Many Disney fans have been wondering if the controversial 1946 film “Song of the South” will ever be made available on Disney+, and now we have an official answer — it won’t.

During Disney’s annual shareholder meeting held in Raleigh, North Carolina this morning, a shareholder asked Bob Iger about the long-vaulted film.

From the LA Times…

Another shareholder asked if the controversial Disney musical “Song of the South” would ever be available on Disney+ (Iger’s answer: it will not)…

“Song of the South” has been vaulted for decades, and has never seen an official home video release in the United States.

Critics of the film say that it was racially insensitive (as many movies of the era admittedly were) and portrayed an “an idyllic master–slave relationship” that would offend today’s audiences. However, even celebrities like Disney Legend Whoopi Goldberg have been advocating for its re-release and have chastised Disney for hiding from its past.

James Baskett (Uncle Remus) received an Honorary Academy Award for his performance. He was the first African-American male actor to win an Academy Award. Some feel that burying the film diminishes this accomplishment.

While the film may never appear on Disney+, perhaps Disney will release it on physical media for adult audiences if there is sufficient demand.

Despite the controversy, the Uncle Remus characters live on in the Disney Parks via the Splash Mountain attraction, and have appeared in numerous books and comics over the years.

[Source: LA Times]