Many movies conjure up overwhelming nostalgia and very strong emotions in their audience, but Disney and their animated films seem to hold an extra special place in many people’s hearts. Disney has increasingly swallowed up more properties, but its heart remains in animation and Disney’s Golden Age of animated movies is still iconic.
The success of these Disney movies can sometimes become a double-edged sword in the sense that they’re hit with a number of sequels, direct-to-video, or otherwise. Sequels to cherished classic properties are becoming increasingly popular, especially from Disney, and it turns into a situation that has both its benefits and detriments.
10 Should Do More: To Recapture The Glory Days
There’s an undeniable energy around certain classic Disney characters and it’s why they’ve returned in various capacities, whether it’s through television series, promotional materials, or even sequels. It’s very valuable for Disney to establish new characters, but that shouldn’t mean that classic characters and movies are automatically off-limits.
There are definitely occasions where the right elements are present to justify a return to these worlds, but these sequels also capture the same magic as their predecessors. It’s not an easy feat to pull off, but when it happens it’s incredible.
9 Should Do Less: Tarnishes The Original & Has More To Lose
There’s a lot of temptation to return to familiar territory and for that reason, there’s a very comforting feeling to Disney animated sequels that’s not always present for original endeavors. However, there’s a lot more at risk with sequels and that feeling of comfort may not be worth a shoddy sequel that can retroactively hurt the original.
The events of a sequel can of course just be ignored, but they do get under people’s skin, and considering that fans can get extremely passionate and protective over this material, it almost seems like sequels aren’t worth the risk.
8 Should Do More: Find New Angles To Explore From The Original & Add Depth
The situation around most classic Disney animated movies is that they operate as origin stories of sorts where these princesses or heroes accept their call to action. They all operate as excellent introductions to these worlds and many of them, much like fairy tales, end on the traditional “happily ever after” conclusion.
A sequel doesn’t always have to lazily repeat the original premise or center on the next generation of these characters. Now that the heavy lifting in terms of character development is out of the way there are more opportunities to add actual depth to these somewhat archetypal characters.
7 Should Do Less: The Creative Team Will Likely Be Different
The characters and story behind a Disney film are important, but it can be underestimated how much of their success has to do with the writer, director, and creative team that help give it all a personality.
In this case, a sequel can have an excellent premise, but if new writers are on board that just don’t understand the characters or aren’t as elegant as their predecessors then the sequel will suffer. Sometimes the teams behind classic Disney movies aren’t around any longer or in more current situations these individuals have already moved onto new challenges.
6 Should Do More: Sometimes Sequels Are Genuinely Better
A stigma still surrounds sequels, but it ultimately boils down to the level of respect that’s put into the project. There are plenty of examples of sequels that aren’t just satisfying, but genuinely better than their predecessors.
There are times where the best storyline can’t be told the first time around because there's other necessary business. Disney has released some decent sequels to Lilo & Stitch, The Little Mermaid, and even the more recent Wreck-It Ralph. Sequels should at least be considered and not immediately be off the table.
5 Should Do Less: They Minimize Original Ideas
The fact that sequels still have a contentious reputation doesn’t come out of nowhere. This prejudice exists mostly because a sequel can be the easy approach where a new chapter will get greenlit before there’s even a story, simply because it’s popular.
At the same time, sequels still do well because of the brand name recognition behind them and because they can still do well with little effort. When this approach exists, it becomes easier to shut down original ideas that suddenly seem risky because they don’t have a built-in audience. It sets a dangerous precedent.
4 Should Do More: They Can Redeem Movies That Didn't Connect The First Time Around
A lot of the time a sequel is an opportunity to get more of what worked in the first movie and hopefully be able to take it someplace new. It’s a rarer scenario, but sometimes there are situations where mediocre movies are given another chance to course-correct what went wrong.
In this sense, sequels allow Disney the chance to repair some of their more unsuccessful properties and help them gain new life rather than only considering the movies that are major hits. Disney even has the ideal infrastructure for this distribution method with Disney+.
3 Should Do Less: It Can Feel Manipulative & An Easy Cash Grab
Due to what so many sequels have represented in the past, there are still a lot of people who will dismiss a sequel without even seeing it because they’re offended at using the property’s popularity to make easy money. Unfortunately, these movies can often be designed to make money more than they care about the art.
Audiences feel such a connection to these characters that they can get personally offended when shameless sequels take advantage of their emotions to make some easy money. It can generate a bad will that sticks with audiences.
2 Should Do More: They Can Use Modern Animation On It
Disney has shown a lot of growth in terms of the animation styles that fill their movies. They’ve shown that they can effortlessly tackle both 2D and 3D animation, which they embraced at different times. There’s something to be said for consistency, but animation has come a tremendous way since Disney’s Golden Age and it’s interesting to consider how some properties might translate over with new art styles that reflect modern technology.
CG animation isn’t always the best approach, but it could be compelling to see some classic movies have sequels that reinterpret them through new art styles.
1 Should Do Less: Sensibilities Have Changed & What Once Worked May Not Anymore
Not every Disney sequel is to a classic property and sometimes they quickly follow the success of modern hits, like with Frozen. However, a lot of the time these sequels will return to Disney’s most appealing properties, which are now suddenly scrutinized in a new light.
Disney’s animated movies are far from edgy and controversial, but there’s just a certain level of sophistication that now exists for both animation and programming for younger audiences. Sometimes there can be a good idea for a sequel, but the property itself no longer works and it’s inherently misguided.