The streaming platform Disney+ is expanding its mature content library, with one advocacy organization reporting that parents can expect more than a 2,200% increase in R-rated movies and more than an 840% increase in TV-MA-rated shows available on the platform.
Disney’s streaming platform is adding new shows and movies as part of an integration with Hulu, with the change scheduled for February.
On Thursday, the conservative advocacy group Concerned Women for America reported that Disney+ will increase the number of R-rated movies available for streaming from 19 to over 439. The number of shows with a TV-MA rating — meaning that the content is intended for mature audiences — on Disney+ will go from 45 to 425.
One of Hulu’s shows that Disney+ has brought over is the NC-17-rated film, “Blue is the Warmest Color,” a 2013 erotic romance movie that focuses on the relationship between two women. NC-17 is the strictest rating in the Motion Picture Association film rating system, and it’s typically reserved for movies that contain explicit sex, excessive violence or other graphic scenes deemed suitable only for adults.
CWA President and CEO Penny Nance contends that the streaming platform, which many families consider family-friendly, is making it harder for parents to protect their children from age-inappropriate content.
“All of this represents a startling direction for a brand that was once synonymous with wholesome family entertainment. Disney assured parents in 2019 that they wouldn’t allow content higher than a PG-13 on its streaming platform. So this is a betrayal of trust for the parents who built their household media habits around Disney’s ‘family friendly only’ promise,” Nance stated.
Disney Branded Television did not immediately respond to The Christian Post’s request for comment.
The Walt Disney Company made progress last month toward bringing Hulu content to the Disney+ platform, with the goal of fully integrating its streaming platforms, Hulu and Disney+, this year, The Los Angeles Times reports. The merging of the platforms was announced last summer. Disney had yet to fully integrate Hulu despite acquiring a controlling stake in the platform in 2019. Hulu subscribers can still watch Hulu-branded shows, but Disney is hoping to persuade users to upgrade to “a Disney bundle.”
“We urge Disney to find other ways to protect children from R and MA-rated content. They could offer a less expensive family-friendly tier and put the adult content on a different tier so that it’s less likely that children will stumble across inappropriate content,” Nance continued in the statement provided to CP.
Disney+ has faced criticism in the past for some of the content available on the platform. Last April, several users complained that the Disney+ landing page advertised the show “Dying for Sex.” The series is about a woman who has terminal cancer exploring her sexual desires, and it is rated TV-MA for graphic nudity and sex scenes.
“Disney should also ensure that the most restrictive parental controls are on by default, and if left on while logged in under an adult profile, it should automatically revert to the most restricted profile. And if Disney can’t add common sense protections, we strongly urge families to find safer streaming alternatives,” the CWA president added.
Last month, CWA released a report about the content in children’s shows available on the streaming platform Netflix. The report, “LGBTQ Messaging Pervasive In Netflix Children’s Programming,” compiled references to LGBT-related messages and storylines across 326 Netflix shows aimed at children.
According to the conservative group’s report, at least 41% of G-rated series and 41% of TV-Y7-rated series on Netflix feature LGBT content, including trans-identifying characters and same-sex couples.
Across all age categories, 33% of youth-related Netflix series contained LGBT themes, storylines or characters. Forty-one percent of G-rated series featured LGBT content, of which only 4% fell into the implied category. According to the report, LGBT content in G-rated series was “roughly evenly split” between explicit (18%) and meta (19%).
As for TV-Y7 programming, the LGBT content was largely explicit (24%), the study reported. While researchers found that TV-Y programming had the lowest ratio of LGBT content, 21% of shows aimed at young children featured such messaging.
“Netflix’s anti-child, anti-family agenda has finally been exposed — its children’s programming has been infiltrated by adult preoccupations with sexual preferences and gender identity,” Nance said in a statement at the time.
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
