10 Underrated Disney Movies That Deserved A Sequel

Although Disney has produced plenty of sequels over the years, some of the studio’s underappreciated gems seem to have missed their chance. Many of the best animated Disney movies have received sequels, even if they were direct-to-video movies that have been forgotten about.

The current slate of upcoming Disney movies includes several more sequels, as the studio looks to cash in on their most popular characters. This is a slight shift from Disney’s history, when sequels were released without much fanfare. It’s a shame to consider all the underrated Disney movies which should have gotten sequels, especially those that seem to tee up more stories.

10

Raya & The Last Dragon (2021)

There’s Still Time For One Of Disney’s Recent Hits

Raya and the Last Dragon

7/10

Release Date

March 5, 2021

Runtime

112 minutes

Director

Carlos López Estrada, Don Hall

Writers

Qui Nguyen, Adele Lim

Raya and the Last Dragon is one of Disney’s best recent animated movies, demonstrating that the studio is still capable of crafting unique stories. One of the great strengths of Raya and the Last Dragon is the way that it infuses the mythology and the landscape of South East Asia into the story. Surely, it’s a prime candidate for a sequel that could explore more of Kumandra.

Raya and the Last Dragon ends with Kumandra uniting once again, but the end of its civil war means that a sequel could look beyond the borders to fill in the edges of the map. A chance for some more detailed worldbuilding would be welcome, no matter what direction a sequel might take.

9

Robin Hood (1973)

There Are Many Robin Hood Stories To Choose From

Robin Hood

Release Date

November 8, 1973

Runtime

83 Minutes

Director

Wolfgang Reitherman

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The English folk tale of Robin Hood reaches back hundreds of years, but Disney’s 1973 movie manages to make it feel fresh. One of the studio’s underrated gems reimagines the main players as woodland critters, but it has the same blend of action, adventure and romance which makes any good Robin Hood adaptation work.

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Since there’s hundreds of years’ worth of folklore to sift through, Disney could easily have made at least one sequel to Robin Hood. One thing missing from the movie is Robin’s band of “Merry Men“. Perhaps a sequel could have been more of an ensemble comedy about Robin and Friar Tuck forming a new group.

8

Onward (2020)

Pixar’s Road Trip Comedy Has More to Explore

Onward

6/10

Release Date

March 6, 2020

Runtime

103 minutes

Director

Dan Scanlon

Writers

Dan Scanlon

Many of Pixar’s best movies have already gotten sequels, while the studio has even more in the works. The second-tier of Pixar movies tend to get overlooked, however, and this is the fate that has befallen Onward. Released at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Onward arrived to little fanfare and was soon relegated to obscurity.

While it may not be as immediately captivating as Pixar’s greatest hits, Onward has plenty of sequel potential. The suburban fantasy setting reflects the meeting of the everyday and the absurd that Pixar often explores, while the relationship between the two brothers could easily sustain another comedic adventure.

7

The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

The Detective Story Could Have Been An Entire Series

The Great Mouse Detective

Release Date

July 2, 1986

Runtime

74 minutes

Director

Ron Clements, Burny Mattinson, David Michener, John Musker

Writers

Peter Young, Vance Gerry, Steve Hulett, Ron Clements, John Musker, Bruce Morris

Although it’s never explicit about its influences, The Great Mouse Detective obviously takes inspiration from the character of Sherlock Holmes. As such, it could have had just as many sequels as some other adaptations, but this wasn’t Disney’s style at the time.

The Great Mouse Detective was a bright spot in a dreary period for Disney, although it wasn’t an immediate hit. It’s a surprise to see that it didn’t even receive one of Disney’s low-budget direct-to-video sequels, since the premise and the characters are so easy to work with.

6

The Sword In The Stone (1963)

Disney’s Arthurian Tale Is Based On A Book With Several Sequels

The Sword in the Stone

Release Date

December 25, 1963

Runtime

79 Minutes

Director

Wolfgang Reitherman

Writers

Bill Peet

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The Sword in the Stone is based on the book of the same name by T. H. White, who followed it up with three sequels. Disney decided against adapting any of these other books, although it’s easy to see how a sequel movie could follow Arthur’s journey as he becomes king.

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The ending of The Sword in the Stone seems to set up the rest of the story, as Arthur claims his throne but frets about the future. There are still plenty of problems to solve in a sequel. It would be the rare case of a follow-up movie feeling just as necessary as the original.

5

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

The Good Dinosaur Didn’t Quite Reach Its Potential

The Good Dinosaur

7/10

Release Date

November 25, 2015

Runtime

93MINUTES

Director

Peter Sohn

Writers

Bob Peterson, Enrico Casarosa

The Good Dinosaur is one of Pixar’s most visually stunning movies, but the quality of the narrative doesn’t quite live up to the gorgeous landscapes. Still, there’s enough potential in the quirky prehistoric setting to suggest that a sequel could surpass the original. Pixar has done this before with the Toy Story franchise.

The Good Dinosaur may have suffered from the weight of expectations that were thrust upon it, since the marriage of Pixar’s child-friendly style and the obvious appeal of dinosaurs seemed to make it a sure-fire winner. The Good Dinosaur takes an unexpected approach, but a sequel could introduce some more characters to freshen things up.

4

The Aristocats (1970)

The Aristocats Was A Huge Commercial Success

The Aristocats

Release Date

December 24, 1970

Runtime

78 minutes

Director

Wolfgang Reitherman

Writers

Larry Clemmons, Vance Gerry, Ken Anderson, Frank Thomas, Eric Cleworth, Julius Svendsen

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Although The Aristocats was a box office hit, it never achieved the status of a true Disney classic. Aside from one obviously problematic character that wouldn’t fly by today’s standards, The Aristocats deserves more love as a light, playful family comedy with great music.

If a modern Disney movie achieved the same level of commercial success that The Aristocats did, it would almost certainly get a sequel somewhere down the line. The Aristocats also has ample creative reasons for a sequel, since the story seems to suggest that Duchess and her kittens have accepted more chaos and adenture in their lives.

3

Brave (2012)

Other Disney Princesses Have Had Their Own Sequels

Brave

7/10

Release Date

June 21, 2012

Runtime

1h 33m

Director

Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, Steve Purcell

Writers

Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman, Irene Mecchi

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It’s easy to forget that Brave is a Pixar production, since Disney princess movies have been one of the studio’s most treasured traditions from the start. While many other princesses have gotten their own sequels, with mixed results, Merida seems to have missed out.

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Although Merida is an official Disney princess, Brave isn’t nearly as popular as the likes of Beauty and the Beast or Mulan. This might explain why she hasn’t appeared in a sequel, but Scottish folklore has plenty of rich stories, characters and creatures to explore.

2

A Bug’s Life (1998)

Pixar’s Forgotten Gem Has Probably Missed Its Chance

A Bug’s Life

Release Date

November 25, 1998

Runtime

95 minutes

Director

John Lasseter

Writers

Andrew Stanton, Bob Shaw

Producers

Darla K. Anderson

A Bug’s Life was just Pixar’s second feature-length film, and it’s been completely overshadowed by Toy Story. There’s a lot to love about A Bug’s Life, from its imposing villain to its charming animal-based humor. Still, it seems like a movie that Pixar is happy to forget.

While Pixar has reached back into the archives to produce sequels to their old hits after a decade or more, it’s hard to imagine this ever happening for A Bug’s Life. It’s a shame that it doesn’t get as much love as Pixar’s other early hits, but this adds to its cult status.

1

Treasure Planet (2002)

Treasure Planet Explores One Small Corner Of An Inviting Universe

Treasure Planet

Release Date

November 27, 2002

Runtime

95minutes

Director

John Musker

Writers

John Musker

Treasure Planet was a product of a strange era for Disney, and its unusual animation style highlights the way that it’s torn between older 2-D classics and the popular 3-D animated movies that would later pull the studio out of its slump. It has a unique personality, and it would be interesting to see this style come back for a sequel.

While Treasure Planet would also be a good candidate for one of Disney’s live-action remakes, the huge universe that the movie hints at is in need of some more exploration. A potential sequel would have plenty of room to roam, as long as it maintained the same spirit of swashbuckling adventure.