Disney is reportedly scrapping the content warnings for its animated classics that have racially charged storylines, like “Dumbo” and “Peter Pan” — a stark reversal as the company seeks to comply with President Trump’s DEI crackdown.
The entertainment giant will move the disclaimers that flash at the start of the movie on its streaming platform to the “details” section and significantly trim down the language, sources told Axios.
The shortened advisory will read, “This program is presented as originally created and may contain negative stereotypes or negative depictions,” according to Axios.
The previous auto-play message had warned viewers that the film “includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of peoples or cultures.”
Disney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Disney had flagged “Dumbo” for racial insensitivity — including a crow named “Jim Crow” — and “Peter Pan” received a content warning for its stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans, with its character the “Indian Chief.”
The warnings have been tied to several of Disney’s other classic films, including “The Jungle Book,” “Lady and the Tramp” and “The Aristocats.”
The company — which faced controversy on its battle with Florida over the “Don’t Say Gay” bill — has been rolling back some of its diversity programs since Trump signed an executive order banning DEI initiatives at the federal level and urged private firms to retract their policies.
It’s not the first time Disney has changed the content warnings that appear before some of its animated classics.
In November 2019, the company introduced the labels in front of some of its 1940s and 1950s films.
“This program is presented as originally created,” the warning said. “It may contain outdated cultural depictions.”
In October 2020, Disney changed the warning to a longer version as major US companies ramped up their DEI policies in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder and Black Lives Matter protests.
“This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together,” the 2020 warning said.
“Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe,” the warning continued.
