46 Years Ago Today, a Forgotten Disney Film Introduced an Iconic Movie Star (And Now You Can’t Even Stream It)

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Sometimes movies and shows from Disney‘s past aren’t available on Disney+ for a variety of reasons. It could be due to licensing agreements, or because Disney decides not to renew contracts for less popular content, like with the movie Artemis Fowl. Certain titles, such as Song of the South, are excluded due to problematic content. Other times, like with Midnight Madness, the reason isn’t explicitly stated, but likely stems from the film’s content not fitting with Disney+’s current brand. Interestingly, Midnight Madness holds a special place in film history as it marked the first on-screen appearance of a very famous Hollywood star.

That’s Michael J. Fox, best known for Back to the Future and recently back on screen in Shrinking. This film actually came out two years before he starred in Family Ties, and five years before he began his adventures with Doc Brown. So, what is this lesser-known Disney movie? Let’s take a look.

Why Isn’t Midnight Madness on Disney+ and Can You Find It Anywhere Else?

The movie Midnight Madness follows five teams of young people competing in a scavenger hunt across Los Angeles. Each team is characterized by a distinct personality type: the Yellow Team is full of genuinely nice people, the Blue Team is made up of unpleasant individuals, the Green Team consists of athletes, the Red Team is comprised of socially awkward sorority sisters, and the White Team is filled with intelligent but nerdy types.

This movie doesn’t feel like a typical Disney production. It’s different from the live-action adventure films Disney made with Kurt Russell in the 60s and 70s, and it doesn’t resemble their animated classics either. It’s geared towards teenagers, which explains why it received a PG rating – a relatively rare thing for Disney. However, some of the humor relies on making fun of people who are considered ‘nerdy,’ and it occasionally includes insensitive comments about body weight.

Disney didn’t include the “Walt Disney Pictures Presents” logo until the 2004 DVD release. Many believe the film would have originally been produced under Disney’s Touchstone Pictures label – a division created in 1984 with Splash for more mature audiences, and which continued until 2016 with The Light Between Oceans. Despite this, it remains an enjoyable film, offering a glimpse at several well-known people at the beginning of their careers.

This wasn’t just the first film for Scott Larson. It also marked the acting debut of David Naughton, who played David, the leader of the heroic Yellow Team. He later became famous for his role as David Kessler in An American Werewolf in London the following year.

The Blue Team featured Stephen Furst, recently known from Animal House. Maggie Roswell, who later became a prolific voice actress on The Simpsons (including the character Maude Flanders), played on the Red Team. Eddie Deezen, between his roles in Grease and WarGames, was on the White Team, and Dirk Blocker, famous for playing the quirky Detective Hitchcock on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, played for the Green Team. Notably, this event marked one of the first roles for the late Paul Reubens, whose Pee-wee Herman character would gain popularity the following year.

While not widely known, Midnight Madness is a film worth watching. You won’t find it on Disney+, but it’s available to rent through Amazon Prime Video.

What Disney movie or show that’s currently not on Disney+ would you most like to see added? Share your thoughts in the comments below and discuss with other fans in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-02-08 17:14