Disney's BAMBI Remake will Tone Down The Death of Bambi's Mom Because "Parents These Days are More Sensitive"

As you know, one of the big Disney remakes currently in development is Bambi, and that movie is coming from director Sarah Polley, who won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film Women Talking.

Lindsey Beer (Pet Semetary: Bloodlines) was working on the script for Bambi at one point, and in a recent interview, she explained that Disney is looking at toning down the traumatic death of Bambi’s mom for today’s softer audiences. While talking to Toonado.com, Beer said:

"Not to spoil the plot, but there’s a treatment of the mom dying that I think some kids, some parents these days are more sensitive about than they were in the past, and I think that’s one of the reasons that they haven’t shown it to their children."

"I do think there is a way to update Bambi and our take on it was...[we] did give a little bit more of a scope to it. And I just think that to be able to bring it to life for kids these days in a way that maybe they relate to a little bit more would be of service to the original."

Beer doesn’t go into any details on how she was looking to approach these changes, but she believes that this story is one that deserves to be retold for present-day moviegoers. I thought the death of Bambi’s mom was handled perfectly in the original animated film.

Look, the death of Bambi's mom is one of the most iconic and heart-wrenching moments in animation history. But, while it's a deeply emotional and tragic event, it can be beneficial for viewers.

That scene allowed kids to experience and understand a lot of different emotions and the movie offers children a safe environment to experience feelings of sadness, loss, and grief. For a lot of kids, this movie was their introduction to the concept of death.

It also offers discussion opportunities for parents to talk to their kids about death, grief, and coping mechanisms. It offers a non-threatening way to introduce these conversations, which can be valuable later in life when children encounter these themes in reality.

Also, watching Bambi go through that loss and understanding his feelings can help foster empathy in children. They learn to put themselves in another's shoes and feel compassion for others.

Then there’s the fact that not all stories have only happy moments. Bambi offers a mix of joy, humor, and tragedy, reflecting the multifaceted nature of real life. The movie exposed kids to a broad range of narratives that can better prepare them for the complexities of the real world.

While the scene is undeniably sad, it does provide an invaluable learning experience for children.