Disney is famous for its beloved animated films, and while many recent successes have gotten sequels, some of their most classic movies never have. This is particularly true for Disney’s older films, though sequels were sometimes planned or even started before being cancelled. We’re taking a look at 12 of those cancelled Disney sequels and ranking them based on how much we wanted to see them made.
12. Chicken Little 2
The classic story of Chicken Little remains popular, and many people adore the main character. A sequel, Chicken Little 2, was even planned, with Tod Carter hired to direct the animation. The story was to focus on themes of friendship and how the characters handled jealousy caused by a new addition, but unfortunately, the movie was never finished.
Even though John Lasseter may have considered canceling the project (according to The Disney Classics), the original Chicken Little movie didn’t perform exceptionally well in theaters. It cost $150 million to make and earned $314 million worldwide, which, while profitable, wasn’t quite enough for Disney to immediately greenlight a sequel.
11. Bambi’s Children
The opening scene of Disney’s Bambi, released in 1942, is famously emotional and remains a beloved part of the Disney collection. A sequel, called Bambi’s Children, was once in development, and would have shown Bambi as a grown deer raising his own family.
Despite being a beloved film, Bambi wasn’t a huge financial success, likely because it came out during World War II. Walt Disney generally avoided making sequels, although he occasionally made exceptions. While a direct continuation of Bambi called Bambi’s Children never happened, a sequel titled Bambi 2 was eventually released as a direct-to-video film. However, Bambi 2 wasn’t a traditional sequel; it was set at a different point in time within the original movie’s storyline.
10. Dumbo II
The classic animated film Dumbo first came out in 1941, but it wasn’t until 2001 that a sequel was planned. Writer Robert Reese developed a story where all the baby circus animals get lost trying to return home. The sequel would have emphasized the importance of friendship and introduced new characters to the story.
I was really excited when I heard about Dumbo II – it actually got pretty far along! They even showed some behind-the-scenes stuff and had a logo designed. Sadly, it was cancelled after John Lasseter took over at Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2006. It wasn’t about the movie itself, but Disney decided to change how they were making direct-to-video sequels at the time, and that’s why it didn’t happen.
9. The Aristocats II
I remember hearing years ago that Disney was planning a sequel to The Aristocats through Disneytoon Studios. It was supposed to go straight to video, but it never actually happened. Apparently, they’d gone through a bunch of different story ideas, and when they tried to quickly get a version ready to pitch, they just couldn’t quite make it work.
The movie idea centered on cats aboard a cruise ship who encounter a jewel thief – a potentially exciting storyline. There was even a planned romance for the character Marie. However, because the timeline for completion was too tight, the film was ultimately scrapped.
8. Mulan III
Unlike most of the films on this list, Disney planned a trilogy for Mulan. The original Mulan came out in 1998, followed by Mulan II in 2005. A third film, Mulan III, was intended for release in 2007. It would have continued Mulan’s story a few months after the events of Mulan II, focusing on her helping a Chinese woman named Wei Hua rescue her father, Wu Takashi, who was being held captive in Japan.
The idea was promising, but two major events prevented it from happening. First, when Disney bought Pixar in 2006, some projects, including this one, were put on hold while they reorganized their plans. At the same time, the studio was transitioning from traditional 2D animation to 3D animation. These changes ultimately led to the project being cancelled, and a finished film was never made.
7. Pinocchio II
The classic Disney film Pinocchio came out in 1940. Years later, in the 2000s, Disneytoon Studios began working on a direct-to-video sequel. The original movie ends in a way that easily sets up a continuation, allowing viewers to follow Pinocchio’s adventures now that he’s become a real boy.
I recently dug up some info about a scrapped Pinocchio sequel that Robert Reese was writing. From what I understand, the story was going to tackle a surprisingly mature theme – Pinocchio learning to cope with the unfairness of life. Sadly, it never saw the light of day. When John Lasseter came on board at the studio, like many direct-to-video sequels, it was just… cancelled. It’s a shame, because that concept sounded really interesting.
6. Hercules II
Next up is Hercules II: The Trojan War, which came out in 2001. Following the first Hercules movie, Disney created an animated series that continued the story, and this sequel was planned to begin after the events of the series.
The movie was planned to show Hercules and Megara raising their daughter, Hebe, in Athens. The story would have involved Hercules going to war to rescue his friend Helen, who was captured by the villainous Paris of Troy. The plot also hinted at surprising discoveries, including the disappearance of another friend of Hercules. However, the film never moved past the planning stages. When John Lasseter became head of the studio, the project was canceled, along with other planned direct-to-video sequels.
5. Snow White Returns
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was one of Disney’s earliest and most beloved princess movies, so it’s not surprising Disney considered making a follow-up. However, though they did begin working on a sequel, it never became a complete film.
I recently learned about a fascinating little piece of Disney history! Apparently, they actually started making a sequel to Snow White, but it was a short film called Snow White Returns. It used some animation that was originally created for the first movie but ended up on the cutting room floor. From what I understand, the story would have taken place a year or two after the original, with Snow White revisiting the dwarfs. They never really explained why it wasn’t finished, but a rough version actually made it onto the Snow White Diamond Edition DVD, which is pretty cool!
4. Treasure Planet II
As a huge Disney fan, I was so excited when Treasure Planet came out in the early 2000s. Did you know they actually planned a sequel, Treasure Planet 2? It was supposed to come out around 2003 or 2004! The idea was that Jim Hawkins and Kate would team up with Long John Silver again, this time to stop a villain named Ironbeard from breaking his crew out of Botany Bay. And get this – Willem Dafoe was going to voice Ironbeard! It would have been amazing.
I really enjoyed Treasure Planet when it came out, and most people I talked to and critics seemed to feel the same. It’s a shame it didn’t do better in theaters, though. It was released around the same time as some really big movies and just couldn’t quite find its audience. Because of that, Disney decided to scrap plans for a sequel and even a TV show based on the film. It’s a bummer, honestly – I was curious to see where they would have taken the story next.
3. Tangled 2
I absolutely loved Tangled when it came out, and it did so well in theaters that I always wondered if we’d get a sequel! Turns out, we probably won’t, and Nathan Greno, one of the directors, recently explained why a second movie never happened.
Greno shared that the team did brainstorm ideas for a follow-up story, even dedicating hours to discussing it in a meeting. Ultimately, they decided there wasn’t a compelling enough story to pursue. While a short film and animated series were eventually released, a full sequel doesn’t appear to be in the works.
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas 2
Few movies are as beloved as The Nightmare Before Christmas, so it’s surprising there hasn’t been a follow-up. While a sequel was discussed, director Tim Burton didn’t want to create it using CGI – he preferred the original’s unique stop-motion style. Ultimately, Burton persuaded Disney to abandon the project. Although it’s disappointing we won’t be getting a sequel anytime soon, it’s good that Burton refused to compromise the quality of the original.
1. Roger Rabbit II: The Toon Platoon
The movie Roger Rabbit was a huge hit and famously combined real actors with animation, making it a truly unique film. It’s surprising it never got a sequel! Interestingly, plans were made for a prequel at one point, which would have shown Roger’s adventures during World War II.
The movie’s serious and somber tone, influenced by its World War II setting, proved to be a problem. When Steven Spielberg left the project, it effectively led to its cancellation. It’s a shame, and we can only imagine how good it might have been.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Read More
- Everything You Need To Know About Nikki Baxter In Stranger Things’ Animated Spinoff
- The Boys Season 5, Episode 5 Ending Explained: Why Homelander Does THAT
- Gemma Arterton spy thriller Secret Service based on hit novel gets release date confirmed on ITV
- Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun season 4 release schedule: When are new episodes on Crunchyroll?
- ‘The Bride!’ Review: Jessie Buckley Breathes Life into a Monstrous Mess
- After 11 Years, Black Clover Officially Ends With Final Release (& Crowns a New Wizard King)
- Miranda Kerr Shares “Quick” Procedure She Got Before Met Gala 2026
- 7 Most Brutal Avengers Villains, Ranked by Threat Level
- Blue Ivy Carter, 14, Makes Met Gala Debut as One of Youngest Guests
- 10 Best Free Games on Steam in 2026, Ranked
2026-05-07 07:12