Disney movies are some of the best in the industry. All Disney Fanatics know that familiar feeling of excitement that comes with the opening credits of the Walt Disney Studios theme, complete with the magical castle, the music, and the stunning animation.
Some of Disney’s biggest hits include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Jungle Book, and Sleeping Beauty; Disney movies have set a high standard for films with Disney princes and princesses capturing our hearts—be that animated or live-action. Admittedly Disney’s recent film performance has seen some ups and downs, something Disney CEO Bob Iger has addressed.
Through acquiring different properties, Disney has also expanded its repertoire, adding movies like Princess Bride to its owned list of films. However, it’s a wild, wide world of stories out there, and there are some movies that this writer would love to see Disney make.
The Princess and the Pea
The Princess and the Pea is a well-known fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen. Disney fans will recognize the name as many of Disney’s productions are inspired by his fairytales. The premise of the fairytale is that a princess is put through a test to see if she is fit to become the wife of a lonely prince.
Let’s address the obvious: the premise is a little… outdated. But the tale was one of my favorites as a child, and considering how Disney has been reworking these stories to fit the modern context—think The Little Mermaid—I’m hopeful the Mouse House will be able to work its magic again.
Rumplestiltskin
Disney subsidiary ABC did create a live-action TV series, Once Upon a Time, that featured the character of Rumplestiltskin. ABC’s rendition of the character featured elements from both the Beast from Beauty and the Beast and the crocodile from Peter Pan. The character comes from a German fairytale and was part of the Brothers Grimm’s 1812 edition of Children’s and Household Tales. The story is about a little imp who spins straw into gold in exchange for a girl’s firstborn child.
The character was quite beloved in Once Upon a Time, and given the growing trend of movies that depict the backstory of many villains—humanizing them and showing a different side to their stories—Disney has a lot of potential to make waves with this character.
Baba Yaga
Finally, the stuff of children’s nightmares: the witch, Baba Yaga.
The original tale is quite gory, not unlike many other original folktales that became Disney films. She is an ogress who steals, cooks, and eats children and is a guardian of the fountains of the water of life. Baba Yaga lives with two or three sisters (all known as Baba Yaga) in a forest hut that spins continually on birds’ legs. While quite terrifying as a concept, recall again, Disney’s movies like Maleficent, Cruella, the Descendants series, and more.
The Mouse House can certainly make this work.
Other honorable mentions include Little Red Riding Hood, the Snow Queen, and any of Tim Burton’s creations.
While Disney has announced no plans to make any of these, this writer certainly lives in the hope that one day, we’ll see a Disney rendition of these iconic characters and tales.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s opinion and may not reflect Disney Fanatic’s opinion as a whole.
Disney also needs to make a movie based on the Bremen Town Musicians, a movie based on Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories, and a movie based on Mother Goose rhymes.