Lightyear
The hapless loge office return of Disney / Pixar’sLightyearcreates a major question around how the studio might make an case of the film . Despite the legacy of its predecessors , the not - quite - prequel did n’t seem to interest what should have been its largest viewership : the adults who grew up with the originalToy Storymovies . believe thatLightyearcontains some of the studio’sstrongest depictions of LGBTQ+ relationshipswith Commander Alisha Hawthorn and her wife , its poor numbers — and the unsurprising recoil to that vista — could leave future Pixar films with queer storyline in state of flux .
The lesbian relationship inLightyearisn’t actually the first portrayal in theToy Storyseries . There ’s a disconnected second inToy narration 4where a tyke and their sapphic mama are seen outside of Bonnie ’s school . As the film did n’t linger on these characters , it was something witness could have miss wholly . But , even with such a brief appearance , eagle - eyed consultation members catch it — and so the rebound began . Conservative group call for a boycott of the photographic film , while some inthe LGBTQ+ residential district matte up it was n’t enough delegacy . Luckily for Disney / Pixar , these reactions did nothing to stop the film from becoming the second - highest - grossing film for the studio apartment ( afterThe Incredibles 2 ) . So , there was n’t yet a fiscal deterrent for include further , or even expanded , delineation of LGBTQ+ characters .
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Still , Lightyearalready had a elusive line ahead of it . As with any beloved franchise , whether audiences will accept a new entry is a toss of a coin , and theToy Storyseries is the flagship for Pixar Studios . Taking such a sideways approach for a movie about a major fiber — wherein this is the in - universe film that madeTim Allen ’s Buzza toy dog in the first space — was truly a hazard that did n’t pay off . Studios often attend for a whipping boy after a commercial-grade nonstarter , and rather than reevaluating the decision to make this cinema in the first place , it ’s potential Pixar will decide that depict Alisha and her married woman was the untimely call .
Disney and its associated studios are no strangers to displaying this kind of overreaction . With the utmost fan repercussion to raw character Rose Tico inThe Last Jedi , her role was importantly reduced in the followingThe Rise of Skywalker . ( She ’s in the film for barely more than a minute . ) Disney ’s also guilty of either overpromising — and therefore under - delivering — LGBTQ+ representation or completely ban it . FromLeFou ’s underwhelming gay momentin the 2017Beauty and the Beastremake to Disney employee revealing in an open letter that many queer characters and storylines were cut from films , the studio apartment is regularly disappointing its LGBTQ+ TV audience .
With this in mind , it ’s unclear how Disney is going to treat future film . Even as the studio was working onLightyear , it backed away from inviolable LGBTQ+ stories . Notably , when it larn and subsequently shuttered Blue Sky Studios , Disney trend the cord on the alive adaption ofNimona , a pictorial novel with several queer themes . Still , it ’s moving forwards with other representations . At the Annecy International Animation Film Festival , a sneak peep forWalt Disney Animated Studios ’ forthcoming filmStrange Worlddepicted main role Ethan flirting with Diazo , another boy . This has head audience to believe that Ethan will be openly gay . However , with small know about the film ’s plot or how striking Diazo ’s fibre is , there ’s no warrant that Disney is finally institutionalise to reliable representation . If it ’s easy to polish off without losing the film ’s integrity , it ’s potential that theLightyearfailure will invite Disney to leave that plot on the clipping room floor .
The reaction toLightyear — as well as past Pixar pic likeLucaandOnward — certainly is n’t a motivator for Disney Studios ’ approach path to LGBTQ+ representation in its film . But it should n’t be enough to condemn future depictions . If the studio can bring out striking queer reference in stiff news report , it ’s more probable to see box office numbers to rationalize a legitimate commitment to this community of interests of viewers .
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