Disney’s live-action adaptations are facing backlash for perceived political correctness, as shown by a recent poll in the Disney subreddit, which has over half a million subscribers.
This time it’s the transformation of the seven dwarves in Snow White that is causing dismay among fans, who are ready to boycott the live-action movie.
Despite intentions to modernize and diversify movies like Snow White and the Little Mermaid, these decisions may be negatively affecting box office performance.
Is Disney’s push for inclusivity and social consciousness overshadowing fan nostalgia and expectations?
BettingSites.co.uk surveyed 517,000 members of the subreddit r/DisneyPlus to find out if the controversial re-imagining of 2024’s Snow White will deter them from seeing the film?
Here are the results…
Poll highlights:
- 7/10 Disney Fans Plan To Boycott / Skip The Live-Action Snow White Next Year
- Only 27% of Disney Fans Plan to Watch the Live-Action Snow White Film
- “Woke” Films’ Revenues 10x Lower than Disney’s Record-Breaking Avengers: Endgame
7 out of 10 Disney Fans plan to boycott ‘PC’ Live-Action Snow White
Betting Sites’ exclusive poll, conducted in the Disney subreddit, reveals a significant majority of fans feel Disney is pushing political correctness too far in its new live-action Snow White film. The change from the iconic seven dwarves to a diverse band of merry men and women has particularly provoked a strong reaction, with seven out of ten Disney fans saying the movie seems too “woke.”
Disney’s spokesperson defended the changes, stating, “To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters and have been consulting with members of the dwarfism community.”
Only 27% of Disney Fans Plan to Watch the Live-Action Snow White Film
It seems Disney’s progressive changes are not resonating with fans, as only 27 percent of fans expressed an intent to watch the new Snow White film, according to the subreddit poll.
This disinterest could reflect the controversy surrounding previous films like The Little Mermaid, where Halle Bailey, a black actress, was cast to play Ariel, who was portrayed as a fair redhead in the cartoon.
However, Snow White’s lead actress, Rachel Zegler, defended the changes, saying, “People are making these jokes about ours being the PC Snow White, where it’s like, yeah, it is—because it needed that. It’s an 85-year-old cartoon, and our version is a refreshing story about a young woman who has a function beyond ‘Someday My Prince Will Come.’”
Disney’s “Woke” Films’ Revenues 10x Lower than Disney’s Record-Breaking Avengers: Endgame
Reviewing box office revenues, it’s clear that films associated with political correctness, like The Little Mermaid, Lightyear, and Small World, are not performing as well as others. These films averaged domestic box office revenues of $150 million, almost six times less than the record-breaking $858 million brought in by Avengers: Endgame.
In fact, the average worldwide box office revenue of these three films was 10 times less than that of Avengers: Endgame. This suggests that the shift towards a more politically correct narrative might not be commercially viable.
Commentary
Lee Astley, Head of News for BettingSites.co.uk summarizes the situation: “These numbers illustrate the challenges modern movies face. On one hand, there’s a push to address social concerns, making stories more inclusive and representative.
“On the other hand, straying too far from classic narratives can alienate a significant portion of the audience. It’s clear that the discussion around political correctness in Hollywood is impacting big brands like Disney at the box office. The question moving forward is how to strike a balance that honors both social progression and fan expectations.”
