With the box office flops of "Strange World," "Wish," and "Lightyear" in recent years, Disney seems to have lost the ability to enchant audiences in the wholesome way many kids of yesteryear remember.
Walt Disney Animation Studios hopes to redeem itself with its 65th feature film, "Hexed," set to release in theaters on November 25, 2026.
The story features Billie, an unconventional teen who discovers she has magical powers. She is whisked away to a hidden, magical realm of witches called Hexe, bringing along her cautious, Type-A mother, Alice, to uncover long-held family secrets and navigate the world of magic together.
Because magic is not being used as a symbolic storytelling device like in "The Chronicles of Narnia" but portrayed in a way that glorifies witchcraft and spell-casting, the project has caused concerns over at One Million Moms, a division of the American Family Association (AFA) that aims to "stop the exploitation of our children, especially by the entertainment media."
"We are concerned because, as scripture says, we're not supposed to have anything to do with witchcraft," explains Director Monica Cole. "We're supposed to avoid it in all forms."
She cites Deuteronomy 18:10-11, which reads, " There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead."
One Million Moms is alerting parents to the themes in the new movie and is asking them to sign the group's pledge to not support the new film.
"I disagree with the dark nature and theme of witchcraft you are pushing on families in the cartoon film 'Hexed,'" it reads. "This type of content is dangerous for children. Disney has left conservative and Christian families with no choice but to avoid 'Hexed' since it goes against our beliefs and values. I urge Disney to cancel this dark movie immediately."
Within two days, more than 9,400 people had signed the pledge.
