Being associated with the Disney brand comes with its perks; the Mouse House has its hard-earned reputation, after all. But to get to this point, the Walt Disney Company has been conscientious about its image; former Disney stars have spoken out about how strict Disney was with their regimen and requirements. But that’s not all that Disney has been careful about. One creator recently revealed that Disney was hesitant even to put its name on his show, and it’s one that has become increasingly popular of late.
Buena Vista Entertainment
The Walt Disney Company owns many properties. During Disney CEO Bob Iger’s time, he worked hard to secure Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, and even the controversial 20th Century Fox deals so that the Walt Disney Company would benefit from those production houses doing well. There’s one company, however, that people sometimes forget about—Buena Vista Entertainment.
Buena Vista Entertainment was established in 1993 as a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios. Its name was inspired by the street in Burbank, California, where Walt Disney Studios is located. Buena Vista Entertainment served as the distribution arm for a wide range of Disney productions, including films, television shows, and other forms of media.
While the brand is no longer in use and has been rebranded and absorbed into the Walt Disney Company, the subsidiary put out some shows that could be called cult classics. One of those was Gargoyles.
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Gargoyles
Gargoyles debuted in October 1994. The show was on television for three seasons without the Disney name and earned a dedicated following. It’s gained more popularity in recent years, enough that many are asking for a revival of the series. Creator Greg Weisman recently revealed that Disney was unwilling to associate with the show.
Per CBR,
Weisman explained that Gargoyles’ title card didn’t read “Disney’s Gargoyles” because the studio “was afraid to put its name on the series back then.” He added that “technically we were Buena Vista’s Gargoyles”
While creator Greg Weisman didn’t provide a reason for this, it’s apparent that the TV show’s darker themes and characters likely made executives think twice before putting their name on it.
Disney’s hesitance to associate with darker shows or themes is well-known; think of the fate of the Disney Park ride Alien Encounter that once was in the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort. However, given that the show’s longtime fans have stayed devoted all these years, perhaps we might see a change of heart from the Mouse House soon!
