Disney Adaptations: Filmmakers, animators, and scriptwriters excel in crafting resonant stories and characters, renowned for their meticulous attention to detail, including cultural adaptations. Below are six Disney movie adaptations and changes that will surprise you!
1. Green Peppers Instead of Broccoli in Inside Out
One surprising detail in the Japanese version of Inside Out is replacing the broccoli that Riley is reluctant to eat with green peppers.
It turns out that Japanese kids don’t mind eating broccoli, so they wouldn’t really grasp the idea behind Riley’s refusal to eat them. For that reason, the filmmakers used green peppers instead because most Japanese children don’t like them!
2. Region-Specific TV Anchors in Zootopia
In the Disney animation movie Zootopia, one of the anchors on the ZNN show was a moose. However, the animal choice for this character was to represent a more popular alternative in other countries.
For example, it became a panda in China, a Koala in Australia, a Tanuki in Japan, and a jaguar in Brazil.
3. Buzz Lightyear’s Disney Speech in Toy Story 2
One scene in Toy Story 2 features Buzz Lightyear making a speech in front of a U.S. flag.
In international versions of the animated movie, this part was edited so that Buzz is standing in front of a globe to make the scene more relatable to viewers from all over the world.
4. Riley’s Dad’s Daydream in Inside Out
Another cool detail change in Inside Out is when Riley’s father daydreams about hockey. This is what we all saw when we watched the U.S. version, which was also the same for viewers in Canada and Russia.
Yet, you’d be surprised that other countries witnessed the dad thinking about soccer instead, which makes sense because it’s the most popular sport worldwide!
5. Oceania Instead of Moana in Italy
A Walt Disney Animation Studios film that had its title changed entirely to prepare for release in Italy is Moana.
After researching the Italian entertainment industry, the people at Disney found out that “Moana” was the name of an adult movie actress in the country.
This discovery propelled them to change the beloved character’s name to “Oceania” as a safe bet!
6. Different Accents for Agent Harv in Cars
The last detail you’ll notice if you watch the U.S. and U.K. versions of Cars is that Agent Harv gets an accent shift based on the country.
In the U.K. edition, he says, “Come on, mate, get in the trailer!” More interestingly, he was voiced by the BBC show Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson.
To Wrap It Up
You can’t help but admire Disney’s dedication to creating relatable characters and scenarios, right?
If you keep looking, you’ll find even more Disney movie adaptations that only a sharp eye will catch!
