Legendary Disney Director Ron Clements Officially Hanging Up His Mickey Ears

You may be familiar with iconic Disney characters such as Ariel, Genie, Moana, Princess Tiana, Hades from Hercules (1997), or Jim Hawkins of Treasure Planet (2002). But are you familiar with the man responsible for bringing these characters to life? Ron Clements is just as iconic as every character he helped create, and with his exit from animation, the world may never be the same again.

Walt Disney may be the name on the company’s logo, but the animation studio would not be where it is today without some of the legendary storytellers that took Walt’s vision and expanded on it. The writer-director duo John Musker and Ron Clements are two examples of those legendary storytellers, working on The Great Mouse Detective (1986), The Little Mermaid (1989), and their biggest hit, Aladdin (1992). Musker officially announced his retirement in 2018, with Moana (2016) being his last project with the House of Mouse. Now, his long-time collaborator Clements has made it public that he, too, has retired from the world of animation.

In an interview to promote his upcoming memoirs, Clements discusses his fond memories from his career, recalling how overwhelming it was to write and direct two major Disney films back-to-back; The Little Mermaid (1989) and Aladdin (1992). “We were exhausted after that,” Clements says. “We just wanted a vacation.”

John Musker and Ron Clements — Credit: Disney

Clements is finally getting that vacation after 40 years with the Walt Disney Company. His first job with the animation studio was an uncredited story for Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore (1983). Fast forward 33 years later, to 2016, when Clements’ most recent work, Moana (2016), was released in theaters, proving to audiences that he turned any story he touched into magic. Clements has worked on nine different Walt Disney Animation feature films, all considered some of the most memorable of the collection.

“I honestly didn’t know how I would react to retirement, but I’m not the kind of person who feels like I’ve got to do more and more and more,” said Clements. The storyteller also mentioned he doesn’t plan on returning to directing but there are a few projects out there he may pop in and check on. At this point, Clements’s work has gone beyond him, as many of his old films are being remade and retold into live-action adaptations or television series. Disney+ series like Tiana and Moana are both based on Clements’ writing, so he may be a consultant for these animated projects.

Tiana, DIsney+ promotional image of Tiana on ship — Credit: Disney

Ron Clements says he’s enjoying his well-earned retirement, as he should. His work will forever live in the hearts of the many fans who enjoyed his films. With new directors and writers joining the House of Mouse, like Jared Bush and Jennifer Lee, the company is in good hands but may never have the same magic that Ron Clements brought to the studio when he began 40 years ago.

What’s your favorite Ron Clements Disney film? Let us know in the comments.