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Credit: Inside the MagicFor the past few years, Pixar has been struggling to connect with audiences and create films that drive audiences to see them in the theater. 2024’s Inside Out 2 was Pixar’s most successful film to date, but before that, the last time the animation studio had a box office blockbuster was with Toy Story 4 back in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic really hurt every film studio, but Pixar has gone from seeing frequent success to mostly criticism. In fact, Elio, which was released on June 20, holds the top spot for Pixar’s worst box office numbers yet.
In 2022, Pixar released another film that was also a huge flop — Lightyear, which served as the origin story for Pixar’s most famous toy, Buzz Lightyear: Space Ranger.
Related: Pixar’s ‘Elio’ Breaks a 30-Year Box Office Record For Worst Opening Weekend in Studio History
Disney reportedly lost just over $100 million on Lightyear, and would have been happy to leave the movie and its controversies in the rearview mirror.
However, Lightyear unexpectedly found itself back in the headlines recently when rapper Snoop Dogg spoke about taking his grandchildren to see it in theaters. He criticized the film for its LGBTQIA representation and said that he was “scared” to take his grandkids back to the movies.
“What you see is what you see, and they’re putting it everywhere.”
“They’re like, ‘She had a baby — with another woman.’ Well, my grandson, in the middle of the movie is like, ‘Papa Snoop? How she have a baby with a woman? She’s a woman!’”
“It f***ed me up. I’m like, scared to go to the movies. Y’all throwing me in the middle of s**t that I don’t have an answer for… It threw me for a loop. I’m like, ‘What part of the movie was this?’ These are kids. We have to show that at this age? They’re going to ask questions. I don’t have the answer.”
Related: Pixar Fans Pinpoint Where New Movies Went Wrong, Why They Flop
The comments quickly gained traction, and now, comments made by Chris Evans, who voiced the titular Space Ranger, just prior to the film’s release, have also resurfaced.
In an interview with Reuters Films, Evans addressed the controversy surrounding a gay couple in the film. He called those who criticized the LGBTQIA representation “idiots.”
“The real truth is those people are idiots. Every time there’s been social advancement as we wake up, the American story, the human story is one of constant social awakening and growth and that’s what makes us good.”
“There’s always going to be people who are afraid and unaware and trying to hold on to what was before. But those people die off like dinosaurs. I think the goal is to pay them no mind, march forward and embrace the growth that makes us human.”
Related: Pixar’s ‘Lightyear’ Could Still Lead to a ‘Woody’ Spin-off
In addition to Evans’ old comments making a comeback, Snoop Dogg is also being called a hypocrite for his comments, considering a show he once guest-starred in.
Not long after his comments began going viral, clips started appearing of the rapper appearing in an episode of The L Word back in 2004. The show centered around groups of lesbians and bisexuals living in Los Angeles, and their complicated love lives.
Supporters of more LGBTQIA inclusion in films have long supported studios like Disney and Pixar and their characters, like Lightyear’s Alisha Hawthorne. Experts say that excluding gay characters makes it seem as though there is something wrong with them, but it is important for young children to see healthy relationships between all races and genders.
How do you think Disney should balance its LGBTQIA inclusion in film while also making films for young kids? Do you think it’s important for kids to see all kinds of relationships between consenting adults? Do you think people like Snoop Dogg need to accept the fact that the world is changing and be more inclusive? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.