Disney Princesses Got a Makeover

[Disney's Divinity]

I'm glad they're able to interact, too--and that they look the way they do in the films at that~! That portends good things for Kingdom Hearts having more openness with the Disney properties, too, after Disney (under Lasseter) was so strict with KH like they'd never been before when 3 was made. I love Ariel being such a hugger with everyone. I actually would think Rapunzel would be more like that than Ariel though.

Interesting, blackcauldron85. I suppose Tiana has more products because of Tiana and the Splash Mountain makeover both coming up--either way, I'm glad. Anyway, the way Jasmine has only gone upupup and Mulan has only gone downdowndown since those films' respective remakes is why I think them being unfaithful and especially bad (as with Mulan) is detrimental to the original properties. People aren't looking for the world with those films, just a serving of nostalgia via a close retelling. Personally, I loved Jasmine in the remake whereas I was never crazy about her in the original film (she was okay in the series though), so I'm not surprised to see that having an effect on how popular she is. "Speechless" is a great song, too--I like "These Palace Walls," too.

[MaQu]

Raya Official Disney Princess Clip Art

https://shop.mattel.com/products/disney ... doll-hlx22

[singerguy04]

So, this might be sort of silly and only a problem with me, but I'm conflicted about Raya being official.

There's part of me that's glad she's included. I also think some others should be officially included. I like that she's outside of the "normal", but at the same time that's why I find her an odd inclusion. For instance, she doesn't have the large sparkly gown. I mean, she does have a blue ceremonial outfit they could use, but otherwise can you really imagine her on merch next to Cinderella? They keep using the image in her earth-tone outfit.

Perhaps her inclusion will leave the door open to put her on merch with a character like Pocahontas, which is often excluded, I assume, because of the same issue. It's weird how they add glitter to her leather/animal hide outfit, like that makes her "prettier". I guess we can look forward to a doll with this brown outfit with glitter added to the hems.

On another train of thought, I have wondered if her inclusion means Pocahontas's even further exclusion. I think nostalgia is what drives the character's popularity, but as resentment for the film grows and the general negative feeling of how the film represents history I wonder if it hasn't crossed Disney's mind to cut the character from the line all together.

[Thumper_93]

Pocahontas is included in lot of merchandise. Years ago she doesn't use to appear in much merchandise but right now she does and that’s a good sign.
I think that Disney has included Raya because they want to earn much money as they can. The movie was not success so this is the only way to earn some money with this character.

[carolinakid]

Funny how things change....28 years ago Disney tried oh so hard to be politically correct when it made Pocahontas... and now the film is almost universally reviled by the “woke” crowd of naysayers.

Thank goodness I never listen to “wokesters’” opinions.

Has Disney put a “warning” yet on this film on Disney+?

[Thumper_93]

I'm from Spain and there is not a warning message in the movie. However I don't see why this movie is so controvertial. I think that the native american people are represented as a respectful people with a great love of nature. Pocahontas is not a bad character after all and I think that Disney realised that it is a big part of the Disney princess chain. It is a character that fights against racism, a woman that loves nature and that is fighting all the time for the peace between her people and the colonists. Mulan and Aladdin were also controvertial movies and it doesn't mean that Jasmine and Mulan are going to be removed from the franchise...

[MaQu]

There's part of me that's glad she's included. I also think some others should be officially included. I like that she's outside of the "normal", but at the same time that's why I find her an odd inclusion. For instance, she doesn't have the large sparkly gown. I mean, she does have a blue ceremonial outfit they could use, but otherwise can you really imagine her on merch next to Cinderella? They keep using the image in her earth-tone outfit.

Well, personally, I don’t think she needs a large, sparkly gown to fit. Before the redesigns in 2013, Jasmine and Pocahontas wore simple outfits, and I never thought they look out of place next to Cinderella or Belle. Also, to give Disney credit where credit’s due, the Princess line-up really started to do much better on the front of how heroines are drawn. Even before Ultimate Princess Celebration, they kept sparkles to a minimum, and now they even got their original designs back.

Pocahontas is included in lot of merchandise. Years ago she doesn't use to appear in much merchandise but right now she does and that’s a good sign.

That’s right. I collect princesses’ pictures, so I buy a lot of related magazines, books, activity packs etc. It is normal nowadays to expect Mulan or Pocahontas inside of those. Another great thing is, they don’t cling to princesses’ formal wear. For example, Aurora is usually depicted in her forest dress, and Cinderella in her brown outfit from “Cinderella III”.

However I don't see why this movie is so controvertial. I think that the native american people are represented as a respectful people with a great love of nature. Pocahontas is not a bad character after all and I think that Disney realised that it is a big part of the Disney princess chain. It is a character that fights against racism, a woman that loves nature and that is fighting all the time for the peace between her people and the colonists.

I’ve never had any problems with Pocahontas’ movie or character. Obviously, I understand people are mad it changed the story of the real person so much. But Anastasia or Elisabeth of Bavaria are frequently being treated the same in many children’s programs and people don’t bat an eye. While Disney’s story may be different, I think Native American people are represented with great care and respect. Fictional Pocahontas, like you said, is an amazing role model.

Mulan and Aladdin were also controvertial movies and it doesn't mean that Jasmine and Mulan are going to be removed from the franchise...

I don’t think any of the current 12 princesses, from Snow White to Moana, need to fear ever being removed from the franchise, especially after they featured all of them in Ralph Breaks the Internet. Future heroines may end up not being added, but the current line-up seems safe.

[carolinakid]

I agree about the removal. My boyfriend and I merely by coincidence happened to be at the Magic Kingdom when Merida received her “coronation” into the Princess line in front of Cinderella Castle. It was a delight to see the other Princesses welcome her into the “sisterhood”!
I can’t believe after all the hoopla and ceremony (and merchandise sold) an already crowned Princess would be “canceled”. But who really knows for sure since Disney has fully embraced and pledged commitment to “wokeness” .

[Disney's Divinity]

Pocahontas wouldn't be the first removed even if she was. Megara, Esmeralda, Jane Porter, and Alice among others have all appeared on Disney Princess-related merchandise at different times the past 25 years. Removal from a merchandise line isn't "cancellation."

[singerguy04]

The franchise is just that, a franchise. They can do with it whatever they want, with who they include or not. Elena is included, but as we are pressing forward she's being less and less spotlighted. I'm just suggesting that they can change it, and we don't really have control over that.

I'm also not coming from a place that dislikes Pocahontas. In fact, I'd rank it in my personal top 10 of Animated Classics. I think it's a beautiful movie with stunning music, and a tragic story that tells people that sometimes you can't have it all. I'm just saying that despite how I personally feel, and how you may personally feel, the movie is flawed. It's supposed to be based "on a American true story" and it simply is not. The story is based on John Smith's tale he told of his adventures in the New World (just tons a red flags there, when has the white-english man's version of history been incredibly accurate). In reality, she was barely a teenager and not even named Pocahontas, her real name was Amonute. Pocahontas was a nick name. There was no romance between them, and moving on towards the sequel, she does marry John Rolfe but it is up for debate whether that was by choice because she was a captive at the time. She died in England after traveling there with John and to this day her remains are in England and the English crown refuses to let her people take her remains back after they've been requested repeatedly. Her life was tragic, and it's a disservice to the challenges she faced to simplify it all to a fairy tale, and to further more profit off the person.

That's not to say that she wasn't an honorable person, both the animated and the real person should be looked up to. But she is the only "princess" based on a real person and I'm assuming she'll also stay the only one. All I'm trying to say is that in the current state of the culture wars, I wouldn't be surprised if she's taken away from this franchise. She probably would still be celebrated separately, but poking a bear is simply not a good business strategy.

The comparisons to a character like Anastasia are somewhat reasonable. Anastasia was depicted incorrectly as well, but the basis of that story was more about the mystery of her death because at the time her remains were still not found. That led to a lot of speculation that she survived. Somewhat recently though, her remains were discovered to be with her family's. So she was executed with the rest. The Romanov remains were exhumed and given a proper burial after being discovered in a unmarked grave. The film was also not made by Disney (at the time), so she's not included in this franchise to begin with. I'm talking more about Pocahontas's inclusion in the princess franchise that the film in general.

[Sotiris]

Raya Official Disney Princess Clip Art

The clip art is not very good. It looks very amateurish and too obvious it's a CG image that was painted over. They really dropped the ball with Raya. 2D clip art of other CG princesses looks much better than that.

I think that Disney has included Raya because they want to earn much money as they can. The movie was not success so this is the only way to earn some money with this character.

That's right, which makes me wonder whether Mirabel will be added or not. Encanto is doing gangbusters on streaming, and more importantly, its merch seems to be selling quite well. If this keeps up, Disney might turn Encanto into its own consumer product line like they did with Frozen.

Funny how things change....28 years ago Disney tried oh so hard to be politically correct when it made Pocahontas... and now the film is almost universally reviled by the “woke” crowd of naysayers.

Even very recent films like Moana and Raya have been branded as "problematic" by that crowd. They are never satisfied with anything.

Obviously, I understand people are mad it changed the story of the real person so much. But Anastasia or Elisabeth of Bavaria are frequently being treated the same in many children’s programs and people don’t bat an eye.

The reason for that is simple. It's because Anastasia and Sissi are white. They can't be used by faux activists and other opportunists for their outrage machine. The controversy over Pocahontas has nothing to do with the principle of portraying accurately the life stories of historical people.

While Disney’s story may be different, I think Native American people are represented with great care and respect. Fictional Pocahontas, like you said, is an amazing role model.

Agreed. Pocahontas is one of my favorite Disney movies.

I don’t think any of the current 12 princesses, from Snow White to Moana, need to fear ever being removed from the franchise, especially after they featured all of them in Ralph Breaks the Internet. Future heroines may end up not being added, but the current line-up seems safe.

There's no way Disney would ever officially remove any of the current members of the line-up. It would cause too much backlash. The only thing they could do is make less merch for some characters or include them less frequently in group art.

Pocahontas wouldn't be the first removed even if she was. Megara, Esmeralda, Jane Porter, and Alice among others have all appeared on Disney Princess-related merchandise at different times the past 25 years.

That happened during the early days of the franchise, before the line-up was solidified. After Tiana's induction, the line-up became set in stone.

Elena is included, but as we are pressing forward she's being less and less spotlighted.

Elena was never officially included. She was used in some Disney Princess TV spots when her show was airing to promote it, but she was never included on the Disney Princess website, she was never included in group art with the other princesses, and she had no merchandise under the Disney Princess label.

[Disney's Divinity]

That happened during the early days of the franchise, before the line-up was solidified. After Tiana's induction, the line-up became set in stone.

Eh... I don't know if I agree that it was set in stone, so much as they had no reason to change anything at that particular time. The rate they've been adding characters non-stop these days was eventually going to necessitate cutting characters some time soon, whereas that wasn't really a problem back in 2009. No way was a TV character like Elena going to be in the line forever, for example.

[Farerb]

Disney released a new song:
https://youtu.be/zsN8eYnrY7c?si=zYxVz2E4loXhQ6ef

It's terrible.

[Thumper_93]

Disney released a new song:
https://youtu.be/zsN8eYnrY7c?si=zYxVz2E4loXhQ6ef

It's terrible.

How to break all the Disney Princesses magic in less than 3 minutes.
I don't understand Disney's necessity of making all the princesses look like warrior women

[Farerb]

For anyone who's interested, here are the previous Disney Princesses songs, which one is your favorite and which one is your least favorite?

If You Can Dream:
https://youtu.be/wtXNNAs9u0M?si=SLSrC2Pt1HzRwS9J

The Glow:
https://youtu.be/FDUwls5lbf4?si=3C24IMgJGuLqjwI9

Live Your Story:
https://youtu.be/HWXqaay4tIc?si=8mSUBlJoK0oCQ1Ct

Starting Now:
https://youtu.be/Dv0BAsOB008?si=DKeo9F1NJjPDWoBQ

[The Disneynerd]

For anyone who's interested, here are the previous Disney Princesses songs, which one is your favorite and which one is your least favorite?

Cool topic Idea Farerb!
Back then I was always obesessed with Live Your Story and I always imagined Moana singing this to Maui lol. so
1. Live Your Story- such a beautiful melody and good message
2.If you can dream- I love the classic production and that the princesses sing it, but its not as memorable as LYS
3. Starting now- I really like the melody and Brandys voice but the production sounds so soulless
4. The Glow- The song is a bit unmemorable

[Farerb]

Cool topic Idea Farerb!
Back then I was always obesessed with Live Your Story and I always imagined Moana singing this to Maui lol. so
1. Live Your Story- such a beautiful melody and good message
2.If you can dream- I love the classic production and that the princesses sing it, but its not as memorable as LYS
3. Starting now- I really like the melody and Brandys voice but the production sounds so soulless
4. The Glow- The song is a bit unmemorable

And what about the new song?

[Vlad]

For me, If You Can Dream remains the best, followed very closely by The Glow. A user on YouTube has made a remastered version, using Blu-ray footage as in the original music video. He did a great job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpTf6uzDVvk

[PatchofBlue]

I think "If You Can Dream" is the only one I'd heard before. That one gets a lot of respect from me for rounding up all of the available voice actresses. I would kill for Disney to do something like this again now that the number of princesses has doubled. I also really like "Glow."

The new one, "Like a Princess," is the only song I don't like. The tone, the clunky lyrics, I just wasn't here for it.

[carolinakid]

More girl boss nonsense...
No thanks.
I prefer beauty, romance, magic, kindness and spunk in my princesses. Add a fabulous villain and a handsome, heroic prince and I’m happy.