Disney Animation Scraps New Releases, Lays Blueprint Massive Return

After their most recent box office success, Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Animation Studios seem to be rising from the ashes. As Inside Out 2 continues to dominate theaters, the company might have a new game plan to retake its throne in the industry.

Scene from the new Pixar film Inside Out 2 featuring several emotions. — Credit: Pixar

There’s no doubt that Pixar’s latest feature’s success is doing wonders for Disney’s image, but neither studio should rest on its laurels just yet. It will take a lot more than a gaggle of colorful emotions to get the company back up and running, but they already have the perfect model for a wave of success.

While we might have to endure a series of sequels in the next year or so, hardcore animation buffs might notice a pattern forming at the Disney studios. After a season of flops, the company comes out swinging with a billion-dollar hit, and it won’t be a one-time thing.

A New Renaissance for Disney Animation

Ariel in 'The Little Mermaid' singing "Part of Your World" — Credit: Disney

After the studio’s recent success with the Inside Out sequel, the timing feels very similar to the same effect The Little Mermaid had in 1989. A smash hit after a season of financial failures for the company isn’t uncommon, but it’s strange how much it fits the mold of the Disney Renaissance.

If that is indeed the case, Disney already has a model for regaining audiences’ trust. However, whether they choose to follow it is completely up to them.

For the record, many different elements contributed to the massive success of the 10-year era. While visionaries like Michael Eisner, Howard Ashman, or the duo of Musker and Clements might come around only once in a lifetime, they did lay the groundwork on which Disney built most of its modern-day magic.

You can talk about cultural or societal changes, managing marketing, or shifting narratives all you like, but the Disney Renaissance was Disney’s golden era for a reason. Although every animated filmmaker worth their salt wants to make the next Aladdin (1992), The Lion King (1994), or The Hunckback of Notre Dame (1996), there are core elements to all of these films that Disney needs to revisit and refurbish to gain its reputation back.

Back to the Drawing Board

The Notre Dame Cathedra by Disney Animation — Credit: Disney

No matter what happens, Disney will always be a pioneer in the animation industry. That’s not going away, but there is always room for improvement.

It might be a long shot, but if Disney were to return to the traditional animation methods they so brilliantly cultivated for decades, they would see an overwhelmingly positive response from viewers. It should also be noted that audiences still have an interest in these methods, as Disney lost its recent animated Oscar to Studio Ghibli at the last Academy Awards.

Although Disney disbanded its 2D animation department years ago, fans saw a brief attempt to return to the style with the watercolor-inspired visuals of Wish (2023). The problem was that Disney didn’t go all the way with the motif.

Bring Back the Disney Animated Fairytales

Belle and Beast dance during ballroom scene by Disney Animation — Credit: Disney

Perhaps the easiest choice Disney can make for its next phase is simply repeating the direction of the Disney Renaissance. Prior to The Little Mermaid, Disney’s last fairytale films were Robin Hood and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in 1977, something that a certain redheaded princess remedied.

Before Ariel came onto the scene, Disney had produced five films since their last fairytale adaptation. The same sequence can also be seen between Wish (2023) and Moana (2016), and this writer certainly wouldn’t be surprised if the studio was already conjuring something in production.

Although Disney is supposedly working on Frozen 4, an original adaptation of The Princess and the Frog might do the studio a wealth of good. With so many calling for representation in Disney’s media, drawing from other cultures and mythologies would be a great way to reignite old fans and grab the attention of modern audiences.

Focus on the Family

An animated scene shows a young girl with a birthday cake bearing the number 13. She is sitting at a dining table, smiling while a man on her left, holding a camera, and a woman on her right, clapping, celebrate with her. A wrapped present lies on the table in this heartwarming snapshot from Inside Out 2. — Credit: Pixar

If there’s one lesson Disney should 100% take away from the success of Inside Out 2, it’s that family-friendly featured films focusing on telling a good story always work in their favor. During a time when it feels like everything has to have some sort of message or push some sort of agenda, seeing an animated feature made for entertainment’s sake feels like a rarity.

While Pixar’s latest and greatest did have themes of mental and emotional health, the filmmakers told it in a relatable way without being preachy or ham-fisted. Disney previously had a reputation for good morals and values, at least until it started playing to arguably the wrong audience.

Although the company has been buried in criticism and controversy over the past few years, the studio has yet to lose the core values of its features that keep Disney Animation alive. The forces of good will always defeat the forces of evil, and true love always conquers all.

If the studios can remember even just those three tenants as they craft their next projects, fans will certainly see the old Disney come back to life. It’s not an overnight solution and will realistically take years to accomplish, but Disney just might be learning its lesson.

Do you think Disney is healing? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!