Disney will ban smoking in all future Marvel, Pixar, and Lucasfilm movies

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Jae C. Hong / AP

Disney CEO Bob Iger said the company will extend its no-smoking policy to Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and Disney movies aimed toward children at Thursday's annual shareholder meeting.

Disney will ban smoking in all its future movies aimed towards kids.

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Bob Iger said the company will "absolutely prohibit" the use of smoking in Disney films rated PG-13 and under at Thursday's annual shareholder meeting during a Q&A session.

"We are extending our policy to prohibit smoking in movies across the board: Marvel, Lucas, Pixar, and Disney films," said Iger, according to The Wrap.

Iger said the only exception will be in films which involve historical figures known for smoking.

"For instance, we've been doing a movie on Abraham Lincoln, he was a smoker, and we would consider that acceptable," said Iger. "But in terms of any new characters that are created for any of those films, under any of those labels, we will absolutely prohibit smoking in any of those films."

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Disney previously put a smoking ban in place to movies produced by the company after 2007.

The company details its no-smoking policy in films on its website.

Here's the outline, which was last updated March 20, 2012:

  • Disney policy prohibits product placement or promotion deals with respect to tobacco products for any movie it produces and Disney includes a statement to this effect on any movie in which tobacco products are depicted for which Disney is the sole or lead producer.
  • Disney has determined not to depict cigarette smoking in movies produced by it after 2007 and distributed under the Disney label.
  • Disney discourages depictions of cigarette smoking in movies produced in the United States for which a Disney entity is the sole or lead producer and which are released either as a Touchstone movie or Marvel movie, and seeks to limit cigarette smoking in those movies that are not rated "R" to:
    • scenes in which smoking is part of the historical, biographical or cultural context of the scene oris important to the character or scene from a factual or creative standpoint, or
    • scenes in which cigarette smoking is portrayed in an unfavorable light or the negative consequences of smoking are emphasized;
  • Disney will place anti-smoking public service announcements on DVD's of new and newly re-mastered titles, not rated "R," that depict cigarette smoking and will work with theater owners to encourage the exhibition of an anti-smoking public service announcement before the theatrical exhibition of any such movie.
  • Disney will include provisions in third-party distribution agreements for movies it distributes that are produced by others in the United States and for which principal photography has not begun at the time the third-party distribution agreement is signed advising filmmakers that it discourages depictions of cigarette smoking in movies that are not rated "R."
  • For movies produced outside the United States or where Disney's influence over the content of films is limited (such as movies co-produced by Disney), Disney seeks to discourage depiction of smoking in movies that are not rated "R" where we believe it is appropriate and practical to do so.
  • Disney regularly reviews the incidence of depictions of smoking in movies distributed by Disney entities. Compiled results of such reviews will be made public.

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