The Influence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives on Disney’s Movie Production: Trends, Challenges, and Industry Implications

Bochen Dai

2025

Abstract

This study examines the influence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives on Disney’s movie production, focusing on how these policies have transformed the company’s filmmaking processes. The analysis employs a mixed-method approach, including historical reviews of Disney’s diversity evolution, case studies of films such as Black Panther, Moana, and Encanto, and evaluations of box office data, critical reviews, and social media responses. Findings reveal that DEI has driven Disney toward more inclusive narratives and diverse casting, yielding significant commercial success and cultural resonance, though not without challenges like controversies over authenticity and commercial balance. The study suggests that Disney deepens its DEI integration by collaborating with cultural experts, diversifying creative teams, and embedding inclusive narratives into mainstream franchises, thereby setting a progressive standard for Hollywood’s future.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Dai B. (2025). The Influence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives on Disney’s Movie Production: Trends, Challenges, and Industry Implications. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication - Volume 1: PRMC; ISBN 978-989-758-778-8, SciTePress, pages 661-669. DOI: 10.5220/0013998300004916

in Bibtex Style

@conference{prmc25,
author={Bochen Dai},
title={The Influence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives on Disney’s Movie Production: Trends, Challenges, and Industry Implications},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication - Volume 1: PRMC},
year={2025},
pages={661-669},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0013998300004916},
isbn={978-989-758-778-8},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication - Volume 1: PRMC
TI - The Influence of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives on Disney’s Movie Production: Trends, Challenges, and Industry Implications
SN - 978-989-758-778-8
AU - Dai B.
PY - 2025
SP - 661
EP - 669
DO - 10.5220/0013998300004916
PB - SciTePress