Disney Backtracks on Streaming Announcement After Fan Outrage

in Disney, Entertainment

Howard, Willow, Disney Fairytale Wedding, and Black Panther

It’s been a busy 24 hours for Disney+ employees. Yesterday it was announced that streaming content would be removed from Disney+ and Hulu amidst a merger between the two companies. While the lists included several series and films, there was one title in particular that had fans up in arms.

Pluto from It's a Dog's Life with Todd Farmer, Willow, Jeff Goldblum, Hulu, Disney+
Credit: Inside The Magic, Disney+

Howard Ashman is a pioneer within Broadway and Disney history, best known for his work on The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), and Aladdin (1992), essentially kickstarting what is now known as the Disney Renaissance of animated films. His life was cut tragically short in 1991 when he died after a battle with AIDS. Ashman was, and still is, one of the most prominent members of the LGBTQ+ community in The Walt Disney Company.

aladdin and the lamp
Credit: Disney

Disney+ released an hour-long documentary, titled Howard, in 2018 that told Ashman’s story and influence on Disney and the queer community. In the list of content being removed from Disney+, Howard was one of them. The decision was met with a massive amount of negative backlash from fans, arguing that the decision made no sense with the live-action The Little Mermaid coming up and pride month starting in just a couple of weeks.

Ariel (R) and Eric (L) in Disney's 'The Little Mermaid' (2023)
Credit: Walt Disney Studios

“Kind of disgusting that @DisneyPlus is removing the Howard Ashman documentary,” Tweeted @edsouth. “Forgive me, I will be retweeting Howard Ashman content because Disney is being homophobic and erasing his documentary the day Little Mermaid(the lyrics he wrote) comes out hoping to erase the fact that a gay man saved Disney animation and invented the format we all know,” wrote @JuliannaeHannes.

Disney+ Howard poster
Credit: Disney

Similar sentiments were echoed across Disney Twitter yesterday amongst the outcry against Disney pulling content. It seems that somebody, somewhere, listened to the community because, in an update to its original article, Deadline has announced that Howard will no longer be removed from the streaming service. According to the update, the original list is being reevaluated and additional changes could be made.

Animated version of 'Beauty and the Beast' ballroom scene
Credit: Disney

While proof that the company is listening to fans, it’s still a blow to the LGBTQ+ community that it was on the list in the first place. As Disney wages battle against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and many within the Disney community fear for their friends, family, and coworkers, now more than ever, Ashman’s story needs a spotlight, not a stain remover.

Will you be watching Howard? Stay tuned to Inside the Magic for the latest updates on the Disney+ and Hulu situation.

in Disney, Entertainment

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