The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film) the film – stemmed from the company's domestic partnership policy and gay and lesbian theme days at Walt Disney World. Gary Trousdale also claimed that Southern Baptists were outraged over the casting of Demi Moore as Esmeralda, as she had just come off of the controversial "Striptease", in which she played an exotic dancer. Disney officials would not comment on the motivation for the religious content displayed in the film beyond comments on the subject included in the film's press kit with Disney vice president John Dreyer commenting, "The film speaks for itself." Nevertheless, there was praise from religious organizations
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923 film) that Alan Crosland would direct the film. The film failed to materialize and the company seemed to have disappeared without making any releases. Irving Thalberg, who had previously worked with Chaney and Tod Browning, desired to make a production that would rise artistically above the otherwise expensive productions Universal produced. In order to convince Universal's founder, Carl Laemmle, to formally approve the production, Thalberg pitched "Hunchback" to him as "a love story". Bolstered by Chaney's recent box office successes, Laemmle agreed. "Universal Weekly", the house publication of Universal, formally announced the production of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" in August