Today marks the one year anniversary of the Catholic League’s documentary on Disney, “Walt’s Disenchanted Kingdom.” Millions of Americans have watched it on multiple platforms, including Amazon. It is a critical look at how the once family-friendly giant lost its moorings and joined the culture war against our Judeo-Christian heritage. The all-star cast helped make it a success.
Our video was masterfully done by Jason Meath Productions, and was well received by Americans all across the country. It won many awards in several film festivals, including Best Short Documentary.
The year 2023 was not kind to Disney. Indeed, it headed south. How much a role our documentary played in that development we cannot say with any precision, but it is fatuous to say it was without effect.
In terms of market share, Disney slid to second place last year; Universal Pictures came out on top. Also, for the first time in many years, Disney didn’t have one of the top three movies. Pixar, the Disney branch most responsible for pushing the LGBT agenda, did so badly that it shed 20 percent of its staff; more than 300 employees have been let go. In addition, attendance at Disney theme parks declined in 2023.
The man most responsible for this disaster, Disney CEO Bob Iger, is not complaining, at least not about his compensation. Why should he? His collective bosses paid him $32 million for his performance.
The good news is that there are signs that Disney got the memo. In September, after a summer of lousy box office receipts, Iger told investors he will seek to “quiet the noise.” The noise came from parents who do not want to expose their children to raunch.
At the end of November, we learned from a corporate disclosure that Disney is rethinking its woke policies. “We face risks relating to misalignment with public and consumer tastes and preferences for entertainment, travel and consumer products, which impact demand for our entertainment offerings and products and the profitability of any of our businesses.”
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley picked up on this admission and explained why Disney departed from the kind of wholesome fare that made it famous.
“For shareholders,” he said, “it may seem counterintuitive that corporate executives would trade off profits for political or social agendas. However, it does serve as a rationale for individual corporate executives who are professionally advanced when they champion such causes.” In other words, veterans like Iger are the most likely to let their ideological agenda trump their obligations to shareholders.
But when investors revolt, even guys like Iger have to listen. He said something in early December at a summit in New York that was unexpected. “Creators lost sight of what their No. 1 objective needed to be. We have to entertain first. It’s not about messages.”
That was refreshing, if not altogether honest. Those who create Disney fare do not do so without the blessing of their bosses, and that certainly includes Iger.
If Disney seriously wants to rebound, it can begin by treating Americans the way they do the masses in China. Last June, Americans were treated to Pride Month in Orlando and Los Angeles. But guess what? There was no four week celebration of homosexuality and transgenderism in Hong Kong or Shanghai.
Similarly, Disney has long cut morally objectionable footage from its movies to accommodate Muslims in the Middle East. So why are American kids treated to their sexual grooming films?
We would love to see Disney get back to basics and treat children as children again, sparing them of any sexual agenda. If they do turn the corner, the dividends will be morally impressive for the country and financially impressive for Disney. That’s a win-win.
Contact Disney’s communications chief: Kristina.Schake@disney.com
If you would like a copy of our DVD documentary, please contact info@catholicleague.org. The cost is $10, including shipping and handling.
