Credit: Disney and PixarAmidst Bob Iger’s promises to steer Disney back towards simple storytelling, it might be time to let the other studio handle the heavier subjects. Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Animation Studio have been complementary, but it’s time for a new direction.
Disney CEO Bob Iger recently had much to say regarding the direction the studio has taken since his return. After seeing how the stereotypical chants of “go woke, go broke” have had a lasting effect on the company’s income, he’s finally seeing the error of Disney’s ways.
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That said, matters are much more complex than a few financial flops at the box office. The roots of the weeds of discourse lie at the heart of the studio itself. While Disney has been able to deal with tough subjects in the past, recent ham-fisted efforts have left a bad taste in the audience’s mouth.
Disney Delights, Pixar Provokes
For literally the past one hundred years, The Walt Disney Company has delighted generations of millions with its cavalcade of animated magic. In the ’90s, Pixar joined in on the action and became a member of the Disney family, which only aided both studios in popularity and box-office gold.
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Although the two animation juggernauts are legends in the industry, their creations are worlds apart. Traditionally, Disney has been all about that colorful escapism into a world of heroes, villains, and talking animals. On the other end of the spectrum, Pixar has used its revolutionary animation to tell more emotional stories with themes that pull on our heartstrings.
That’s not to say both don’t share some common ground, nor is it to say Disney can’t handle more profound subjects as seen in films like Zootopia (2016), Encanto (2021), and even the recently-released Wish (2023) had a meaningful takeaway at the heart of it. However, Disney’s more recent attempts at Pixar’s level of depth have done more harm than good.
It’s not a matter of “Woke Disney” corrupting our modern media, but rather that some of the more recent offerings from the studio seem to be trying to fit the mold of what marketing believes to be popular. Having diverse characters and non-traditional narratives is all well and good, but there needs to be a method behind the madness instead of just checking a box.
Pixar isn’t absolved of this sin either, as demonstrated by Lightyear (2022), but something’s definitely screwy over at the House of Mouse. If Iger is serious about reeling it in, what exactly can we expect from both studios in terms of direction.
An easy answer is the disgruntled cry of “Disney needs to stay in its lane!”, a better approach to this would be that both studios simply need to go back to what they do best.
Disney built its animated empire on classic fairytales and enchanted stories that won the world over for a century, and Pixar has become practically synonymous with intensely emotional experiences. It’s hard to deny that fact when one of their creative endeavors where feelings have feelings.
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In this writer’s opinion, Disney’s movies’ messages are typically what’s wrong with the world and what should be done about it. Pixar gets a little more direct and says “this is what’s wrong with YOU.” That’s where the former has been missing the boat on some of its box office flops.
A big element Pixar does better than many other animated studios is how it handles relationships as a core element. Disney has had more than a few unforgettable friendships, family dynamics, and romantic pairings, but Pixar’s often have a touch more reality and gravity to them.
The reason films like Turning Red (2022) and Elemental (2023) have such a fan following is because of the reality of the stories and characters depicted in their narratives. Disney has accomplished this to an extent in other projects, but nowhere near the emotional weight its sister studio has.
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Walt Disney Animation Studio doesn’t need to stop trying, and neither does Pixar. What the company as a whole truly needs to do is to take a breath and go back to the drawing board. As the studio prepares to enter a new era with a new direction, a little restructuring and guidance from gifted animators could go a long way.
Is Disney getting too deep too fast, or is Pixar? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!