Disney Receives Backlash Over ‘Howard’ Removal From Disney+ – Deadline

Update, 11:25 a.m.: Disney+ Documentary Howard It will not be removed from the service.

“The slate of titles coming out of Hulu and Disney+ next week is still being finalized,” a representative for the company said, noting that there may be additional changes.

As revealed by Canal+ last week, Howard It was on a list of titles that Disney sent out to its international partners, informing them that they would be removed from the platform on May 26. The validity of the list has been confirmed by Deadline.

Since announcing the titles yesterday, Disney has received backlash regarding the pending removal of Howard — about famous songwriter Howard Ashman, a gay man who co-wrote songs for Disney Little mermaid Animated classic – and timed, on the eve of a live-action release Little mermaid Film and LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

Previous, 10:28 a.m.: Disney has come under some fire following news yesterday that it will be removing dozens of titles from its Disney+ and Hulu streaming services on May 26, including some LGBTQ+ content.

in the list Howardthe 2018 documentary about flamboyant lyricist Howard Ashman, a gay man who collaborated with composer Alan Menken on the soundtracks of several Disney animated films including Beauty and the Beast, Under Season, A Friend Like Me And the little Mermaid. As some have pointed out on social media, the removal of Howard Particularly noteworthy and disturbing as it comes days before the live show is due to be released the little Mermaid, Starring Halle Bailey and Jonah Hauer-King, also on the eve of LGBTQ Pride Month. Ashman died in 1991.

One commenter wrote, “Did you enjoy Disney the little Mermaid in theatres? Then come to Disney+ where we spit on the grave of the man responsible by removing the excellent HOWARD documentary “I’m Paralyzed With Anger Now.”

Another wrote: “Disney + removes Howard, the documentary about the man who literally saved this company, as well as their only real confession of an in-studio quirk, right before Pride Month. It’s Guy Rath’s time.”

Another Disney series being pulled from the service, willow He also has an LGBTQ+ focus. One commenter wrote: “Another annoying aspect here with removal # Willow, it is one of their few LGBTQ+ projects. It definitely sends the wrong kind of message in the wake of Disney’s fight with DeSantis and its anti-LGBTQ+ policy. He feels bad that they are removing him and sorting out the caves for these fanatics.”

The move, which comes with a content impairment fee of $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion, was announced during Disney’s latest earnings call on May 10. Streaming movies and specials.

“We are in the process of reviewing the content on our DTC services to align it with strategic changes in our approach to curating content,” said Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy. At the time, no details were given about what content would be removed.

Deadline has reached GLAAD for comment on the removals.