Wes Anderson’s Quiet Stand Against Disney+: Why He Keeps It Off
Wes Anderson opens up about steering his daughter away from Disney+ and the Star Wars juggernaut, revealing the challenges of raising a young film fan in a world dominated by blockbusters.
Wes Anderson, known for his unmistakable style and offbeat storytelling, has always done things his own way. Now, as a dad to young Freya, he’s trying to pass on his love of classic cinema—while keeping her away from the streaming giants that dominate most Aussie lounge rooms.
Old-School Films Over Streaming Giants
Anderson recently shared that he prefers to introduce his daughter to films the old-fashioned way.
“I like to show her a Blu-Ray of a film,”
he said, clearly chuffed that Freya’s top pick is the Judy Garland classic, Meet Me in St Louis. Not bad for a kid growing up in the age of endless streaming options. But it’s not all smooth sailing. Anderson admits it’s a bit of a mission to keep her from gravitating towards the big-name blockbusters.
“I like that she likes Meet Me in St Louis, but when I was her age, the most important film of all time was Star Wars,”
he explained.
“It’s the least-hidden film of all time, but it’s relevant to my life right now.”
The Star Wars Dilemma
Star Wars has been sparking debates since it first hit the big screen in 1977. While it inspired heaps of budding filmmakers, it’s also copped blame for shifting the focus away from the more grown-up films of the ‘70s. These days, the franchise is everywhere—thanks to Disney’s takeover, you can’t escape it in shops, on telly, or at the theme parks.
Trying to shield a kid from Star Wars is a tall order, especially when it’s front and centre on Disney+. Anderson reckons he’s done his best to set some boundaries.
“My daughter is seven, and she’d heard about Star Wars and kept asking me about it,”
he said.
“So I said, ‘Well, we have Disney+, and we don’t use it’, but it’s there.”
Irony and Influence
There’s a bit of irony in Anderson’s stance, considering two of his own animated films—Fantastic Mr Fox and Isle of Dogs—are available on Disney+. Plus, he’s worked with a fair few actors who’ve popped up in Star Wars, like Natalie Portman, Jude Law, and Benicio del Toro.
Even with the Star Wars juggernaut everywhere you look, Anderson seems pretty relaxed about it all. He was eight when the original film came out, so he knows firsthand how hard it is to avoid the hype. For now, though, he’s keen to keep Freya’s film tastes a bit more old-school, at least while he still can.