credit: Prey
The moment that Disney took over Fox it became possible for a lot of people to grow nervous when it came to the thought of what would happen to shows and movies that were geared toward adults rather than children. The Predator franchise, for instance, was one of those that people thought was going to be ruined by the fact that Disney was taking over. Aliens is another, and to this date, it still feels as though many things are uncertain when it comes to Disney taking over. As of now, though, with Prey being seen as a great addition to the franchise, it feels as though Disney might be getting the hang of pushing more adult content. One of the biggest tests, however, will be the next Deadpool movie, as it’s already been established that it will happen, and it’s fair to say it will be the best of how far Disney can allow things to go. It’s kind of obvious that the MCU isn’t going to go that far unless certain conditions are met, but it does feel as though things are changing.
credit: She-Hulk
Disney has been trying to cater to adults as much as kids for a while.
Some of the jokes and the content have indeed been more for adults than children, but the fact is that a lot of what has been rolled out on the small and big screen has still been for kids since it’s been dialed down from the thrills that could give kids nightmares. Comic book movies could be every bit as violent and disturbing as anything that’s ever been rolled out in the action or horror genre, and many of the animated stories originate from exceedingly grim tales. But as anyone should be able to guess, Disney has been built around themes that are softer, less violent, or so it’s been shown over the years. The truth is that Disney has gone dark more than once in the past and has shown various elements in its many movies that are far more adult-oriented than people tend to realize at times.
The attempt to keep things light and airy but still entertaining doesn’t really work at all times.
The new shows that have come out and even the movies have tried to make things a little easier on the eyes and have gone easy on the subject matter, but that’s not always a good thing. By going easy on the audience and giving them more PC material to work with, the harsh realities that exist beyond the fun and carefree times kind of blue and cease to matter at times. For some people, this makes a better story, but for others, it softens the story in a big way and makes it less convincing and a lot more patronizing since children’s stories can be every bit as brutal as a regular story without shoving it in the faces of the audience. Does anyone remember The Last Unicorn? How about All Dogs Go to Heaven? There are plenty of movies that have been released in the past that have challenged the way people look at things.
credit: Splash
Disney has been pushing material that a lot of people would agree has been more adult in nature for years.
It’s not just the live-action movies that have been produced by Disney in one form or another, but also the animated movies that have been able to showcase a few disturbing things that people let go since, well, we grew up with them, we figure that there’s no harm in them. In the current era, however, it would appear that this isn’t the case since many people are offended by just about anything and everything they can be, even when it’s inconsequential to the story. Disney hasn’t been a purveyor of innocence for many years now, especially given that many Disney movies have started with a very violent act, such as the death of Bambi’s mother, the death of Todd’s mother in The Fox and the Hound, and even the demand for Snow White’s heart in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. The point is that Disney isn’t as innocent when it comes to catering to children with wholesome content, which is something that many people tend to forget or disregard.
It could be that Disney has no choice but to change.
Like it or not, the world is still changing around us, and the desire for content that’s not as innocent or as cute and cuddly is going to keep rising. Disney’s audience is getting older even as the new generation is coming up, and trying to cater to everyone at the same time is an ongoing struggle. But trying to find a happy medium is no easier, which could mean that Disney might have no choice but to allow things to appear in the manner that fans want to see them.
Seriously, the term ‘Disneyfied’ isn’t positive in the least when talking about certain properties.