A spin-off series based on the 2018 movie “Love, Simon,” a coming-of-age film all about a teenage boy’s journey to embracing homosexuality, has been passed up by Disney+ because it isn’t going to be “family-friendly” enough.
Disney+ was originally planning to host the show, “Love, Victor,” which explores the same themes as the movie — living in a new city and exploring sexuality and identity, according to Variety. The show also features alcohol use.
“Disney felt many issues explored on the show, including alcohol use and sexual exploration, would not fit in with the family-friendly content on Disney Plus,” an unnamed source told Variety.
The series will instead air on Hulu, which is majority owned by Disney.
Showrunners Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, who wrote “Love, Simon,” are “beyond excited” for the show to premiere on Hulu.
“We are beyond excited that ‘Love, Victor’ will be joining Hulu’s fresh and authentic lineup of high school series and that we’ll be able to continue telling honest, important coming-of-age stories with our terrific group of writers and our tremendous ensemble,” they said in a joint statement.
The decision not to air the upcoming series came after The Disney Channel faced some criticism for premiering a cartoon show called “The Owl House,” due to its portrayal of witchcraft.
One woman, Jenny Weaver, who used to practice Wicca, warned parents in a CBN News interview against allowing their children to watch the series.
Weaver struggled with depression growing up and lived in a dysfunctional home. So when she watched a movie that romanticized witchcraft, she was easily influenced by its provocations.
“It was a demonic hold on my life that caused me to open doors to witchcraft and practicing spells and incantations and studying the religion of Wiccan,” she explained. “It’s why I tell parents when I minister, it’s not a joke when we say be careful what your children are watching.”