Disney reportedly made Inside Out 2 'less gay' because of Buzz Lightyear film's same-sex kiss backlash

[Enter Stage Rite]

 

 

Disney appears to have taken a cautious step back in the creative direction of Inside Out 2, reportedly downplaying perceived queer themes in response to the backlash faced by Lightyear. 

 

The decision came after some executives blamed Lightyear’s box office disappointment on a same-sex kiss in the film, prompting changes in how Riley, the lead character of Inside Out 2, is portrayed. According to multiple sources speaking to IGN, the directive was to make Riley “less gay” in the sequel.

 

One of the most notable changes involved Riley’s relationship with a new character, Val, which was deliberately shaped to appear entirely platonic. Sources indicate that adjustments were made to the lighting, tone, and interactions between the characters to avoid any hint of romantic involvement.

 

IGN’s report, based on interviews with former Pixar employees, highlights that the financial failure of Lightyear has led Disney leadership to repeatedly reference the film's same-sex kiss as a reason for its poor performance. One former employee noted that this perception persists among top executives, despite many arguing that the kiss was not the cause of the film’s box-office struggles.

 

These concerns have seemingly trickled down to Inside Out 2, where the creative team received continuous notes about ensuring Riley’s character doesn’t appear “too gay.” Some within Pixar leadership were apparently uneasy with queer themes and pushed to ensure that Riley and Val’s relationship remained explicitly platonic, even altering visual elements to avoid any romantic interpretations.

 

Though Riley’s sexual orientation has never been addressed, one source mentioned that certain contexts in the film might have led viewers to infer that she wasn’t straight. However, Disney’s adjustments to the sequel appear to be focused on removing any potential ambiguity that might suggest otherwise.

 

“Mind you, Riley is not canonically gay,” they said. “In the film that you saw, nothing about Riley says that she is gay, but it is kind of inferred based on certain contexts. And so that is something that they tried to play down at multiple points.”

 

 

• https://movieweb.com/pixar-inside-out-2-changes-lightyear-kiss-controversy/ 
• https://www.ign.com/articles/inside-out-2-was-the-hit-pixar-needed-but-the-laid-off-employees-who-crunched-on-it-are-still-hurting 
• https://screenrant.com/inside-out-2-movie-riley-gay-change-lightyear-kiss-impact/ 
• https://www.vulture.com/article/disney-inside-out-2-riley-gay.html 

 

 

Image: Pixar