There’s been a steady murmur online—and it’s getting louder: Disney could finally be stepping away from the “woke” playbook that’s defined so many of its recent projects. The signs are stacking up while the company hasn’t made an official announcement.
One of the clearest? A recent settlement with a former Star Wars star that many fans never expected to happen.
From big-screen controversies to one of the most politically loaded lawsuits in Disney’s history, the pieces are falling into place. And many fans think this could be the start of something new.
A Long List of Polarizing Choices
In the past few years, Disney has made plenty of content decisions that landed amid heated cultural debates. Agatha All Along (2024) embraced LGBTQ+ themes, weaving openly queer characters into its storyline. Snow White (2025) reworked its original fairy-tale roots into a modern message-heavy tale, sparking traditionalist criticism.
The Acolyte brought a similar conversation into the Star Wars galaxy. While some praised its diverse cast and feminist undertones, others felt it sidelined the adventurous, epic tone fans had come to expect.
Animation didn’t escape the trend either—Strange World (2022) centered around a gay romance, and Lightyear (2022) included a same-sex kiss that became a central talking point.
To critics, this was less about crafting timeless stories and more about making social statements. That shift didn’t sit well with a significant portion of Disney’s audience.
Gina Carano’s Battle with Disney
A few situations embodied the clash between Disney and its critics, such as Gina Carano’s firing from The Mandalorian in 2021. Her social media posts—on politics, pronouns, and more—were deemed unacceptable by Disney and Lucasfilm.
Carano pushed back, filing a wrongful termination and sex discrimination lawsuit in 2024. She claimed she’d been punished for her conservative views while others with opposing political stances faced no action. The case was shaping to be high-profile, with plans to call figures like Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy to testify.
The Settlement No One Saw Coming
In August 2025, the fight ended quietly. Disney and Carano reached a confidential settlement before the trial began. Carano called it “the best outcome for all parties involved,” while Lucasfilm surprised fans with this statement:
“With this lawsuit concluded, we look forward to identifying opportunities to work together with Ms. Carano in the near future.”
After years of distance, Disney suddenly kept the door open for her return. That alone signaled a shift.
A New Era of Storytelling?
Paired with recent releases, the Carano settlement suggests Disney could return to story-first projects. The live-action Lilo & Stitch (2025) was a faithful, heartwarming retelling that didn’t try to reinvent the original with unnecessary political messaging. Inside Out 2 (2024) showed that a character-driven film could thrive without sparking cultural battles.
Rumors from inside Star Wars point to a similar move—away from overt ideological framing and back toward classic, crowd-pleasing adventures. For many fans, that’s a very welcome direction.
Why Fans Are Hopeful
The “woke” era fractured Disney’s audience like nothing else in recent decades. While diversity in stories can be powerful, critics argue that it has become a distraction when forced into every narrative.
By settling with Carano and hinting at future collaboration, Disney may be signaling a willingness to reunite its fractured fanbase. If that holds true, the happiest ending could be yet to come.
