Disney and Pixar films are beloved by countless viewers around the world, each eager to see what story will come next to add to the magical roster that keeps on growing, whether it be a prequel, sequel, or something entirely new. Unfortunately, some viewers who had awaited sequels to their favorite Disney features for years were disappointed that some projects were canceled during production.

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Films such as Dumbo 2, Snow White Returns, and Save U, a Sky High sequel, were announced but never finished, canceled for various reasons. Regardless of this, Disney is a company connotated with hope, and so many fans dare to dream that some canceled projects might one day be revived.

Updated on December 29, 2022 by Mayra García: Even though fans have loved certain movies and would love to know how things follow for their characters, Disney has made the choice to cancel their stories. Many sequels of fan-favorite films never saw the light. We have updated this list with other movies that Disney canceled before they could become a part of a whole franchise.

15 The Chicken Little Sequel Focused On A Love Triangle

Chicken Little singing on bed with microphone in flashlight spotlight - Chicken Little (2005)

Shortly after the premiere of Chicken Little, Disney announced plans to make a sequel directed by Klay Hall. The film was eventually canceled by John Lasseter when he took control of Walt Disney Animation Studios. Chicken Little 2 would've focused on a love triangle between Chicken Little, Abby Mallard, and Raffaela, a French sheep.

As a play on the fact that Abby is an ugly duckling herself, the movie would involve a makeover for her. In fact, its title would've been Chicken Little 2: The Ugly Duckling Story according to certain sources. Others have announced it would've been Chicken Little 2: Mission to Mars, but there's no way to know the motivation behind this.

14 Save U Was The Canceled Sky High Sequel

Sky High Poster with all characters on it

Following the 2005 film Sky High, Save U was announced in 2016. The film was going to follow the original characters as they graduated from High School and moved on to Savior's University. Some fans think Sky High is unarguably one of the best Disney live-action movies, but this wasn't a general opinion.

Because of Sky High's commercial failure during its initial release, Save U was canceled. It likely wouldn't be a lucrative venture, especially since it has been so long after the original film aired. Although the film had gone through early developmental stages, it didn't make it much further.

13 Tim Burton Didn't Want To Do Nightmare Before Christmas 2

Jack Skellington's silhouette in front of the moon in The Nightmare Before Christmas

One of Disney's fan-favorites during Halloween and the Holidays, Nightmare Before Christmas is quite a cultural phenomenon. Disney knew a sequel would earn a lot of money, but Tim Burton and Henry Selick said no.

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Disney demanded making the film using CG. Both Selick and Burton agreed that making the film digital would strip it of its magic, which widely depends on stop-motion.

12 The Aristocats 2 Proved Too Chaotic To Finish

Disney's The Aristocats Poster

A sequel to The Aristocats was suggested in the early 2000s. The story was set to follow the five felines as they cruised through Europe with Madame Adelaide. Several other elements were also introduced, including a jewel thief aboard the ship, a love interest for Marie, and new animals for the cats to interact with.

Aristocats 2 went through extensive storyboarding and was ready for production, but due to the mounting costs and lack of a cohesive storyline, the project was shelved and later canceled altogether.

11 Roger Rabbit II: The Toon Platoon Was Scripted Twice

The poster for Who Framed Roger Rabbit film

First scripted in 1989, Roger Rabbit II: The Toon Platoon was pitched to Disney as a sequel to Who Framed Roger Rabbit? The script followed Roger Rabbit, who, after learning he was adopted, set out on a quest to find his birth parents.

Following the initial draft, a second script was written in 1990, building on the events of the first. Steven Spielberg was approached to direct the film, but he turned it down with the complaint that the script's setting in 1943 was problematic as the suggested depiction of WWII Nazis was too cartoonish. With Spielberg's rejection, the film was canceled.

10 Hercules: The Trojan War Didn't Make It Past The Proposal Stage

Disney Hercules Poster

Hercules II: The Trojan War was proposed in the late 90s with the hopes that it would get a 2001 release date. The film would have followed the married couple, Hercules and Meg, and their daughter Hebe as they tried to stop the Trojan war by rescuing Helen from Paris of Troy.

When Lasseter rose to the rank of Disney CEO, he canceled all direct-to-video sequels, including Hercules II. The movie hadn't even made it past the proposal stage. To this day, Hercules is the only film from the Disney renaissance without a sequel.

9 Recess: The First Day Of School Would've Been A Beloved Prequel

Recess: TJ with Vince, Gretchen, Mikey, Gus, and Spinelli

One of Disney's most successful series, Recess made its way to the big screen with Recess: School's Out. Recess: The First Day of School was supposed to follow the gang's adventures as they adjusted to the fourth grade before Gus moved to town.

Sadly for the fans, John Lasseter became head of Disney around the time of production and stopped the production of all direct-to-DVD sequels. Since Recess' popularity was down by the early 2000s, the film would've never made it to cinemas.

8 Dumbo 2 Would Have Seen Dumbo In New York

Dumbo 2 Concept Art

Dumbo 2 would have followed the happy train, Casey Jr., as it stopped in New York for its next trip, but Dumbo and a host of other baby animals would soon find themselves lost in the big city. Between awaiting rescue and searching for their friends, they would have also spent time fixing their various character flaws.

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The film was initially slated for a 2001 release, but Lasseter eventually canceled, with little hope of getting a revival. In the end, fans got a live-action version, but this only rebooted the story they already know.

7 Mulan Was Almost A Trilogy

Mulan defending her father from a Royal guard in the film Mulan

Two years before the release of Mulan II, Raymond Singer and Eugenia Bostwick-Singer officially submitted a sequel for the film. Mulan III focused on a new character named Ana Ming, which fans highly suspected would've been Mulan's daughter with Ping.

Unfortunately for fans of this princess, Mulan II did terribly. Critics regarded the film as a huge disrespect to the original Mulan. This discouraged Disney from pursuing her story any further, so Mulan III was shelved and Ana Ming never made it anywhere.

6 Monster's Inc. 2 Would Have Reunited Sully And Boo

All main Monsters Inc. characters posing for the camera
"MONSTERS, INC. 3D" ©2012 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Before the concept of Monsters University, a sequel to Monster's Inc. was suggested wherein Sully and Mike would attempt to visit Boo for her birthday. Upon traveling through her door, they'd discover that she had moved house, so the pair would undergo a quest to find their favorite human friend again.

Despite the interesting plot, Monsters Inc. 2 was scrapped when Pixar and Disney merged, closing down Circle 7 Animation Studios in the process. As the script belonged to Circle 7 Studios, the project was canceled.

5 Pinocchio 2 Was About Pinocchio Learning About Real Life

Disney's Pinocchio Poster

Like Hercules II, Pinocchio was also canceled in the straight-to-video sequel purge. Little is known about the proposed sequel other than it followed Pinocchio in a combination of stories as he learned how to be a real boy.

While the first film saw Pinocchio learn what it meant to be honest and kind, the sequel would have taught him other lessons, leading him to a question that many children ask at one point or another, 'why isn't life fair?' Without a sequel to answer this question, audiences will have to come up with their own answers.

4 Snow White Returns Was A Compilation Of Deleted Scenes

Snow White singing to a bird in Disney's animated Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs.

Little is known about the proposed sequel to the very first Disney film, Snow White, other than it was canceled shortly after being pitched. The film would have followed the dwarves as they prepared for Snow White's first visit back to their cottage. The fan-favorite princess, now married, would go back to see her friends.

Deleted scenes from the 1937 animation were to be used to create the sequel, giving audiences the famous soup scene accompanied by Frank Churchill's song, 'Music in Your Soup,' as well as another deleted scene that showed the dwarves' unsuccessful attempt at making a full-sized bed for Snow White. Although the sequel was canceled, the deleted scenes were later shown on the Snow White Diamond Edition DVD.

3 The Seven Dwarfs Was A Canceled CGI Prequel To Snow White

The Seven Dwarfs in CGI next to them in 2D animation

Although technically a prequel, The Seven Dwarfs was another potential follow-up to the Snow White story. This CGI tale would have shown the dwarves' lives before meeting the princess and the Evil Queen's ascension to the throne.

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One of the suggested scenes for the film was Dopey witnessing the death of his mother, the shock of which being the reason for his lost voice. However, scenes like this were considered too dark, so the film was canceled because of creative differences among the production team.

2 Fantasia Canceled Two Possible Sequels

Mickey dancing with a broom in Fantasia

40 years after Fantasia in 1980, Wolfgang Reitherman and Mel Shaw announced they were working on a Fantasia-inspired project named Musicana. The film, which had "an ambitious concept mixing jazz, classical music, myths, modern art and more," never made it through. Instead, Disney prioritized the 1983 film Mickey's Christmas Carol.

Decades later following the success of Fantasia 2000, Disney began developing Fantasia 2006. The film was set to include creations from different successful artists, like Roger Allers, Pixote Hunt, and even Salvador Dalí, but was canceled for unknown reasons in 2004. Luckily, its segments became short films: Destino, One by One, The Little Matchgirl, and Lorenzo.

1 Treasure Planet 2 Was Planned In Detail

movie poster for Disney's Treasure Planet

Before the first Treasure Planet was released, the production team already had a sequel planned. The sequel was to see James Hawkins enroll in The Intergalactic Academy, of which Captain Amelia would have been the new headmistress. Treasure Planet 2 would have marked the return of Long John Silver, the introduction of a new villain known as Iron Beard, and a rival turned love interest for Jim. The sequel was expected to lead into a spinoff TV series that would continue Jim's schooling further. The sequel and series were quickly canceled after Treasure Planet's failed reception.

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