Disney’s Hexed is another upcoming animated film that has drawn considerable controversy since its first trailer was released. A large part of the controversy stems from how the trailer looks. Many viewers online noted how all the action seemed to center around the center of the frame. Most saw the composition as just a way to pander for views on social media sites like TikTok or YouTube shorts. Additionally, for the premise of a teenage girl with emerging magical powers being whisked away into a mystical witch realm, many saw the trailer as generic.
However, while some picked up similarities Hexed shared with other upcoming animated films like Dreamworks’ Forgotten Island, other animation fans noticed even more similarities to a cut short Disney animated television property.
This hasn’t been the first time Disney has released an idea surrounding witches and alternative fantasy realms. Many animation fans have pointed out the nearly identical similarities Hexed has with the Disney animated series, The Owl House.
Released in 2020, The Owl House follows a teenage girl named Luz, who stumbles through a portal into a magical realm named the Boiling Isles. There, she befriends a renegade witch named Eda and becomes her apprentice to become a witch despite her lack of magical ability.
Both properties had just enough similarities for Owl House fans to call Disney out. While the show wasn’t canceled outright, it was heavily cut short, with an explanation that studio executives didn’t think the show fit the Disney Channel brand. While the Owl House did garner a large teenage and adult audience, it wasn’t the first Disney animated show to have that much departure from the typical ratings of the Disney Channel brand. Gravity Falls, Star Vs. The Forces of Evil, and Amphibia are also shows that deal with darker themes and even garnered a large fanbase from older audiences.
Unsurprisingly, this has led to fan speculation on the real reason for the show’s cancellation, centering on Disney possibly disliking its canon LGBTQ reputation. However, Owl House creator Dana Terrace has already come out to say that the show’s cancellation was due to the restructuring caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Regardless, for many, it still hurts to see a property like Hexed being promoted.
