As Disney continues to walk a fine line between storytelling and suitability, recent changes to Turning Red (2022) for its Disney Channel debut are sparking new conversations about the company’s evolving content standards and how far it will go to meet its audience’s expectations.
The Walt Disney Company has long been under a cultural microscope, particularly in recent years as its slate of projects—ranging from Strange World (2022) to the upcoming Snow White (2025) remake—faced both acclaim and criticism. Some detractors link the studio’s perceived emphasis on diversity and social messaging with inconsistent box office results. CEO Bob Iger addressed the concerns in an April 2024 interview with CNBC, saying, “Infusing messaging is not what we’re up to […] We need to be entertaining.”
That statement followed scrutiny over titles like Turning Red, Lightyear (2022), and Marvel’s The Marvels (2023), all of which faced backlash for including themes critics claim strayed from traditional family fare.
But not all has faltered commercially. In fact, Disney saw three massive wins in 2024: Pixar’s Inside Out 2, Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine, and Moana 2, all surpassing the billion-dollar mark. Early discussion around Inside Out 2 suggested it might tackle teen identity more directly, especially following the precedent set by Turning Red. Though the final film leaned into emotional storytelling rather than exploring puberty overtly, concept art teased a potential “Puberty Park” setting that was ultimately left out.
The original Turning Red, directed by Oscar-winner Domee Shi, made headlines for its unfiltered look at adolescence through the lens of 13-year-old Mei Lee, a Chinese-Canadian teen navigating the emotional turbulence of puberty and family dynamics, represented literally by her transformation into a giant red panda. The movie included a polarizing scene, where Mei’s mother believes her daughter is experiencing her first menstruation and presents her with a variety of period products.
Now, over three years later, its television broadcast has brought renewed attention—not for its story, but for the edits made to make it “safer” for younger viewers on Disney Channel.
The changes are subtle but significant. One scene originally featured Mei’s mother Ming saying, “This is what happens when you don’t wear sunblock and do drugs all day.” For broadcast, the word “drugs” was swapped with “things.” Mei’s shout of “Oh, crap!” was also removed entirely. A classroom line where Mei proudly calls her presentation “the bomb dot com” was shortened to “bomb.” Meanwhile, Abby’s enthusiastic description of boy band 4*Town’s music as “stripper music” was toned down to “strong music.”
These edits reflect Disney Channel’s focus on kids aged 2–14 and its efforts to maintain content that’s consistent with its more traditional, family-oriented brand. The company has made similar adjustments in the past when re-airing theatrical films on its cable networks or Disney Junior.
Still, these modifications have stirred online debate. While some parents welcome the more cautious approach, others argue the changes dilute the very authenticity that made Turning Red resonate with so many. A recent post compiling all the edits quickly gained traction on X (formerly Twitter), reigniting the conversation.
For viewers who prefer the original version, Turning Red remains available unedited on Disney+, featuring voice performances by Rosalie Chiang as Mei and Sandra Oh as Ming. Ava Morse, Hyein Park, and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan round out Mei’s friend group as Miriam, Abby, and Priya. Written by Shi with Julia Cho and Sarah Streicher, and produced by Lindsey Collins, Turning Red also marked a historic milestone for Pixar as the studio’s first feature directed solely by a woman and led by an all-female creative team.
Whether Disney’s changes were necessary or excessive will likely remain a point of contention, especially as more films straddle the line between personal storytelling and mass-market accessibility.
How do you feel about this level of censorship for TV audiences? Let us know in the comments down below!
