director John Musker has suggested that the Walt Disney Company undergo some “course correction” in its film production, advising the company to focus on stories and characters before a film’s message.did not start out with a message, and instead began production by brainstorming the characters of the film and the world they inhabit.
“You don’t have to exclude agendas, but you have to first create characters who you sympathize with and who are compelling,” Musker said. “I think they need to do a course correction a bit in terms of putting the message secondary, behind entertainment and compelling story and engaging characters.” Ron Clements, from left, Osnat Shurer, and John Musker arrive at the 2016 AFI Fest – “Moana” World Premiere at El Capitan Theatre on Monday, Nov. 14, 2016, in Los Angeles.
Musker also criticized Disney, as well as other companies, for taking older films and reselling them to audiences “in a different form,” referencing the live-action remakes of various Disney movies. One element of these remakes that Musker criticized is translating the various animated animals to live action, arguing that animals at a zoo “have more expression” than the computer-generated animals in remakes such as 2023’s.