Ever since The Walt Disney Company opened its doors in 1923, the company has been working hard to create magical wonders that would enchant children for years to come. While the franchise quickly became known for princess movies and fairytale films, we all know that Disney has a lot more variety to offer. Truthfully, it seems that for every blockbuster Disney film out there, there are likely two or three films that have been shunted to the wayside. These underrated films still have a vast amount of potential, and some of them even could have had what it takes to create a new franchise or series for Disney.
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Given that Disney has been around and producing films for decades, it’s no surprise that there are a lot of cult classics worth talking about. These are the films that arguably didn’t perform as well as hoped at the box office, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad. We’ve all fallen in love with at least one film that nobody else seemed to care about, and have learned the hard way that quality does not always equal popularity.
7) Treasure Planet (2002)
Treasure Planet is a highly underrated sci-fi adventure, and we’re going to keep saying that until people listen. The movie is a modern take on the classic Treasure Island, written by Lewis Stevenson. It takes the familiar concept and pops into a future full of fantastical aliens, flying ships, and well, planetary adventures! What more could we have asked for?
The story follows young Jim Hawkins, who happens to be at the right place at the right time to throw himself headfirst into the adventure of a lifetime. With the help of a family friend, Doppler, he commissions a ship so they can track down a treasure of legend: a planet supposedly hollowed out and filled to the brim with treasure. Hence the name.
Treasure Planet was released in 2002 to a lukewarm reception. It didn’t pull the box-office numbers that Disney expected, though it was nominated for several awards. More importantly, this film has gained a dedicated cult following. Had this been the start of a new sci-fi branch of Disney, fans would have been thrilled to see what came next.
6) Enchanted (2007)
Enchanted took everything that fans loved about Disney princess films and made it live-action, adding a dash of comedy for good measure. People loved it and spent years begging for a sequel. Given the enthusiasm, one might think that it would have become a new Disney franchise. Sadly, the sequel (Disenchanted) took so long that much of the groundswell died before it came along.
The story starts in an animated land of Andalasia, where Giselle has just happily met her prince, setting her up for a life of happily ever after. Unfortunately, she is then tossed into the real (live-action) world, sans prince. This sets her on a new adventure, as the very normal human Robert finds her and tries to keep her alive. Romance, chaos, and songs ensue.
Overall, Enchanted did really well, both at the box office and with later sales. It’s surprising that Disney didn’t rush out a sequel (or ten). The film earned tons of nominations and got a lot of people talking. Enchanted starred Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Idina Menzel, and Susan Sarandon.
5) Oliver & Company (1988)
Disney figured out early on that kids just love a good animal-centric story. They even figured out that it’s okay if they break our hearts, as long as they (mostly) do so carefully. That brings us to Oliver & Company, a 1988 musical film all about the stray dogs and cats of New York City. It’s a playful retelling of Oliver Twist, in case the title didn’t give that away.
At the center of the story is an orange tabby named Oliver and a Jack Russel Terrier named Dodger. Dodger sort of takes little Oliver under his wings, teaching the kitten how to find food and steal what he needs to survive. The film didn’t do too great when it first came out, getting mixed reviews at best. That said, Oliver & Company has since transcended to cult classic status, with some fans even citing it as their favorite nostalgic Disney film.
Oliver & Company did have one major thing going against it when it released; it came out the same weekend as The Land Before Time. That probably explains a thing or two right there. Meanwhile, this film had a lot going for it, including music by Billy Joel. Oliver & Company starred Joey Lawrence, Billy Joel, Cheech Marin, Richard Mulligan, Roscoe Lee Brownie, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and many others.
4) George of the Jungle (1997)
Most people have at least a passing familiarity with the story of Tarzan. This is not that story, but it’s close. George of the Jungle is a quirky remake of the core concept, and you can tell the creators had a lot of fun making this film. George of the Jungle is about the titular character, George. He was lost in the jungle and left to be raised by gorillas, sound familiar so far, right? His primary parent is a giant gorilla named Ape, who just so happens to be much more intelligent than your average primate.
George spends his days swinging through the trees, hitting the massive trunks more often than not. Naturally, George’s life was changed forever when he met and rescued a woman named Ursula. She brought him back to the city, and things got chaotic fast.
All things said and done, George of the Jungle is basically a cartoon in live-action form. It’s silly, wacky, and its protagonist breaks the fourth wall at every opportunity. George of the Jungle did well enough to earn a second movie, which got a whole lot less attention. Careful crafting could have turned this into a comedic franchise.
George of the Jungle starred Brendan Fraser, Leslie Mann, Thomas Haden Church, Holland Taylor, Richard Roundtree, and John Cleese.
3) The Black Cauldron (1985)
Every now and then, Disney will break the mold and try something new. That gave us The Black Cauldron, a dark fantasy adventure film that, okay, admittedly scared a lot of kids. That said, this film had the potential to open a whole new door for Disney Studios. The story is loosely based on The Chronicles of Prydain, which pulls heavily from Welsh mythology.
The story follows Taran, a young boy who works at a local farm in the land of Prydain. One thing leads to another, and suddenly Taran is responsible for protecting a pig with oracular powers. Along his journey, he meets up with a few other allies, including Gurgi (the character many declare too creepy to tolerate) and Princess Eilonwy.
The Black Cauldron received relatively mixed reviews. However, the film was also pretty expensive to make, as it used relatively new animation styles that were still quite costly. Thus, it didn’t earn back what it cost. Since The Black Cauldron’s theatrical bomb, many viewers have stumbled across this film and joined the avid fandom. The Black Cauldron starred the voices of Grant Bardsley, Susan Sheridan, Freddie Jones, Nigel Hawthorne, Arthur Malet, John Byner, Phil Fondacaro, and John Hurt.
2) The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
The Nightmare Before Christmas is a beloved and creepy film hailing from the mind of Tim Burton. It’s based on one of Tim Burton’s poems, and it’s set in a mystical land known as Halloween Town. Following Jack Skellington, viewers learn all about the different lands that make all the holidays possible.
More specifically, we watch the chaos that befalls two holidays, as Jack gets it in his head to step away from Halloween and give Christmas a try…by kidnapping Santa Claus and getting all the citizens of Halloween Town to create their own spins of the snowy holiday.
Honestly, a lot of people love The Nightmare Before Christmas, so it’s shocking that Disney never capitalized on this film to make a franchise. For example, when Jack stumbled upon the Christmas door, fans can also see several other holiday doors (Valentine’s Day, Saint Patrick’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, etc.), any of which could have been the premise for the next film. The Nightmare Before Christmas starred the voices of Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, Paul Reubens, Ken Page, and Ed Ivory.
1) Bolt (2008)
Superheroes and pets, two trending themes in theaters, right? One would think that mashing the two together would create the perfect storm. Hence, Bolt was born. The story follows Bolt, a dog who has spent his entire life creating amazing shows for children. Naturally, this helped convince him that he’s a superhero in real life, complete with superpowers. So when his owner got kidnapped, Bolt knew (thought) he was more than up to the challenge.
Along the way, Bolt makes two friends/allies, Rhino the hamster and Mittens, an alley cat with a sarcastic streak a mile wide. Together, they’re going to do whatever it takes to save Penny. Sounds like the perfect formula for a kid’s movie, right?
At the end of the day, Bolt didn’t get the attention it deserved. It’s often forgotten when discussing Disney films of the 2000s, even though it had a star-studded cast. Bolt starred John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton, Malcolm McDowell, James Lipton, and Greg Germann.
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image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
