In a recent interview, filmmaker David Gordon Green revealed that his biopic on Walt Disney and his brother Roy O. Disney is currently on hold due to some rights issues. The film, which was set to explore the relationship between the two brothers and their journey in creating the Disney empire, was expected to offer an interesting and complex perspective on the Disney family. Green, known for his ability to find honesty in any genre, expressed excitement about the project, calling it a “lot of fun” and emphasizing the interesting story it would tell about the brothers.
Walt Disney may be the name that everyone remembers, but Roy also played a crucial role in the success of the Disney company. According to an anecdote shared in Roy’s profile on the Walt Disney Family Museum historical archive, he paid ABC 15 times its initial investment in Disneyland to buy out its interest, which ultimately gave Walt Disney Productions control of the park. Roy’s decision allowed the company the freedom to take their television series, including the Mickey Mouse Club and Zorro, elsewhere after ABC canceled them. Despite Walt’s initial hesitation, Roy’s bold move proved to be instrumental in shaping the future of the Disney empire.
While the biopic project remains on pause, fans and industry observers eagerly await updates. The dream casting for the film includes Dan Stevens as Walt Disney and Ryan Gosling as Roy, with the hope that as time goes on, they will age into their respective roles. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before the rights issues are resolved and the Disneyland movie project can resume production.