Has anyone noticed that Disney doesn't have any movies that cater to little black girls?

Question

No black princes, princesses or kings or queens..............Has this ever crossed anyone else's mind?.....What do you think the reason for this is?

I do NOT watch B.E.T. or support any programs or associations like such.For simular reasons.

Answer 1

I've said that for years. The only Black characters I've seen are the muses in Hercules, and other minor characters in Lilo & Stitch and Atlantis. I work for Disney and many Disney executives bring up The Lion King. Basically, any feature length animated film dealing with Africa features animals--case in point, Tarzan. Although Princess Jasmine in the closest we've gotten, there's something out there that Black children can relate to besides The Proud Family. The truth of the matter is that Disney is in the business of making money, so from a demographic stand point, we only make up 15% of the US population. Although I wish they would feature more Black characters, we're known as a risk. They lost some money with Brother Bear which feature the Eskimos, so who knows what they figure will happen if Blacks are suddenly represented.

Lastly, some Disney reps. have argued that there aren't any known Black fairy tales that they could make into a movie. You and I both know that that is a lie! There are PLENTY! What they know about our stories deal with slave trickster tales (Brier Rabbit & Brier Bear, etc.) which they've used on the attraction Splash Mountain and the one film that they took off the market years ago. Again, animals come into play. They know nothing of the Black tales that take place in Africa and other continents, nor do they care to. I like Disney but that's one of the things I wish I could change. I do commend them for the Polly (thanks to Debbie Allen).

Answer 2

Because Disney sucks. The best movie they could muster even remotely related to black people was the Lion King and it starred a bunch of animals. Of course there aren't many super popular African fairy tales out there that they can exploit is there.

Also, think about it. I'm sure there is a market out there for such a film, but why would a company take a risk on something that might not work. In the end Disney is a mega corporation and mega corporations are designed to accumulate massive amounts of wealth on the surest way possible. The only way a film catered to black female youth could be made is if a young black woman would stop being brain washed by the so ecumenical Hip hop/ghetto mentality and found her own animation company and make her own movies starring black people with black stories.

Power to the People!

And for all that are getting offended I'm jesting though there is truth in my words.

Answer 3

Shrek is not a Disney movie, it's actually Dreamworks. I think they do this to see if people are paying attention but I don't think it happened when Walt Disney was still alive since he did fire someone for implying or making a joke out of making a **** movie. Do you think maybe this is propanga where people will buy the tapes to see if this is true? I've never actually tried to find these things and probably never will because I hold Disney close to heart.

Answer 4

Not really. I really don't think that it has anything to do with skin color though. Most Disney movies are based on fairy tales that have been around for a very long time. For instance, Cinderella was based in France,in the mid teen centuries, and there weren't many black people walking around France at that time.There were movies made with ethnicities other than White. Aladdin and Pocahontas to name two.So i don't think it is race issue. Also keep in mind that demographics come into play.The fact is that whites make up about 60% of the population, and if they made a movie that catered to little black girls , then the fear would be only the black girls would pay to see it which would be less than 20% of the population(last I read) and Disney movies are far too expensive to produce to only have less than 20% of the population go see it, and that isn't even accounting for the Black people who don't want to see it because 20% accounts for the black population as a whole not just little black girls. So in their mind the movie would be a flop. I think it is sad that they don't try to vary their characters a little more.What if Sleeping Beauty was not that pretty? Or Ariel was fat? Or Cinderella was black? It would be more realistic but would it make more money? That is always the bottom line I'm afraid. You pose a good question though.................................to wrtch, In the Disney movie it was based in France. That is the version I was speaking of. The story of Cinderella had been retold and altered so many times that its point of origin is no longer all that important,because this was the case long before Disney made Cinderella into a movie. Race comes into play only because of demographics. Disney as a company doesn't hate black people and it is not a question of Racism. I think to suggest otherwise is pretty narcisstic. That may not be what be what you are suggesting, but that it is the way it comes across

Answer 5

Besides Cinderella, Disney has produced at least one other TV movie about a little black girl:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138068/
Disney's Ruby Bridges (1998) -The true story of Ruby Bridges, an African-American girl who, in 1960 at age 6, helped to integrate the all-white schools of New Orleans.

Certainly not enough though. But, I don't think that Disney cares too much about social issues.

I think the bottom line for a film company and icon like Disney is always the money. If there is money to be made for such a film, than they will make it.

It's an untapped market, just waiting for the right company to come along.

(Books are better . . . ) ;-)

Answer 6

You know that an African American based film wouldn't make as much money as Disney is used to so they won't enter that market. But Disney Studios did make The Three Musketeers Movie which is written by a brother and the characters are supposed to be brothers but you know how that is. Just as I said, it's about the money. But who knows someday it could happen.

Answer 7

that never crossed my mind... I think they should have Disney movies who cater to little black girls....

Answer 8

Well yeah, but they did do a remake of Roger's and Hammerstein's Cinderella production with Brandy as Cinderella and Whitney Houston as her godmother. I prefer that version. In general you could argue that Disney doesn't cater to a lot of people: boys, people who aren't royalty, women without fins, non-anorexic and half-clothed women.

Answer 9

hey don"t forget "THAT'S SO RAVEN". Well she is a black and that show is the biggest hit of Disney Channel
and what about High School Musical. it also had a black.

Answer 10

Two Words: Cheetah Girls!!