Franchises Ruined By Disney, Ranked
For most of us, Disney is synonymous with childhood and nostalgia. We all have watched at least one of their films if not all. Disney has had an important presence in our lives and so it is obvious that many people have strong opinions about their films. And we know how much money they can milk on the basis of the very same nostalgia. And no one knows this better than Disney, They can do anything to sell us our childhood back to us.
But that doesn’t always turn out to be a great thing. And some of them are just so bad that Disney actually ruined some great franchises.
1. Mulan II – 2003
Mulan was a perfect movie. Disney managed a decent fantasy take on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan; a fierce woman warrior who hides her gender to enlist in the army. Her identity is then revealed and she earns respect from her fellow soldiers.
In the sequel, Mulan gets engaged to Shang and they are sent on a mission by the Emperor. They have to travel across China escorting his three daughters to meet their suitors. And Mulan ends up becoming the exact opposite of what she was in the 1998 film. The first movie saw her not conforming to gender stereotypes. But in the second film, she is complying with all those traditions. It’s just so weird and trash and has an amazing 0% on Rotten Tomatoes.
2. Pocahontas II: Journey To A New World – 1998
1995’s Pocahontas was fantastic. It fictionalized a take on the life of the real-life Native American princess. It’s not the best film, but it was great to see even though it has many problems from the start and ended up on an average note.
The second film opted for a different approach. The story shows John Smith being ambushed by a group of soldiers in London. And then it appears Smith is dead. As Pocahontas comes to know about this news, she mourns over it for literally 5 mins and is over it. Then comes English diplomat John Rofle who wants a peace treaty with Chief Powhatan, but sends Pocahontas to England. We later come to know that Smith is alive and John Rofle has completely changed. Whereas the first film showed the character’s independence, the second film was about her choosing between 2 guys.
3. Cinderella II: Dreams Come True – 2002
When it comes to the stories in “Dreams Come True”, it is the same message “remaining true to yourself.” Yes, it is a great message but almost every kid movie has this same message. However, this movie did so well for a direct-to-video release and ranked in $120 million. This made Disney try a new approach for the threequel, A Twist in Time, and this film involved time travel with the alternate present.
Though the press loved these films, many concluded that it was an unnecessary addition to the franchise.
4. The Little Mermaid II: Return To The Sea – 2000
1989’s The Litter Mermaid was a great film and gained quite a lot of success. Disney decided to make a sequel. Everyone had a lot of expectations but it failed to live up to them. The film focuses on Ariel and Eric’s daughter Melody who has no idea about her mom’s aquatic adventures.
She finds a locket and sails away from home. Ariel has to go after her and Melody is turned into a mermaid. It is said that the change can be made permanent in exchange for King Triton’s trident. It’s literally the same story, just the other way around but worse.
5. Lilo And Stitch: Stitch Has A Glitch – 2005
Lilo & Stitch was an adorable film about a destructive alien who is tamed by a little girl, Lilo. The first direct-to-video sequel, Stitch! The Movie got positive reviews but the third film was a letdown.
In Stitch Has a Glitch, Stitch has nightmares about turning back to his bad programming. He was malfunctioning and acting crazy. He accidentally hurts Lilo and leaves the earth, but crashes into the Hawaiin mountains and he dies. But the family’s love for Stitch is so strong that it brings him back to life. Yes, the movie has some great values but teaching them that if they love something, they can never die… is not exactly healthy.
