A new report details that Disney will be censoring a number of its classic movies for its upcoming streaming service Disney+.
CNBC reports that the streaming service will not offer its Academy Award winning 1946 animated feature Song of the South.
That really isn’t a surprise as Disney has never released the film in any home video format in the United States before.
Back in 2011, Disney CEO Bob Iger explained the decision to not release Song of the South noting the film “wouldn’t necessarily sit right or feel right to a number of people today.”
Iger added, “It wouldn’t be in the best interest of our shareholders to bring it back, even though there would be some financial gain.”
CNBC also reports that Disney will remove its Jim Crow character from Dumbo.
“The Jim Crow character from the original “Dumbo” will be edited out of the film version that appears on the streaming service.”
This also isn’t new news. Boardwalk Times noted the scene would be changed back in April.
They reported at the time:
“The Jim Crow scene in 1941’s Dumbo will also be edited out for the digital library that launches November 12.”
The scene was also removed for the recent live-action Dumbo remake from director Tim Burton as well.
CNBC also reports a post-credit scene from Toy Story 2 featuring Stinky Pete will also be removed from the film on Disney+.
The scene sees Stinky Pete appearing to seduce two Barbie dolls and promises he can get them roles in Toy Story 3.
https://youtu.be/j8T6y4KC7NI
This also is not a surprise. Disney cut the scene from its re-release of Toy Story 2 this Summer.
The New York Post reported at the time:
“A cringe-inducing faux outtake in the original 1999 release of “Toy Story 2” — featuring a leering doll named Stinky Pete offering twin Barbies parts in the next movie — was quietly scrubbed from Disney’s re-release of the series last month.”
Related: Report: Disney to Change Live-Action Lady and the Tramp’s “The Siamese Cat Song”
It’s possible more censorship will be coming for Disney’s older movies. In the upcoming Lady and The Tramp live-action remake, the classic “The Siamese Cat Song” will be removed from the film with a new song replacing it.
Rumors also indicate that the two cats Si and Am will also be changed. Variety reported back in May, that “in the new film [they] are not Siamese cats.”
If they follow the trend with Dumbo, it’s more than likely the Siamese cats might be removed from the animated classic as well.
What do you make of these decisions to censor these films for Disney+?