Last year, The Daily Wire promised to uncancel Gina Carano. Today, that promise is fulfilled.
Disney cut the conservative-leaning actress and former MMA fighter from her role as Cara Dune in the hit Star Wars series “The Mandalorian” over a social media post that was about, ironically, discriminating against others for their political opinions.
Soon afterward, Carano partnered with The Daily Wire to produce and develop her own film. Today, June 14, “Terror on the Prairie” — a Western starring Carano as a frontier woman fighting for survival against a ruthless gang of outlaws — will be available exclusively to Daily Wire subscribers.
Here’s how The Daily Wire uncanceled Gina Carano:
‘She Was An Absolute Sweetheart’
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away — February 2021, to be exact — Disney fired Carano over a post that said America’s divisive political culture could one day lead to the widespread violence seen in Nazi Germany. “The government first made their own neighbors hate them simply for being Jews,” the post argued. “How is that any different from hating someone for their political views?”
Many argued that, whether or not the post was appropriate in drawing a comparison to Nazi Germany, it was by no means an offense that excused firing Carano. Disney faced massive backlash for their decision — especially as a report surfaced that revealed Disney had been awaiting an excuse to dismiss Carano for months. Fans were not happy, and “#CancelDisneyPlus” soared to the top of Twitter’s trending news list.
Indeed, a later poll commissioned by The Daily Wire found that 72% of Americans from all political backgrounds — Republican, Democrat, and Independent alike — thought the firing was unjustified after they looked at the social media post for themselves. Without a doubt, many Americans had sensed the motives behind ousting Carano were purely political. In recent years, countless progressives — from Joe Biden and AOC to Don Lemon and Jimmy Kimmel — have made the Nazi comparison without incident.
High-profile Americans from all walks of life — including fellow stars on “The Mandalorian” — also voiced support for Carano.
“You can say that her tweet was stupid or clumsy or whatever. But the reaction to it, to me, was so crazy that I was like, ‘Guys, this is going to be a thing you look back on,’” Bill Burr, who plays Migs Mayfeld in the Star Wars series, said after Carano’s ouster. “I just don’t get this place where we’re in where there’s no room for discussion… She was an absolute sweetheart.”
Progressive talk show host Bill Maher also condemned the firing and said that cancel culture is “growing exponentially.”
“If you think it’s just for celebrities, no. In an era when everyone is online, everyone is a public figure,” he argued. “Is this really who we want to become? A society of phony, clenched-a** avatars walking on eggshells, always looking over your shoulder about getting ratted out for something that actually has nothing to do with your character or morals?”
Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, lauded Carano for being “instrumental in making Star Wars fun again.”
“Texan Gina Carano broke barriers in the Star Wars universe: not a princess, not a victim, not some emotionally tortured Jedi,” he wrote, noting that young female fans could look up to the actress.
As it turns out, however, the Force was strong with Gina Carano.
‘They Can’t Cancel Us If We Don’t Let Them’
Within two days of her firing, Carano announced a partnership with The Daily Wire in which she would make her longtime dream of producing and starring in one of her own films a reality.
“I cried out and my prayer was answered. I am sending out a direct message of hope to everyone living in fear of cancellation by the totalitarian mob,” Carano said. “I have only just begun using my voice which is now freer than ever before, and I hope it inspires others to do the same. They can’t cancel us if we don’t let them.”
The Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro added, “This is what Daily Wire exists to do: provide an alternative not just for consumers, but for creators who refuse to bow to the mob.” He remarked that The Daily Wire is excited to take down woke Hollywood’s cancel culture Death Star.
In a later interview on Ben Shapiro’s “Sunday Special,” Carano detailed how Disney had built a culture of intimidation surrounding their employees’ political views.
“I’ve been through so much, and I’ve seen so much now, clearly, of the bullying that’s been taking place, and I saw it before. I’m not the only one that’s ever been bullied by this company, and I know that so deeply,” she said. “Everyone is afraid of losing their job.”
Since they fired Gina Carano, Disney executives have heightened their company’s politicization of America — and their customers are taking notice. As Jedi Master Yoda astutely says, “Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you, it will.”
One Disney producer recently boasted in the company’s “not-at-all-secret gay agenda” about how the entertainment conglomerate would be injecting sexual propaganda into children’s shows. Additionally, as Star Wars series “Kenobi” launched last month, Disney employees — including once-beloved actor Ewan McGregor, who plays Obi-Wan Kenobi — denounced their own fanbase as racist because of apparent hate directed toward African-American actress Moses Ingram.
Carano confirmed during her interview with Shapiro that many at Disney are unafraid to bully each other over political matters.
“I was prepared at any point to be let go because I’ve seen this happen to so many people,” Carano explained. “I’ve seen the looks on their faces. I’ve seen the bullying that takes place, and so when this started, they point their guns at you, and you know it’s only a matter of time. I’ve seen it happen to so many people, and I just thought to myself… ‘You’re coming for me, I know you are.’”
‘I’m Just So Grateful’
Americans are sick of cancel culture — and more excited than ever for the release of “Terror on the Prairie.”
Carano originally planned to create a contemporary thriller based on the Eric Red novel “White Knuckle.” However, amid the persistent threat of vaccine mandates from Hollywood, her team instead opted for the Western flick, which was shot in Montana.
“After we announced our first project this summer, the Hollywood unions started debating vaccine mandates for cast and crew, and I wasn’t into that,” Carano told The Daily Wire fans. “I don’t believe anybody gets to make your medical choices for you, and I’m not willing to force masks and vaccines on anyone else.”
Beyond Carano, “Terror on the Prairie” features actor Nick Searcy of “The Shape of Water,” MMA fighter Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, comedian Tyler Fischer, Heath Freeman of “Skateland,” and Samaire Armstrong of “Dirty Sexy Money.”
In the days after Disney accused their own fans of racism, many pointed out that Carano was “harassed for months” and did not receive any support from Disney — and once again, Carano trended on Twitter.
It seems, though, that Americans — and especially Carano — no longer need Disney for their entertainment. “I’m just so grateful to have done this movie with The Daily Wire,” Carano said. “This is a movie that’s close to my heart.”
“Terror on The Prairie” is The Daily Wire’s fourth feature film and the second film produced exclusively for the company. It follows the success of “Run Hide Fight,” “Shut In,” and “The Hyperions” — the latter two of which debuted earlier this year. The Daily Wire also recently released “What is a Woman?” — another blockbuster in which commentator Matt Walsh takes on gender ideology.
The opinions expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.