Hexed Filmmakers Respond To The Trailer's Biggest Criticism On Social Media [Exclusive]

When the first trailer for "Hexed" arrived, it created a bit of a stir online. No, not because it's selling witchcraft to children. Instead, an observation on social media went somewhat viral when it was pointed out that a lot of the shots in the trailer seemed to center all of the visuals, making it appear that the movie might have been developed with an eye towards being optimized for vertical video on social media sites like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Complete with a comparison to another animated film from 2026, the DreamWorks Animation release "Forgotten Island," here's the video in question:

look at the difference man i'm crying pic.twitter.com/qg7eNyQxKj

— 🎃 🍂 (@clubsadie) June 17, 2026

The criticism spread around various social media sites, and it seems Disney might have to cast a stronger spell in order to convince some fans otherwise. That's why, when I got a chance to visit Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California for an early press day for Disney's "Hexed," I took the complaint straight to the film's directors, Jason Hand ("Moana 2") and Fawn Veerasunthorn ("Wish"). During an interview with the filmmakers, I asked them whether vertical video was something that they kept in mind when making the movie and if it changed their approach to visual development, largely because it's become such a popular format in media consumption. Here's what they had to say.

Fawn Veerasunthorn was the first to deny the intention to tailor the movie specifically for vertical video. She even explained why much of the footage in the trailer is centered, as many observed:

"I think a lot of the shots that [were] chosen for the trailer [were] happening in the part of film where we're [showing] limitation and [it's] rigid in act one, and then it gets crazier after that. So that was not true..."

Jason Hand joined in and agreed, "Yeah, there's a purpose cinematic choice to say that Billie is actually stuck in this boxed in place."

Indeed, the first act of the movie paints Billie as an "alternative" outcast in her school. She wears big combat boots, she has magenta-toned hair, and she's a bit of a mischief maker. She plays a prank on the school that gets her into trouble, which actually inadvertently leads to the discovery of her powers, as illustrated in the movie's trailers. And the world around her, appropriately called Plainsville, is depicted as being bland and boring, creating the perfect juxtaposition to the witch-populated world of Hexe that Billie finds herself in when her dormant magical powers suddenly transport her there. But once we get into Hexe, audiences should notice a visual change. 

Hand elaborated further, while confirming that they were aware of the observation that spread across social media. The director said:

"I don't know if you noticed, but when she goes into Hexe, that completely changes literally. That's why I think, when we saw that type of stuff, which obviously was out there, we knew that there's more to come. And when people see the film, they won't feel like that."

To strengthen that point, the town of Plainsville, which takes up roughly half of the first trailer, was intentionally depicted to be more dull, with square buildings, flat lines, and conventional lighting. But upon arriving in Hexe, you'll find that the architecture becomes much more triangular, emulating a witch's hat, colors are vibrant thanks to the fall foliage around the town, and of course the lighting becomes much more cinematic. 

As of now, we only have just a couple minutes of footage released online that take Billie into the world of Hexe. While viewers will certainly note that there are still shots in the magical world where Billie and the action in certain scenes is centered, it's by no means the dominant choice in shot composition. 

But even if that were the case, it's not as if all movies try to avoid keeping their action in the middle of the frame. That's naturally where the eye is drawn, unless something happens that pulls their attention in a different direction. Having seen around 30 minutes of footage from "Hexed," I can tell you that the visuals are by no means boring, and they don't exclusively cater to vertical video any more than any other movie out there. 

You can see for yourself when "Hexed" hits theaters on November 25, 2026