Disney decided to release many animated sequels in the ’90s and 2000s. Rather than investing time and money into these follow-ups, however, the studio turned them into lower-quality direct-to-video releases. Unfortunately, it shows.
Because we already acknowledged that not every Disney sequel is bad, we’re here now to take a look at the ones that clearly fell short. Rather than selecting these ourselves, however, we’re turning to IMDb for answers.
The popular entertainment website has assigned every direct-to-video Disney sequel a star score. This number is based on the votes of registered users, on a scale of 1 to 10, and it’s what we’ll be using to count down to the worst.
Before we get started, it’s worth noting that we will also be including prequels, midquels, and spin-offs in this list, as long as the original Disney movie each is based on had a theatrical release.
With that said, it’s time to visit a much lower point in Disney animation; Here are the worst direct-to-video sequels of all time, according to the fans at IMDb.
Tarzan II (2005): 5.6
Though 1999’s Tarzan swung into success, its midquel failed to fly high.
Tarzan II focuses on the young titular character as he figures out what his purpose is among the apes he’s always known. Though he explores the habits of the other animals, he eventually gets set back-on-track after meeting a lonely ape with a lesson.
On the upside, Phil Collins created two new songs for the films, the voice work was strong, and the animation was pretty. On the downside, the story is simplistic and felt unnecessary in relation to the greater Tarzan narrative.
The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000): 5.6
Catching up with Ariel and Erica several years after the original, 2000’s The Little Mermaid II follows the adventures of their 12-year-old daughter, Melody. While Ariel dreamed up going on the land, Melody dreams of journeying under the sea despite it being forbidden by her parents.
While The Little Mermaid II wasn’t terrible on its own, it paled in comparison when put next to its predecessor. Viewers criticized the cast’s out-of-character personality shifts, the art design, and the unoriginal plot, which seemed to borrow far too many elements from the first film.
Beauty and the Beast: Belle’s Magical World (1998): 5.4
This 1998 musical is the second direct-to-video Beauty and the Beast tale to be released, after The Enchanted Christmas. Acting as a midquel, the events of the story take place after Belle and Beast celebrate Christmas but before Gaston charges for the castle.
Belle’s Magical World pulled together three episodes from the unreleased television show based on the original film including one in which Belle and Beast learn to forgive each other, another where Lumiere and Fifi have an anniversary, and finally one where Belle cares for an injured bird. The 20003 special edition included a fourth episode, in which Mrs. Potts overcomes her dreary-weather depression.
Because of the episodic format, the sequel felt strangely segmented. Additionally, the songs were mediocre, the writing was poor, and the animation fell flat.
Tarzan & Jane (2002): 5.4
A few years after the midquel, Disney decided to release a true Tarzan sequel comprised of three unaired episodes from The Legend of Tarzan TV series.
Taking place a year after the original, Jane and Tarzan anticipate their wedding anniversary. A series of flashbacks show events from their first year together including the times when Jane’s friends visited the jungle, Tarzan tried to get a jewel for Jane, and a secret agent kidnapped Jane.
Fans hated how Tarzan and Jane’s characters had been simplified and cleaned up. Additionally, the animation was uninspired.
The Fox and the Hound 2 (2006): 5.3
This 2006 animation expanded the story of The Fox and the Hound by focusing on the years in which Tod and Copper were still young.
The story sees Copper considering a run with the Singin’ Strays after dog Dixie leaves the band. However, he soon learns that show business isn’t all it seems and finds that his friendship with Tod grows strained as a result.
Coming decades after the original, this sequel felt largely unnecessary. Though the animation had improved, the story felt out of place.
Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams (2007): 5.2
Though Disney planned on making several spinoff shorts stories about its princesses, Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams was the only one that ever came to fruition.
The direct-to-video release featured two separate narratives, one in which Sleeping Beauty’s Aurora reigns over the kingdom while her parents are gone, and another in which Aladdin’s Jasmine hoping for more responsibility.
The simplistic stories were unnecessarily brief and low-quality, even when compared to the other direct-to-video sequels.
Atlantis: Milo’s Return (2003): 5.1
Atlantis: The Lose Empire didn’t perform as Disney had hoped at the box office. Nevertheless, the film studio wasn’t going to pass up the chance to capitalize on the story by releasing a direct-to-video follow-up.
Like many Disney sequels, Atlantis: Milo’s Return was made up of three episodes of an unfished TV series. In these, Milo and his wife Kida attempt to battle the monsters that are wreaking havoc on the world.
Though Atlantis never reached the popularity Disney had hoped for, the original was still stylish and interesting. This one lacked originality and featured inferior animations.
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2002): 5.0
1950’s Cinderella received two sequels. The first of these saw Cinderella planning a party, Jaq getting the chance to live as a human, and Anastasia engaging in a forbidden romance with a baker.
Though the film made over $100 million in direct-to-video sales, critics found that it played like mashed-together TV episodes even though Disney had the opportunity to make a cohesive story. Though Cinderella II was vibrant, it lacked the charm that made the original so sweet.
Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998): 4.9
Though 1995’s Pocahontas was controversial upon its release, this didn’t stop Disney from releasing a sequel in 1998.
This time, the heroine travels to England where she hopes to bring peace between her people and the Englishmen alongside John Rolfe.
Viewers felt that while the film had its entertaining moments, it wasn’t as visually impressive as the original and failed to carry the same emotional weight.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2002): 4.7
Topping off the list as the lowest-rated direct-to-video Disney sequel of all time is The Hunchback of Notre Dame 2.
This time, Quasimodo and the gang attempt to fight against the schemes of a villainous circus owner who wants to steal the beautiful bell in Notre Dame Cathedral.
The animation looked dated, the run-time was short, and the weighty story of the original was cheapened by plot points nobody asked for.
