10 Recent Disney Decisions That Sparked HUGE Controversy

10 Most Controversial Recent Disney Decisions

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at Disney’s most baffling and contentious decisions of recent years, artistic and otherwise. Minor spoilers to come!

Jimmy Kimmel’s Suspension

“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (2003-)

Now, this was really unexpected. In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Jimmy Kimmel made a tame joke about President Trump’s lack of true mourning for his supposed friend. As a result, FCC chairman Brendan Carr made threatening remarks to the Disney-owned ABC to punish Kimmel. ABC then announced Jimmy Kimmel’s show would be suspended indefinitely. The result was a wave of public outrage and boycotting of Disney properties, including Disney+ and Hulu. ABC quickly rescinded the suspension, and Kimmel was back on the air. Jimmy Kimmel’s first monologue from his suspension was watched by millions of people, proving that censorship will always backfire on you.

Lack of Marketing

“Strange World” (2022)

Disney has long been criticized for its endless remakes at the expense of creating original films. The adventure film “Strange World,” about a group of explorers, should have been a welcome change from Disney’s uninspiring lineup. We say “should” because most people didn’t even know it existed. Despite good critical reviews, the film was a box office bomb due to low attendance. The bare-bones marketing, with just a couple of trailers and featurettes, was undoubtedly part of the problem. “Strange World” performed better on streaming, suggesting that it could’ve done well at the box office if Disney had gotten the word out. It’s a strange world after all.

Shutting Down Blue Sky Studios

This computer animation studio was responsible for “Ice Age” and “Rio,” among other hits. As a subsidiary of 20th Century Animation, it was part of the package when Disney bought 21st Century Fox. Naturally, Disney breathed new life into the studio with its typically Disney magic… just kidding. On the contrary, it shut down the studio just two years later, citing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also cancelled all future projects, including a film adaptation of the popular web comic “Nimona,” which would find a home elsewhere. It’s a slimy move on Disney’s part. But at least Scrat finally got to eat his acorn.

Closing “Muppet*Vision 3D” (1991-2025)

In late 2024, Disney announced the permanent closure of the attraction “Muppet*Vision 3D” to make way for the “Monsters, Inc.” themed area. A very popular attraction among theme park aficionados, “Muppet*Vision 3D” was also one of the last projects Jim Henson was involved in before he passed away. Disney did say they were going to film and preserve the show before it closed for good. Still, the announcement was heavily criticized by heartbroken “Muppet” fans. We hope the “Monsters, Inc.” attraction would be worth it, but it’s clear the Muppets’ popularity still endures.

Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen

“Snow White” (2025)

Disney’s bad decisions, alas, extend to its original raison d’être. This remake of their game-changing classic, the first cel-animated feature-length film, has been plagued with controversy from the start. The move to replace actors with CGI dwarves (who are never actually called dwarves) was particularly a doozy. Perhaps the most controversial announcement was the casting of Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. Gadot’s stilted acting, bad line reading, and her past service in the infamous IDF drew criticism from all sides. “Snow White” was a box office bomb, receiving very mixed reviews at best. One unanimous criticism, however? Gadot’s performance. Disney should just not have gone there.

Using Generative A.I. & VFX Techniques

“Secret Invasion” (2023)

This move was particularly galling, considering Disney sued AI company Midjourney in 2025 for generating images of Disney-owned characters. The House of Mouse is not above cutting corners itself, especially in the wake of the writer’s strike. Disney used AI for the opening sequence of their miniseries, “Secret Invasion,” part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney and Marvel also scanned images of background actors for use in AI, without those actors’ permission and without payment. Then there is the ickiness of Disney using the late James Earl Jones’ voice for use in future projects through generative AI. This is low for Disney.

Disney+ Releases & Charging Extra for “Premier Access”

The COVID-19 pandemic hit all of us hard. Disney, for its part, was determined to make it even harder. During this time, the company offered certain movies still in theaters to watch on its platform for an extra fee, along with a regular subscription. This was a whopping $29.99 in the U.S. The first movie to join Premier Access was the live-action “Mulan,” followed by “Raya and the Last Dragon,” “Cruella,” and “Black Widow.” For releasing the latter on streaming, actress Scarlett Johansson sued Disney for breach of contract in not having an exclusive theatrical release. Disney has always been noted for its greed, but this is something else.

Firing James Gunn

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (2023)

A lot of ado about tweets. In 2018, conservative commentators began circulating old offensive tweets made by director James Gunn after Gunn publicly criticized Trump. In response, Disney fired him as the director for the upcoming “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” Gunn expressed his contrition over his posts, and his firing led to an outpouring of support from directors, actors, journalists, and artists alike. He was then hired, however, as director for Warner Bros. “The Suicide Squad.” In 2019, Gunn was reinstated as director, and the third “Guardians” finally released in 2023. Gunn moved from Marvel to DC, however. What a mess.

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser’s Poor Experience for High Prices

Quick: What do you imagine when you hear the words “Star Wars hotel?” Chances are, your imagination was better than this real-life incarnation, a disappointment for many fans. Disney merged role-playing with the luxury resort experience in creating Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, officially opening in 2022. This starship-shaped hotel promised an immersive experience, including lightsaber duels, secret missions, and full costumes. What some got were app glitches, one storyline, and tiny windowless rooms that cost $4,800 for two people. After two years, Disney closed the hotel for good and was already planning to convert the building to a second office space for their theme park projects in early 2025. Some things are better off left to the imagination.

Filming in Xinjiang

“Mulan” (2020)

Criticism of this live-action remake has been rife. By far the worst, however, has been against Disney filming some scenes in the Xinjiang region of China. There, the Chinese government held native Uyghurs and other Muslims in forced labor internment camps, claiming the policy as part of its counter-terrorism strategy in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. The government has turned the region into a police state, including bans on headscarves, beards, burqas, religious fasting, and prayer. In response to intense criticism and subsequent boycotts, Disney claimed it was “standard practice” to acknowledge the cooperation of various entities. Bending the knee to tyrants, it seems, is now Disney’s reflex.

Which other decision from Disney do you know caused a storm of controversy? Let us know in the comments down below!