Earlier this week, Brave co-director Brenda Chapman spoke out against Disney’s redesign of Princess Merida. Disney’s 2D version of Pixar’s first princess has sparked massive controversy. Many people were angered at their glamorized and sexualized version of Merida, who was tomboyish and feisty in the movie.
Now, Pixar has officially released a statement about Merida’s redesign.
“Merida has always been a different kind of princess–independent, strong and brave,” Disney Pixar wrote on their official Facebook page. “We at Disney and Pixar are extremely proud of what Merida represents and that she exemplifies a sense of spirit, strength and character that sets her apart. The recent impassioned response to the modification of Merida’s appearance serves to underscore our belief that people truly identify with this character that we are so proud of. We are deeply committed to keeping the integrity and appearance of her character intact. We hope that Merida continues to help redefine what it means to be a princess.”
There is no word as to how exactly Disney will handle the Merida scandal situation. Earlier in the week, Disney representatives have indicated that Merida will be getting a newer, “tamer” look to be released on her merchandise this fall. They claim that her bedazzled look was simply her dressing up for her coronation, and not for her everyday apparel. This look would not be the one to be promoted on the merchandise. Disney has kept Merida’s original 3D design on their website, and insist that their 2D design was by no means permanent.
It is to be guessed that this image of Merida that was used on her royal invitations would be similar to the normal Merida redesign, as this Merida, while having a little more flair and makeup, is not as sexy and she still has her bow, thereby retaining her main character traits. This was still one of the controversial images, but I am guessing that this is closer to how Disney would portray Merida. Get rid of the tiara, and they will probably be on track. This is just a hunch however, as Disney has yet to release her permanent redesign.
When Pixar made it’s statement, they pointed to their, “I am a Princess” video themed around Merida, which they had originally released on May 11th.