Disney+ Re-Edits Splash Mermaid Nudity in Tom Hanks Movie

By Aaron Perine

Disney+ has decided to remove the edits to the 1984 movie Splash. In the Tom Hanks movie, he falls in love with a mermaid and there's a brief moment where her bare backside was visible. Back near the launch of the streaming service, Disney opted to digitally alter her hair length to cover it up. A lot of viewers were disappointed in the decision as you can see more graphic things on broadcast TV in multiple cases. Well, now they've had a change of heart according to CBR. Originally, the decision was made at the beginning of a news cycle where certain sectors of the Internet were criticizing the company for putting content warnings on old episodes of The Muppet Show and Song of the South. While basically harmless, a little commentary poured in from Twitter and Facebook and we were off to the races. Another content warning ahead of Gone With the Wind also put those outlets into a tizzy. But, now there's mermaid butt for everyone. 

The Parents Television Council Loved the Decision

When the removal first occurred, the Parents Television Council applauded the move while fans didn't enjoy the decision. It seems like there might be another statement from president Tim Winter whenever they see the reports of the scene being restored.

"Disney+ has a distinctive advantage over other streaming services in that its business model was designed to be family-friendly," the PTC president wrote back in 2020. "We are grateful to Disney+ for wisely ensuring that nudity in the original film, Splash, was edited. Making those edits does not make the film unrecognizable or unwatchable. Instead, the edits serve to ensure that children who may watch the film aren't confronted by nudity, and ultimately this makes Disney+ a trustworthy streamer for families."

"As Disney+ continues to add new content, we want to encourage the company to keep its commitment to families to provide a safe, family-friendly environment – something that is even more crucial as children are spending more time with digital media during quarantine," Winter's statement added. "While the company has promised not to include R-rated content, we ask Disney to go a step further to protect children by adding parental controls and content filtering options. These two steps would make Disney+ even better for families."

What Happens in Splash?

Here's how Disney describes the movie: "A young boy saved from drowning by a beautiful mermaid, falls in love with her 20 years later when she returns to seek him out. Before he can choose between life on dry land or a deep sea paradise with his dream woman, the lovers are rudely interrupted by the intervention of a scheming scientist."

Are you happy they reversed course? Let us know down in the comments!

0comments
Start the Conversation

of