It’s Thanksgiving, and Disney is facing unapologetic criticism from fans who feel the studio has ruined the tradition with a poorly recreated painting. The Thanksgiving Picture or Freedom From Want painting by Norman Rockwell holds deep significance in the American Thanksgiving tradition. While Disney has previously given an animated twist to this iconic painting, the new 2023 version is alleged to have been created using AI, and fans are describing it as a nightmare.
The studio seems to have fallen onto the bandwagon of people using AI to cut out the work for them. However, fans are urging Disney not to compromise on its core values, especially when dealing with materials intended for fan service.
Disney’s Thanksgiving Picture Draws Criticism For Allegedly Using AI
American artist Norman Rockwell created the Four Freedoms series of oil paintings, drawing inspiration from the Four Freedoms annual message of 1941 by then-U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Rockwell’s third painting in the series, Freedom from Want, was partially created on Thanksgiving Day, and has since become the representation of Americans during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Over the years, several media outlets have recreated this iconic painting, and Disney itself had previously created a fun animated version, which the fans highly praised. The Disney recreation included iconic characters from the studio’s arsenal, with Mickey Mouse at the head of the table. However, the recently released 2023 version has left fans utterly disappointed.
Disney has released a new Thanksgiving painting, however the new version is seemingly created with AI. pic.twitter.com/O7JLAv4MfN
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) November 23, 2023
The new version was allegedly created using AI and fans hated that a creative outlet like Disney put out a poorly made AI picture with little attention to detail. Fan reactions mostly highlighted the horrible detailing in the painting, calling it mediocre, scary, and soulless. They also expressed concerns about whether AI was going to ruin every creative experience. Some fan reactions read:
Nightmare material pic.twitter.com/ZelQUGXzbn
— Unlucky Dreamer 🪐 (@unluckydreamer8) November 23, 2023
what in the FNAF is this pic.twitter.com/Eu9uFTU1ks
— Tᕼᗩᗩᒪ🟡 (@Sinestros_Myte) November 23, 2023
Man, comparing them side by side, you can just feel the soul being sucked out. 😬
— RJ (@ResonantJustice) November 23, 2023
AI is going to ruin everything, isn’t it.
— Austin (@AustinPlanet) November 23, 2023
It’s a bit scary actually
— Lethabo Lee Ntshudisane (@DistinctLee) November 23, 2023
And so it begins… a road to mediocrity
— halacln (@halacln) November 23, 2023
Another visual depiction of the Thanksgiving Picture by the studio came in their 2002 film, Lilo & Stitch. The ending scene showed the film’s characters seated at a Thanksgiving table, reminiscent of the painting.
Disney Is Not Having The Best Thanksgiving With Its Movies Also
Disney movies used to dominate the theaters during the family holiday, prior to the pandemic. However, the footfall at the theaters, in general, has been declining. Audiences now prefer to stay at home and watch a Thanksgiving movie on a streaming platform, rather than go to the theaters. The shift has affected the latest Disney animated movie, Wish, which opened to a lackluster $8.3 million at the box office.
The Chris Pine starrer is receiving generally mixed reviews and is only projected to earn $37 million in its first weekend. The massive budget of $200 million for the film poses a bigger problem and the studio is heading towards a situation where they could lose millions. The only silver lining is that the film tops the Thanksgiving releases, beating Ridley Scott’s Napoleon.
The studio hopes to compensate for the slow start with strong word-of-mouth, as it did for their previous animated film, Elemental. Wish is currently running in theaters.
