“Hypocrisy level: infinity”: Director Joseph Kahn calls out “de-gayification of Disney” after Pixar scraps film

Director Joseph Kahn is accusing Disney and Pixar of "de-gayification" over reports about changes to upcoming and scrapped animated films.

Kahm, who is known for helming iconic music videos, took to X this week to react to the recent Pixar news. Information about the scrapped project, BE FRI, was reported by The Wall Street Journal and shared by Discussing Film on X.

According to the report, the movie was going to follow a "platonic" friendship breakup between two girls.

"Even when a film is SCRAPPED, Pixar now has to clarify their kids' movie was a 'platonic' relationship. That's how much Disney has to position themselves as Not Gay now," Kahm posted.

"The De-Gayification of Disney is real."

In the same WSJ article, Pixar chief creative officer Pete Docter spoke about removing the queer elements from Elio.

“We’re making a movie, not hundreds of millions of dollars of therapy," he said.

Fans push back on Pete Docter's "therapy" comment

Kahm's post calling out Pixar was shared to Reddit, and many people have feelings about the studio's recent regression. Some voiced unhappiness with Docter's therapy comments.

"Oh, we're so cooked. F*ck this anti-DEI push. Also, what is that quote in the second slide? 'We're making a movie, not hundreds of millions of dollars of therapy?' Sounds kind of weird coming from the director of Up, and Inside Out, no?" u/Riqitch commented.

"The way this is such a genuine insult to the art of film. To blatantly say 'This is just to make money, not make you feel something or have it resonate with you,' u/Novaer added.

"I was gonna say, a kid's movie about a friendship breakup is actually a good idea. Most of us have been through that and don't know how to navigate it, especially if you're young," u/PM_ME_CAT_POOCHES shared.

"Hey Pete, have you ever considered that 'hundreds of millions of dollars of therapy' are being spent because kids are made to feel like being LGBTQIA+ is wrong?? Representation truly does matter and could save lives," u/BroadwayGirl27 wrote.

"Pixar: Makes movies about grief, identity crises, parental loss, existential dread… Also Pixar: 'LGBTQ kid imagining a family? That's therapy, not a movie.' Hypocrisy level: Infinity. Just say you’re scared of backlash and go," @MysteryMongolia tweeted.

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