Pixar‘s new animated series Win or Lose set for a 2025 premiere on Disney+ will no longer include a transgender storyline.
Disney has eliminated “a few lines of dialogue” from an episode that references a character’s gender identity.
Disney released a statement to Deadline confirming the change, first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, saying that “when it comes to animated content for a younger audience, we recognize that many parents would prefer to discuss certain subjects with their children on their own terms and timeline.”
Win or Lose, which features Will Forte as the voice of softball Coach Dan, will begin to roll out on Disney+ beginning Feb. 19, 2025, with each episode following a new character. The series revolves around a co-ed softball team at middle school named the Pickles in the week leading up to their big championship game.
In addition to Forte, voice cast includes Ian Chen, Izaac Wang, Jo Firestone, Milan Ray, Josh Thomson, Erin Keif, and Rosie Foss.
Produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Disney+, Win or Lose was created, written, and directed by Carrie Hobson and Michael Yates, who also served as executive producers with David Lally, Pete Docter, Andrew Stanton, and Lindsey Collins.
This isn’t the first time Disney has faced controversy over LGBTQ+ issues and storylines. In 2022, former Disney CEO Bob Chapek came under fire for his initial deafening silence over Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which effectively bans discussion of the LGBTQ+ community and “sexual orientation or gender identity” in the state’s public schools from kindergarten to third grade. He later apologized following a staff revolt, saying he should have been “a stronger ally.” That same year, Pixar’s Lightyear sparked controversy with a storyline that involved a same-gender relationship and kiss.
Win or Lose is set to premiere Feb. 19, 2025 on Disney+.
