A Darker Side of Disney:
Gargoyle Demons and R-rated films
By Will Pszonak
If you have not already heard, Walt Disney Pictures is planning on making a live action film starring Chernabog, the demon gargoyle from Fantasia. A release date for the film has not been set, but it will be written and produced by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless.
Chernabog was first seen in the Night on Bald Mountain sequence in the 1940 film Fantasia. The sequence only ran for 11 minutes, but for children that could be 11 minutes of sheer terror. This new film comes as a surprise to many, but it follows several trends we have seen in Disney films the past few years.
Not only did it come as a shock that Disney is working on a stand alone film about such a nefarious character but it has been confirmed it will be a live action adaptation of its predecessor. Given the recent success of films like Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book is should come as no surprise that Disney wants to create more live action films. I have mixed feelings about the live action remakes that have come out so far, but it seems like the popularity of this style of film is not slowing down. A live action remake of The Lion King is in the works, with a tentative release date of July of 2019. Disney announced a Mulan, Little Mermaid and Aladdin remake as well.
Disney has also realized that people love villains and have capitalized on this through merchandise, special park activities, and films like Malificent. Villains have never been my favorite Disney characters, but I am guilty of getting caught up in the villain craze. I collect Disney pins, and have dozens of villain pins, including Chernabog.
Initially I could not imagine how an entire film could be created based on a character who originally appeared for 11 minutes and did not speak. However, in the last decade or so Disney has had a great track record of creating backstories for pre-existing characters and turning them into successful films. The entire Pirates franchise is based on animatronic characters in a ride and has spawned 5 successful films to date. Malificent and Finding Dory both created feature length films based on supporting characters from much loved Disney movies.
Chernabog has had several cameos throughout the years. As an animated character he was featured in the Kingdom Hearts video game and on the House of Mouse television show. He even made a live action cameo on Once Upon a Time, where he lived up to his sinister reputation.
The inherent evil nature of Chernabog raises questions about the films rating. Has Disney ever released an R-rated film before? The answer is complicated. Walt Disney Pictures has never released an R-rated film, but there have been multiple R-rated films released by companies, which Disney owns. Disney currently owns Touchstone Pictures, and for a period of time, owned Miramax. Both Touchstone and Miramax have released R-rated films. If we count films released under different labels, Disney released their first R-rated feature in January of 1986 with Down and Out in Beverly Hills. While it may not seem like Touchstone films are really Disney films, remember that Who Framed Roger Rabbit and The Nightmare Before Christmas were originally released under the Touchstone Pictures banner.
Do I think that there is a possibility the new Chernabog will be rated R? I sincerely doubt it. Walt Disney Studios will more that likely release the film under their own name, and Bog Iger stated that Disney was not interested in releasing R-rated films after they acquired the rights to the Marvel Universe. Disney has become pretty comfortable releasing PG-13 films in the last decade, and I think that is where this new film will end up.
What are your thoughts on the upcoming film?
Let us know in the comments section below.
Will Pszonak is a Disney fanatic! He grew up in New York with his family always vacationing in Disney World. Working at Disney World was a dream of his from a very young age. Not only was he accepted into the Disney College Program but he met his future wife while working for the mouse. They now live in Tennessee with their beautiful baby boy, where Will teaches Environmental Science at the same high school his wife graduated from. Being a school teacher he has the unique opportunity to travel to Disney World with his family frequently. They love every trip “Home”.
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