Does Disney have a pattern of 'poisoned apples'?
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
From Snow White to Tangled, the House of Mouse keeps stepping into the same storm.
As Disney tries to move on from the box office disappointment of 2025’s Snow White, it finds itself once again at the center of a familiar controversy. The newly announced live-action Tangled cast has sparked fresh boycott calls, reinforcing a growing claim among online activists that this is no coincidence but a pattern.
Critics argue Disney’s casting choices increasingly blur the line between entertainment and politics. The accusation is simple and sharp. By repeatedly casting actors perceived as publicly supportive of 'Israel', the studio is accused of turning fairy tales into what activists mockingly call “normalization with a soundtrack.”
The flashpoints fans keep circling
The current backlash revolves around two projects that, coincidentally or not, share the same outcome: outrage before the opening weekend.
Read more: Fans call for boycott of Tangled remake over 'Israel'
Gal Gadot’s casting as the Evil Queen in Snow White became a lightning rod due to her past military background and outspoken support for 'Israel'. Despite Disney’s attempts to balance the narrative, including co-stars with opposing views, the film struggled commercially and carried controversy through its entire press cycle.
Now, Tangled appears to be following the same script. Milo Manheim’s casting as Flynn Rider reignited anger after users resurfaced his social media posts expressing solidarity with 'Israel'. Activists argue that his public sympathy for 'Israeli' victims, without comparable statements on Palestinian martyrs in Gaza, amounts to a political stance they refuse to support.
Not exactly Disney’s first rodeo
Long before social media boycotts and trending hashtags, Disney was already learning how fast politics can seep into fantasy.
In 1999, the company faced backlash over an EPCOT exhibit initially titled “Jerusalem, the Capital of Israel.” After pressure and boycott threats, the wording was quietly changed, complete with disclaimers distancing the company from political positions. More recently, controversy surrounding the Marvel character Sabra forced creative rewrites to soften her direct ties to 'Israeli' state institutions.
For critics, these episodes are not footnotes but evidence.
When casting overshadows the crown
Industry analysts often argue that online outrage does not always translate into box office disaster. Still, Disney’s recent experience suggests controversy has a way of hijacking marketing campaigns. Instead of talking about songs, visuals, or performances, audiences debate ideology, hashtags, and whether a trailer should even be watched.
Disney maintains that it hires actors for talent, not politics, but in a climate where casting is treated as endorsement and silence as a statement, that defense is wearing thin.
For now, the question is less about fairy tales and more about repetition. At what point does coincidence start to look like habit?
