Remember Direct-To-Video Disney Movies? They were the low-budget spin-offs or continuations of popular Disney classics. They were the VHS tapes you begged your parents to buy, only to discover they weren’t as good as their original counterparts. Most fans only became aware of these discount sequels once they aired on the Disney Channel or arrived on Disney+ years later. And there’s a lot of them too. Disney released over 30 of these things, with the quality ranging from just okay to terrible.
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Some fans swear by these half-baked Disney sequels, but for the most part, the Direct-To-Video Disney films were just unnecessary cash grabs (much like the live-action remakes of today). A few of these movies stand out in the crowd, many of which Disney diehard fans have never even seen. If anything, if Disney wants to rehash stories they’ve already told, these would be the perfect ones to do it with.
Think about it. The fanbase for these films is much smaller than the original classics they’re based on, so the risk of a backlash would be low. They weren’t as beloved as the original, so no one would be upset if the studio made changes to make improvements. They would also give the studio more creative freedom to add new elements, giving audiences a fresh take. One of the biggest criticisms of The Little Mermaid (2023) live-action is that it’s “too much like the animated version.”
Disney is currently working on its first sequel to one of their live-action remakes. The Lion King (2019) will be getting a second installment next year centering around the origins of Mufasa and Scar. An origin story? So is it a prequel? Seeing how Billy Eichner and Seth Rogan will be reprising their roles as Timon and Pumbaa, this will most likely be a story that takes place after the events of the first film, told through flashbacks. The footage at last year’s D23 Expo supports this theory, giving audiences The Lion King 1½ (2004) vibes.
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Mufasa: The Lion King (2024) feels like the closest concept to having a Direct-To-Video turn into a live-action remake. There were also rumors of Aladdin (2019) getting a sequel as well. However, that might be on hold for now as the studio is going through some financial issues. Nevertheless, all these live-action sequels have an opportunity to stand out by being more original than, well, the original.
At least, that’s what the Direct-To-Video Disney Movies of the past attempted to do. Let’s take a deep dive into these infamous watered-down sequels and see which ones would make great live-action remakes.
History of Direct-To-Video Disney Movies
There was a time at the Walt Disney Company when sequels to their iconic classics were a big no-no. Walt Disney himself feared that follow-ups to successful projects would only harm their reputation if they didn’t perform well. Not to mention, it would be a massive waste of money. However, in the late 80s and early 90s, the company needed more content for the Disney Channel, which was beginning to air programs for a full 24 hours. With shows like The Gummy Bears and DuckTales becoming huge hits, the company was open to trying new ideas for its network. What if they made animated series based on their recent theatrical releases? If the kids loved them in the theaters, they’d most certainly watch a cartoon show centered around the characters.
While Aladdin (1992) was in the early stages of production, the studio was already developing a series that would be considered a continuation of the film. To build hype around this series, the studio planned on premiering The Return of Jafar (1994) on television as a way to introduce audiences to the new concept. However, executives recognized the success of their home video sales and took things one step further. Prior to the Aladdin (1994) animated series, Disney would release The Return of Jafar (1994) on VHS.
It’s important to remember that the sequel had a smaller budget and was not animated by Walt Disney Animation Studios. After all, this was just meant to be a tv movie, so the company wasn’t planning on investing too much money into it. But something incredible happened. Sales for The Return of Jafar (1994) were through the roof, proving to Disney that quality wasn’t necessary for their Direct-To-Video releases. Thus, a trend began.
While Disney focused on creating television series for a handful of their films, such as The Little Mermaid and Timon and Pumbaa, the studio would make a dozen more straight-to-video films. Aladdin (1992) eventually became a trilogy, and Beauty and the Beast (1991) got its own Christmas special. The studio didn’t stop there. They would eventually go on to make a handful of these low-cost, high-return films for not only their recent movies but also those from the Golden Era.
Once again, the quality of these films where a lot lower since Disney outsourced the animation to their studios overseas. Despite their cheapness, fans still flocked to their local video store to buy them. Disney continued ignoring their criticism and negative reviews as they kept counting their profit sales. And trust us, if you think the live-action remakes are bad, you should see the criticism and negative reviews for these.
The Bad Direct-To-Video Disney Movies
Like The Return of Jafar (1994), many of these Direct-To-Video releases were meant to introduce a television series coming to the Disney Channel. However, not every film was as successful as Aladdin (1992). The studio would often get ahead of themselves and create an animated show centered around a beloved Disney Character, only to discover that the film wasn’t so beloved after its release. Such is the case for Atlantis: Milo’s Return (2003) which was basically the studio’s way of scrounging up pieces from the canceled animated series after Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) bombed in theaters.
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The list of bad Disney sequels goes on and on. Films such as Hunchback Of Notre Dame II (2002), Pocahontas II: Journey To A New World (1998), and Mulan II (2004) received harsh criticism for their downgrade in animation quality, pointless storylines, and ultimately tarnishing the original. Also, several of these films were technically not sequels or prequels but instead an odd “in the middle” story that contradicts the original. What Walt Disney was trying to avoid with sequels all those years ago was happening on a yearly basis now with these Direct-To-Video Disney movies.
Surely the studio would leave the classic films alone to honor Walt’s legacy. Well, if the live-action remakes have taught us anything, Disney would rather butcher their beloved stories for profit than let them collect dust for too long. Eventually, the Direct-To-Video format would affect movies from the Golden and Silver Age Eras.
Sequels such as Bambi II (2006) and Return to Neverland (2002) saw an improvement in animation quality compared to the others, even warranting them a limited theatrical release. Unfortunately, the films were still coming up short regarding the storyline. But at least they tried to do something different, and that’s more than what most live-action Disney movies are doing today.
The Direct-To-Video Disney Movies That Fan’s Enjoyed
Not every Direct-To-Video Disney Movie belongs in a burning dumpster fire. Some of these films are enjoyable if you’re forgiving enough to let them be what they are. Fans will defend some of these releases as if they are just as significant as the originals. After all, if you grew up watching these films, it’s hard not to get attached. Perhaps these are some of the movies that could transition well into a live-action remake due to their popularity and respect for the source material.
After everything we’ve covered, it goes without saying that none of these are as great as the original films they’re based on, but they are good enough to deserve a watch. For those who haven’t seen these films, you’d be surprised how delightful they actually are.
In the later years of Direct-To-Video Disney films, which at this point were primarily DVDs, The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning (2008) was a massive hit with The Little Mermaid (1989) fans. This prequel was an improvement from The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000), as it focused more on King Triton’s backstory and even Sebastian. Granted, it’s all unnecessary, but the Footloose (1984) type storyline makes for a very engaging plot. A live-action version of this film, or even the sequel, would have been more interesting than a rehash of the original.
When it comes to well-received Direct-To-Video Disney movies, the best have to be the ones that spun off of The Lion King (1994). The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998) and The Lion King 1½ (2004) aren’t perfect, but they are some of the highest-rated films on our list. These two movies do an excellent job of adding to their predecessor instead of ruining it. The first installment gave us a “Romeo & Juliet scenario played out in the Serengeti,” as Roger Ebert described it. It also helped that Disney got many of the original voice actors to come back for these lower-budget projects. Although they weren’t as visually impressive, these two films hold their own. We’ll have to wait until next year to see if Mufasa: The Lion King (2024) can do the same. If it does well, maybe we’ll get a live-action version of Kiara later down the road.
You tend to stand out more when you’re the first at something. That’s the case with The Return of Jafar (1994). It gave the fans exactly what it set out to do by introducing more Aladdin and Genie adventures. Unfortunately, the film is nowhere as good as the original, with sloppy animation and rushed storytelling. Plus, it’s missing the biggest selling point: Robin Williams. The actor didn’t return for the sequel, but he did come back for the third film. Aladdin And The King Of Thieves (1996) is considered the stronger of the two, even though the story goes off the rails towards the end. However, either one of these stories would make for a better live-action adaptation than Aladdin (2019).
As mentioned earlier, many of these Direct-To-Video projects were merely just introductions to animated series that would be featured on the Disney Channel. One of those examples would be the sequels and spin-offs of Lilo & Stitch (2002). After several box office duds, Disney had another hit on their hands when the film was released in theaters. This was the perfect opportunity to strike while the iron was hot. Disney quickly released another Stitch film titled Stitch! The Movie (2003) which sets up its television counterpart. Then, Disney released Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005) which was meant to be a sequel to the first film.
It gets a little confusing, but all you need to know is that fans really enjoyed anything with Stitch in it. These installments expanded on Dr. Jumba Jookiba’s experiments, opening the door for many new characters and stories. Disney has started pre-production for the live-action version of Lilo & Stitch (2002), but if you ask us, we’d say they should have gone with a more original storyline from one of the Direct-To-Video movies.
This might sound ridiculous for viewers who haven’t seen it, but Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007) is actually one of the best Direct-To-Video sequels Disney has released. It’s hard to believe with a title like that, but its reviews speak for themselves. Again, it’s not better than the original, but it’s certainly more unique. The evil stepmother uses the Fairy Godmother’s wand to go back in time and change the events of the first film. It allows for a very clever way to have fun with the classic.
This is honestly the path that all live-action films should have taken. Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007) should be a live-action remake and not only change the events of the 2015 version, but it could also create a Multiverse effect and have characters from each movie begin to merge. That would be the best payoff for all these remakes.
The next time you ask yourself why Disney is releasing these cash-grab live-action adaptations, remember that the studio has been doing gimmicks like this for decades. It all started with the “Disney Vault,” as Disney found a way to get more money for the same movie over and over. If the company continues to make live-action remakes, it may eventually run out of ideas. However, they do have Direct-To-Video films to fall back on. Here’s hoping a live-action Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007) will eventually become a reality.
Which Direct-To-Video Disney Movie was your favorite? Let Inside The Magic know in the comment.