Disney Director Behind The Little Mermaid & Aladdin Calls Out Studio for Prioritizing ‘Agendas’ Over Story

Disney director John Musker, who is best known for helming such classics for the beloved animation studio as The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, has criticized the House of Mouse for prioritizing a “message” over entertainment and storytelling. Speaking with the Spanish outlet El País during a recent appearance at the Animayo International Summit in Gran Canaria, Musker explained that, while you can tackle certain “agendas,” they need to come after sympathetic characters and a compelling story.

“I think they need to do a course correction a bit in terms of putting the message secondary, behind entertainment and compelling story and engaging characters. The classic Disney films didn’t start out trying to have a message. They wanted you to get involved in the characters and the story and the world, and I think that’s still the heart of it.

You don’t have to exclude agendas, but you have to first create characters who you sympathize with and who are compelling.”

Musker has an extensive history with Walt Disney Studios, having directed the likes of The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Hercules, as well as collaborating on other well-known projects as The Great Mouse Detective, Treasure Planet, and Moana. The filmmaker went on to discuss his 2009 effort The Princess and the Frog, which he says was not “trying to be woke.”

“We weren’t trying to be woke, although I understand the criticism.”

John Musker Takes Aim at The Little Mermaid Live-Action Remake

The Little Mermaid

Release Date

May 26, 2023

Studio

Walt Disney Pictures, Lucamar Productions, Marc Platt Productions

Franchise

Disney Live-Action Films

Musker continued to take aim at the iconic studio, paying particular attention to the recent live-action of his own tale, The Little Mermaid. Starring Halle Bailey as the title character, the remake was met with mixed reviews at the time, with Musker believing he knows why.

“They didn’t play up the father-daughter story, and that was the heart of the movie, in a way. And the crab — you could look at live animals in a zoo and they have more expression, like with ‘The Lion King.’

That’s one of the basic things about Disney, is the appeal. That’s what animation does best.”

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Taking a wider look at Disney’s live-action endeavors and their ongoing remakes of their own animated classics, Musker shared his thoughts on the strategy, believing it to be nothing more than risk reduction.

“Companies are always like, ‘How do we reduce our risk? They like this, right? We’ll just do it again and sell it to them in a different form.’ Or they think, ‘Well, we could make it better.’”

While the criticisms made by Musker are sure to resonate with some, others will no doubt argue that Disney has always contained important messages, with the strive for diversity being crucial in modern Hollywood. Regardless, the lurch towards live-action remakes is due to continue at Disney, with Mufasa: The Lion King from director Barry Jenkins set for release later this year (check out the trailer below), Snow White starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot set for 2025, and the likes of Lilo & Stitch, Hercules, Moana, Bambi, Robin Hood, and The Aristocats all now in the works.