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By Lydia Patrick
Life & Trends Reporter
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A filmmaker has publicly called out Disney after the company scrapped a Pixar movie he says reflects a broader rollback of LGBTQ+ representation—a shift he described as the "De‑Gayification" of the studio.
Joseph Kahn, a director best known for helming major music videos for artists including Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Eminem, as well as films such as Detention and Bodied, shared his frustration on X following the announcement that BeFri, a Pixar original feature, had been canceled.
Newsweek reached out to Disney Pixar's press office via email for comment.
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BeFri was a planned animated film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and set to be directed by Kristen Lester. According to Disney fan‑run archives, the movie was loosely inspired by Lester’s adolescent experience with a platonic breakup, centering on two girls whose long‑standing friendship is tested.
While the relationship between Birdie and Jules was officially described as platonic, according to Disney Fandom, many observers felt the dynamic resembled that of a young lesbian couple rather than a friendship.
Reacting to the film’s cancellation, Kahn wrote on X: "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."
The director was responding to a reposted Wall Street Journal article that also detailed changes to Pixar’s 2025 film Elio, which reportedly had an LGBTQ+ storyline removed during development. In early versions of the film, the young protagonist presented as queer.
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Kahn summed up his concerns in a follow-up post quoting a Variety piece, writing: "The De‑Gayification of Disney is real."
Pixar’s creative leadership has recently spoken openly about internal pressures facing the studio. Pete Docter, the Oscar‑winning director and Pixar’s chief creative officer, told The Wall Street Journal that, while sequels to established franchises—such as Inside Out 2—have performed strongly, the studio has struggled to produce a breakout original hit since 2017’s Coco.
Docter said that, in 2023, he delivered a blunt message to staff, urging filmmakers to prioritize stories with broad commercial appeal over deeply autobiographical projects. Shortly afterward, BeFri was shelved, despite roughly 50 employees having spent three years working on it.
Elio also reportedly underwent major revisions after test screenings suggested audiences would not pay to see it in theaters. Among the changes was a shift in how the protagonist’s identity was portrayed.
According to The Wall Street Journal, some Pixar employees were disappointed by the decisions, particularly given the studio’s long‑standing reputation for championing LGBTQ+ inclusion, including workplace measures such as gender‑neutral bathrooms.
Elsewhere, Disney+ series Win or Lose also removed references to a character being transgender, further fueling internal concern.
Addressing parental pushback over sensitive themes, Docter told The Wall Street Journal: "We’re making a movie, not hundreds of millions of dollars of therapy."
The debate comes as Pixar finally struck box-office gold with an original movie. Hoppers, which tells the story of an animal lover who transfers her consciousness into a robotic beaver to communicate with wildlife and stop the destruction of their habitat.
The movie debuted at No. 1 in North America, earning around $46 million domestically in its opening weekend and approximately $88 million globally.
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