Ever since its inception, Disney Plus has hardly been a streaming service to find itself mired in controversy, but the impending release – or not – of Turkish original series Ataturk has ended up igniting such a furor that the country’s ruling government is in the midst of an official investigation.
The project was initially set to premiere on October 29 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, with the episodic exclusive focusing on the nation’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. According to the Associated Press, though, claims had been made that Disney decided to pull the production from the upcoming release calendar and cancel it altogether, with a translated statement being released by the head of Turkey’s broadcasting watchdog.
“Based on the public information that the digital media service provider Disney Plus has decided not to broadcast the domestic content Atatürk on its platform, it has been decided to take the defense of the organization and initiate an investigation. Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of our Republic of Türkiye, is our most important social value. The allegations of Armenian lobby intervention, which are reflected in the press, are meticulously investigated. I respectfully announce to the public.”
Disney-backed FOX did confirm that Ataturk will be released as two feature films that will screen on the network as planned on October 29 before releasing in theaters, but no reasons were given why it’s no longer a TV show, nor has there been an explanation on the decision made by the Mouse House to pull it from Disney Plus.
Local media outlets offer that Armenian-Americans had been lobbying for its cancellation due to the subject’s status as an officer in the Ottoman army and its ties to the Armenian genocide of 1915, though, so you can understand why Disney didn’t want to get drawn into an all-out ideological and political conflict.