassing the billion-dollar mark. Specifically, these successful films are ‘Inside Out 2’ and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ which have both been well-received by viewers.

The most recent blockbuster from Pixar has generated a staggering $1.682 billion worldwide, with an impressive $652.6 million coming from the U.S. and Canada alone, while an additional $1.030 billion was earned internationally.

Recently, some intriguing behind-the-scenes information has been disclosed by IGN. It seems that the animators involved in ‘Inside Out 2’ were directed to tone down the character of Riley, the film’s main protagonist, to make her appear less associated with LGBTQ+ identity. This decision was allegedly made to prevent a backlash similar to what ‘Lightyear’ faced after it featured a same-sex kiss, which resulted in the movie’s box office underperformance.

In various nations predominantly populated by Muslims, the movie was forbidden because it included a romantic kiss between characters Alisha Hawthorne and Kiko, who are portrayed as a same-sex couple. China asked for this scene to be deleted, but Disney opted against making any changes. Originally, the scene was edited out of the film, but after Disney’s stance on the Florida Parental Rights in Education bill was made public, there were internal discussions within the company, leading to the scene being re-added.

After facing numerous controversies, ‘Lightyear’ managed to rake in a total of $226.4 million worldwide, with $118.3 million coming from North America and $108.1 million from international markets. In the United States, it ranked as the fourth highest-grossing animated film of 2022. Globally, it came in fifth place. Despite its box office success, Deadline Hollywood reported that the movie led to a financial loss of $106 million for the studio when all costs and revenues were considered.

Insiders claim that the movie caused loads of issues for the development of ‘Inside Out 2’:

As far as my current knowledge goes, the perception that the financial struggles of Lightyear are due to its inclusion of a same-sex kiss is not accurate. The film’s performance issues have other reasons behind them.

Reports suggest that the progression of the project was influenced by reluctance towards featuring LGBTQ storylines. It seems that there were multiple requests to downplay Riley’s sexual orientation, resulting in numerous revisions, particularly following the WGA strike in September 2023. Attempts were made to present the relationship between Riley and a new character, Val, as purely platonic. This was achieved through alterations in lighting, tone, and other aspects to diminish any suggestion of romantic involvement.

One resource portrays these actions as an unnecessary amount of effort to ensure that Riley and Val were not perceived as anything other than a heterosexual couple.

Keep in mind, the character Riley from the movie isn’t explicitly portrayed as gay. However, some subtle hints suggest a possible homosexuality, though this interpretation is not definitive and has been downplayed in various scenes.

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2024-09-17 12:14