After a season of flops, Disney has been struggling to maintain its cinematic reputation. However, Mickey Mouse and all his animated friends might have one last ace up their sleeves.
To say that Disney has been through a rough season would be a grand and glorious understatement. Although films like Elemental (2023) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) have kept the name alive, many of Walt Disney Animation Studio’s projects aren’t even making their budgets back.
After multiple underwhelming and lackluster performances and reviews, the idea that Disney might still try to push for an Academy Award this year is borderline unthinkable. However, along with Carl’s Date, one Disney-animated offering might just steal the award for Best Short Subject away from the competition.
Once Upon a Studio: Hail Mickey or Hail Mary
Once Upon a Studio (2023) was a short devoted to the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company that utilized every classic Disney animated character on the studio’s roster. Chances are that if you have a favorite face from one of Disney’s animated masterpieces, they make an appearance.
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The Walt Disney Company describes the film as follows,
“Featuring 543 Disney characters from more than 85 feature-length and short films, Disney Animation’s Once Upon a Studio assembles heroes and villains, princes and princesses, sidekicks and sorcerers—in all-new hand-drawn and CG animation—to celebrate 10 decades of storytelling, artistry, and technological achievements.”
It’s this nostalgia factor that’s going to be Disney’s biggest asset at the Oscars. The studio has become so ingrained in our collective pop culture that it’s practically impossible for the judges not to have some sort of emotional connection with at least one character on the screen. That said, Disney can’t win on nostalgia alone.
Along with Carl’s Date, Disney is competing against 13 other short films from other studios and creators. Given Disney Animation’s recent reputation at the theaters, it will be a do-or-die scenario.
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Once Upon a Studio might have gorgeous animation, a heartfelt ending, and everything that makes classic Disney great, but is it truly worthy of an Oscar? Only the Academy knows for certain.
ITM reached out to the Walt Disney Company for a comment on its animated projects, but received no reply at the time of publishing.
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