Disney surprised fans recently by releasing an uncensored cut of the Marvel film X-Men: Days of Future Past on their popular streaming service, Disney+.
The film, though by no means on the same level as your average Quentin Tarantino or Martin Scorsese picture, features a number of things that are not particularly suited for the ears and eyes of children. These include, for instance, a scene in which Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman shows off part of his naked body, as well as at least one instance of using the F-bomb.
If this cut aired on any other streaming service, it would hardly be newsworthy. However, because Disney prides itself on its family-friendly brand identity, this decision took many people by surprise. One of them was Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds who, commenting on one of Jackman’s Instagram posts, expressed hope that his own movies about the vulgar Merc with a Mouth would be next.
Of course, both Deadpool and Deadpool 2 are more graphic, violent and at times obscene than even the darkest entries in the X-Men franchise, so whether Reynolds’ wish will be answered remains to be seen.
As far as Disney is concerned, they definitely do seem to be stepping out of their comfort zone recently, especially considering the strict censorship they enforced in the past. When the company acquired the movie Splash, for instance, they hired a team of CGI artists to cover a character’s buttocks with her hair. Similarly, Disney filtered a couple F-bombs out of its recording of Hamilton.
The studio has also censored plenty of its own productions, as execs have made changes to Golden Age animated movies like Aladdin, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid.
Do you think X-Men: Days of Future Past is worth censoring to begin with, though? Let us know in the comments section below.
