Disney Returns to the Family

The Walt Disney Company is returning to its roots as a purveyor of family-oriented entertainment, World Net Daily reports:

Famed family-film maker Disney is headed back to its roots, with confirmation yesterday of cuts of 650 employees that will include a phase-out of its R-rated movies.

Oren Aviv, newly appointed president of production at Walt Disney Pictures, told the Hollywood Reporter that the company's coming productions will be along the lines of "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Chronicles of Narnia," "National Treasure" and "Miracle."

"If it's a great idea and it's done with quality and care, then it qualifies to be a Disney movie," he told the newspaper.

The studio, which founded its greatness on the classics for families and children, had branched out in the 1990s to grasp R-rated projects with its Touchstone and Miramax labels. Touchstone was created to deal with more mature themes, and is expected to remain but be significantly smaller, generating only two or three films a year. Miramax handles independent and art-house films and now operates separately from Disney. . . .

Now, Aviv told the Reporter, he will see to it that what the company brings to its audience is something the whole family can enjoy.

"That to us has always defined a Disney movie, and that definitely hasn't changed," he said.

From Karnick on Culture.