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Disney Confirms ‘Lightyear’ Will NOT Stream on One Disney+ Platform

On June 17, Disney and Pixar released their newest film, Lightyear, exclusively in theaters. The film starred Chris Evans as the voice of the titular Space Ranger, Buzz Lightyear. According to Disney/Pixar, Lightyear told the story of Buzz Lightyear, who was the inspiration for Andy’s favorite toy. The movie generated a lot of controversy before it was released — from people who did not like the fact that Tim Allen was not the voice of Buzz Lightyear to those who did not like the fact that the film showed a same-sex kiss.

Lightyear
Credit: Pixar

According to sources, Disney was worried that people would take issue with the same-sex couple, Izzy and Alicia Hawthorne — who were voiced by Keke Palmer and Uzo Aduba, respectively — so they cut out the kiss shared by the couple. However, they later decided to put the kiss back into the final cut. That addition led to the film being banned throughout countries in the Middle East, like Saudi Arabia.

Lightyear
Credit: Disney/Pixar

Lightyear hit Disney’s US streaming platform, Disney+, on August 3 and people are loving the fact that they can now watch the exciting movie from the comfort of their own house. However, those who live in the Middle East will be so lucky. According to an exclusive report by Esquire Middle East, Disney has announced that they will follow the censorship guidelines of the region and will stream neither Lightyear nor Disney’s new series Baymax — which had an episode that featured a transgender man.

Baymax Series
Credit: Disney

According to Esquire Middle East:

Lightyear, the latest from Disney and Pixar starring Chris Evans as the iconic space traveller first introduced in 1995’s Toy Story, will not be released on Disney+ Middle East, the standalone MENA streaming service that launched at the beginning of June.

Moving forward, Disney+ content will align with local regulatory requirements, and the platform will apparently tailor its content to avoid regional sensitivities, based on a statement made to William Mullally for Esquire Middle East.

It can be deduced from these moves that Disney+ Middle East content strategy will align with UAE cinema content standards, which do not permit culturally sensitive content for children’s release, but release culturally sensitive content for older audiences with a clear age rating.

Parents or those who wish to limit adult-focused content from the platform can do so using parental filters that are easily available on Disney+ Middle East, while also knowing that kid-focused content requires no such filters as it has already been filtered to fit local content standards.

“Content offerings differ across our many Disney+ markets, based upon a number of factors. Content available should align with local regulatory requirements,” Disney told William Mullally for Esquire Middle East in a statement.

Lightyear
Credit: Disney/Pixar

The magazine also shared that Disney used to edit its content — like Marvel’s Eternals, where they cut out public displays of affection — but the company has now decided not to edit the films. They will now cease showing them in countries where content must be restricted. It should be noted that films aimed at an older audience, like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, will air on the streamer.

Krysten Swensen

A born and bred New England girl living the Disney life in Southern California. I love to read, to watch The Golden Girls, and love everything to do with Disney and Universal. I also love to share daily doses of Disney on my Disney Instagram @BrazzleDazzleDisney!

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