Pixar cancels Be Fri, a female-led film inspired by KPop Demon Hunters

Pixar has canceled its animated musical film Be Fri (stylized as BeFri), a project that had been in development for three years. Disney's decision to shut the project down comes amid concerns about the film's target audience. Disney representatives said they could not present a female-led story because "little boys might not be able to relate enough to the film."

About Be Fri

The film Be Fri, directed by Kristen Lester, was written by Blaise Hemingway and edited by Nicholas C. Smith. The creative team included more than 50 Pixar employees. The story was inspired by Lester's personal experiences with a childhood friendship that fell apart. The plot followed two teenage girls who used to be best friends but drifted apart as they discovered that their favorite TV show, in the style of Sailor Moon, was real. They were forced to take on a universe-spanning quest for the good of humanity.

Timeline

2023: Disney canceled Pixar's Be Fri project, despite three years of development.
2026-04: Pixar announces its upcoming films in general.
2011: Pixar cancels an earlier project, Newt, before Be Fri entered development.

Comparisons to KPop Demon Hunters

According to several Pixar staff members, Be Fri shared similarities with the Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters, which featured musical elements. A former employee described the film as having a vibrant, energetic style that could have given it a similar appeal to KPop Demon Hunters.

Reactions to the cancellation

The cancellation of Be Fri has left many Pixar staff members deeply disappointed. They even held a memorial service at the office in remembrance of the project, which had seemed to have a lot of potential. The decision came at a time when Disney was already under political pressure, including public controversy surrounding LGBTQ+ representation in other films such as Lightyear.

Impact of external factors

The cancellation of Be Fri coincided with Disney's strategic adjustments and public backlash, including the political fight with Florida's governor. This has led to revisions on other projects, such as Elio, which was reportedly altered to remove all references to queer identity.

Pixar's future projects

Despite the cancellation of Be Fri, Pixar remains active in producing new content. The studio has already announced upcoming releases such as Toy Story 5, Gatto, and Incredibles 3.