The study Disney seems to have become aware of the fall in its popularity and is reacting in order to win back its fans. After announcing the return of one of the main craftsmen of the 1990s, the studio with big ears has just made a big decision that could – we hope – end several years of wandering. We tell you everything you need to know!
A decision that will change everything at Disney?
The decade 2010 was particularly lucrative for the Disney groupwhich accumulated the films exceeding one billion dollars at the box office. If we obviously think of the Marvel Studios, Star Wars and Pixar licenses, the Walt Disney Animation branch was not outdone. Three animation classics have become billionaires (The Snow Queen, Zootopia, The Snow Queen 2), a first for the studio with big ears! HASUtre signs of Disney’s good health: he won his first three Oscars for the best animated film in the last decadepour The Snow Queen, New heroes et Zootopia.
Unfortunately, despite the Oscar won by Charm in 2022 and triumph at the box office of Vaiana 2 In 2024, Walt Disney Animation is struggling to impose its animation classics since the health crisis that we have gone through. Raya and the last dragon (2021) et Avalonia: the strange trip (2022) came out in the most total indifference on Disney+, Charm et Wish: Asha and the good star were chess to the world box office.
To the one Wish is all the more painful since he was supposed to be the film of the centenary of the Disney studio … by wanting to imitate the animation style of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The studio with big ears only demonstrated after having been at the forefront of animation cinema for decades, he found himself in the Traine. If the future films already revealed (Zootopia 2, The Snow Queen 3 et The Snow Queen 4) seem to confirm that the group wants to focus on its strongest licenses at the expense of original stories, recent announcements seem to reveal another study strategy at Disney.
Last week, on the occasion of the Annecy’s animated film festival, Jared Bush – Director of Zootopia 2 and artistic director of Walt Disney Animation – notified the press of the return of Ron Clements in the studioto advise the new generation of directors. As a co-series and co-director of Basil, private detective (1988), The little mermaid (1989), Aladdin (1992), Hercule (1997), The treasure planet (2002) et Vaiana, the legend at the end of the world (2016), Ron Clements has largely contributed to the success of Disney to three generations of spectators.
While the return of Ron Clements suggested the desire of The Walt Disney Company to reconnect with its audience having grown with the Disney classics of the 1990s, a recent declaration by Jared Bush in the columns of The Wrap confirms it to us. Indeed, Walt Disney Animation is working on new 2D animated films. “I love 2D. We have 2D artists working on incredibly daring projects. I can’t say more for the moment“says the artistic director.
As a reminder, The last classic animation entirely in 2D from Disney studio is Winnie L’Ourson (2011)by Stephen J. Anderson and Don Hall. In response to the triumph of Pixar throughout the 2000s, The long ears studio decides a 100% 3D turning point from Creepsand this despite the first ineffective trials with Chicken Little In 2005. If, as we have seen, several Disney 3D films had a huge success at the box office during the 2010s, this choice aroused many criticisms from a part of the public, accustomed to 2D animation.
And you, what do you think of this new direction that the Disney studio takes? Do not hesitate to tell us in the commentary space. And to discover this major series that Disney+ has lost, it’s here.
