Disney leadership has reportedly attributed a significant portion of the failure of Lightyear to the inclusion of a same-sex kiss, influencing the creative direction of Inside Out 2. According to a report by IGN, based on conversations with ten former Pixar employees, Disney allegedly issued continuous notes to ensure that the character Riley in Inside Out 2 appeared “less gay.” This directive reportedly influenced various aspects of the film’s production, including editing lighting and tone to downplay any perceived romantic chemistry between Riley and a new character, Val.
In the sequel to the beloved Inside Out, Riley’s relationship with Val, an older girl, was intentionally made to seem as platonic as possible. Multiple sources indicated that Disney leadership was “uncomfortable” with what were perceived as “queer themes” in the film. Edits were made late into the film’s development, particularly after the resolution of the WGA strike in September 2023. The goal, as one source described, was to ensure that no one could potentially interpret the relationship as anything but straight.
This isn’t the first time Pixar has approached Riley’s character with potential romantic interests; a short released in 2015 depicted her first date with a boy. However, fans began to pick up on queer coding in Inside Out 2 from the first trailer, with many speculating about a “Deep Dark Secret” that Riley was hiding. Instead, the film revealed this secret to be a mundane incident involving a carpet burn, leaving some feeling misled about the nature of Riley’s story.
The alleged pushback from Disney is not an isolated case. The studio still reportedly cites the same-sex kiss in Lightyear as a primary reason for the film’s underperformance at the box office. One source shared that Disney leadership often references Lightyear when discussing LGBTQ representation, suggesting, “Lightyear was a financial failure because it had a queer kiss in it.”
Published - September 17, 2024 02:21 pm IST
