Disney Plus faces backlash for not broadcasting Atatürk series

The Disney Plus platform, which began its operations in Türkiyelast year, has made a controversial decision regarding the 'Atatürk' series starring Aras Bulut Iynemli. Despite previously announcing that the series would be broadcast in 2023, the platform has now decided not to air it. This decision came as a surprise to the audience, especially given the high anticipation for the series. The series was initially expected to be shown on Fox TV screens and later in movie theaters. However, the cancellation decision has raised eyebrows, with some speculating that it was influenced by pressure from the Armenian lobby. An Armenian news page on Twitter reacted to the cancellation, claiming that the Armenian community, along with the support of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), played a role in the decision. Despite reportedly spending $8 million on the six-episode series, including Emma Watson's staff, the series will now be transformed into a feature film dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye, to be exclusively screened in Turkish cinemas on November 3. Journalists İsmail Dükel and Gürbüz Evren shared their thoughts on Disney Plus's decision during a live broadcast on CNN Türk. İsmail Dükel expressed his disapproval, stating that there is no acceptable justification for removing a series about the founding leader of the country under pressure. He called for an immediate reversal of the decision and urged for the series to be broadcast on October 29. He further added that if the platform refuses to do so, the Turkish government should take appropriate action. Gürbüz Evren attributed the cancellation to the influence of the powerful Armenian lobby in the USA, particularly in the US Senate and the Union of Representatives. He stated that the Armenian diaspora's negative propaganda against Türkiye and Atatürk is significant due to Atatürk's historical role in opposing the idea of an independent Armenia. He also linked the recent improvement of relations between Türkiye, Armenia, and Azerbaijan to the backlash from the Armenian lobby in the USA.