Canceled Animated Disney Sequels We'll Never Get To See

"Zootopia 2" is the 64th title in the Walt Disney Animation Studios canon, a pantheon largely consisting of non-sequels. Only a smattering, including "The Rescuers Down Under," "Fantasia 2000," and "Frozen II," have wriggled their way into existence. Disney's animation empire, which also includes Pixar and the acquired catalogue from the now-defunct Blue Sky Studios, is vast. However, much like those animated Disney moments that haven't aged well, awkwardness can be found in the Mouse House's relationship to sequels. 

We're not just talking about those direct-to-video installments from the '90s and 2000s. There are also many unmade animated Disney sequels. These proposed follow-ups vary wildly in the forms they would've taken. While some had their original creators attached, others, like an earlier iteration of "Toy Story 3," would've handed pre-existing characters to radically new creative teams. Still others promised to bring familiar figures and worlds into the farthest reaches of outer space.

Unlike "Zootopia 2" or "Inside Out 2," none of these proposed sequels ever got off the ground. The world will never know if they would've either sullied or lived up to the famous films they were following up. However, the tales as old as time behind their creative intent remains absorbing nonetheless.

2010's "Tangled" was a vital movie for Walt Disney Animation Studios. Throughout the preceding decade, hits had eluded the once-unstoppable label (save for 2002's "Lilo & Stitch"). "Tangled," meanwhile, cracked $200 million in the U.S., becoming the biggest Disney Animation release domestically since "The Lion King" 16 years earlier. A rebirth for Walt Disney Animation was afoot. Was a "Tangled 2" imminent? While such a project would be a no-brainer at other studios, such a production never materialized.

"Tangled" producer Roy Conli later divulged to Den of Geek that Disney indeed wanted more of Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) and Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi), which inspired the creative team to figure out what a sequel could look like. However, everyone decided that, with Rapunzel's magic hair gone, there was no point. "Tangled" directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard moved on to other projects, with the latter making oodles of money for Disney with subsequent endeavors like "Zootopia" and "Encanto." 

Disney never got "Tangled 2," but that doesn't mean the studio never further exploited this brand name. The TV show "Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure" ran for three seasons, while Rapunzel and other characters have made appearances in various video games and short films. The "Tangled" world lives on, just not in a traditional feature-length sequel.

Superhero movies spawn sequels. It's a truism that especially dominated the 2010s, when countless movies under the Marvel Cinematic Universe, "X-Men," Sony, and DC banners gripped multiplexes. Among this decade's comic book adaptations was 2014's "Big Hero 6," which drew on an obscure Marvel Comics team to tell the story of a grieving boy (Ryan Potter) and his robot, Baymax (Scott Adsit). The result was a charming affair that won the Best Animated Feature Oscar at the Academy Awards.

The film's six titular high-tech heroes seemed poised to engage in further crime-fighting adventures as the end credits began to roll. Given its success and superhero movies' knack for birthing sequels, a "Big Hero 6 2" should've been a no-brainer. While "Big Hero 6's" cas and directors expressed hope for a follow-up shortly after the original's release, nothing ever came into being. Part of that may simply come down to Disney's choosiness when deciding what to make sequels to, as the company typically only puts out one film a year. 

Meanwhile, the box office slump superhero fare has been stuck in during the 2020s likely hasn't rekindled enthusiasm for more "Big Hero 6." It's true most superhero films spawn sequels, but for now, it looks like "Big Hero 6" is the rare one-off in this cinematic domain.

2018's "Ralph Breaks the Internet" brought the world of "Wreck-It Ralph" to the internet. With other animated franchises, one follow-up is quickly followed by another, with "Shrek" and "Despicable Me" being the poster children, while Disney's own "Toy Story" saga is seemingly destined to run eternally. One might've assumed that "Wreck-It Ralph's" digital adventures could also go on endlessly. However, as "Ralph Breaks the Internet" was hitting theaters, its directors openly admitted they didn't see "Wreck-It Ralph 3" as a possibility. 

Directors Rich Moore and Phil Johnston explained to ComicBook that they felt the conclusion of "Internet" was a definitive ending to the stories of Ralph (John C. Reilly) and Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) and saw little need for further returns to the universe. Undoubtedly fueling their feelings was that Moore and Johnston were headed into new creative ventures. Moore left Disney and set up shop at Skydance Animation, where he is currently developing a "Jack and the Beanstalk" movie. Johnston, meanwhile, helmed the 2025 Netflix animated feature "The Twits" and is writing the upcoming live-action "View-Master" movie for Mattel.

Similar to how Ralph and Vanellope learned they could lead lives independent of one another, Moore and Johnston discovered separate, non-Disney creative pursuits. This ensured that "Wreck-It Ralph 3" would go nowhere, like an ignored arcade game cabinet gathering dust. 

There are many reasons certain animated Disney movies bombed at the box office. For "Fantasia 2000," a weird release strategy and the challenges of selling such an artsy movie, especially in the wake of the more accessible output of the Disney Renaissance, left it an unprofitable venture. However, that didn't stop a third "Fantasia" from starting production, aiming for a 2006 release, as indicated by its title "Fantasia 2006." Among the shorts produced were "Lorenzo" and "One by One," as well as a bleak adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Matchgirl" from "Lion King" co-director Roger Allers. 

Retrospective reports pinpoint "Fantasia 2006's" demise as occurring around 2004, just as sweeping changes gripped the Mouse House. With Disney's new emphasis on "hip" computer-animated stories like "Chicken Little," there was no place for the classical, avant-garde sensibilities of "Fantasia 2006." While the original "Fantasia" remains a beloved and culturally impactful film, there's been no movement on reviving "Fantasia 2006."

Most modern Disney animated movies cost $150-200 million to produce. Those require hefty box office returns that "Fantasia 2000" never came close to achieving. At least those proposed "Fantasia 2006" shorts like "Lorenzo" and "Matchgirl" were released to the public throughout the 2000s, offering a glimpse of what the third coming of "Fantasia" could've looked like.

2001's "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" was rooted in the old-school adventure stories of Jules Verne novels and movie serials. Such sagas often stretched beyond one installment, and there were certainly plans to expand "The Lost Empire" universe. The direct-to-video sequel "Atlantis: Milo's Return" was even made up of episodes from a scrapped "Atlantis" TV show made to fulfill that potential. Once upon a time, though, the team behind the original film made plans for a proper theatrical sequel.

Director Kirk Wise recalled in 2020 to Collider that he and the creative team had conjured up a concrete follow-up involving a masked, cyborg villain revealed to be the first movie's secondary foe, Helga Sinclair (Claudia Christian). That's just the kind of outlandish twist that the vintage inspirations of "Atlantis" would've indulged in. Audiences never got to see that storyline play out, though, because this "Atlantis" sequel was jettisoned once the first movie failed to set the box office on fire in summer 2001.

If the "Atlantis" TV show couldn't even fully come off the drawing board, a costly big-screen sequel was going nowhere. Still, die-hard "Atlantis" fans can rest easy knowing that the film's creators also felt this world was ripe for expansion.

If you bought the 60th anniversary home video release of "Dumbo" back in 2001, you also got a sneak peek at "Dumbo II," which was set to be a direct-to-video follow-up to the 1941 Disney feature. This behind-the-scenes glimpse showed off concept art and introduced various new characters, all of whom were adolescent circus animals. There were also going to be plot elements related to Dumbo's heretofore unseen father. The once endearingly simple "Dumbo" film was about to have its universe drastically blown up in scope.

Per screenwriter Robert Reece (via Animated Views), "Dumbo II" (which would've been helmed by director Robert Ramirez) had a challenging production. After initially falling apart in 2002 due to objections to the animation quality,  "Dumbo II" was revived in 2005. This resurrection was short-lived, though, once John Lasseter was installed as head of Disney's various animation units in 2006. That included DisneyToon Studios, the outfit behind the company's slate of direct-to-video sequels. The new regime quickly halted all brewing follow-ups, and "Dumbo II" was among the casualties. 

Disney would eventually revisit "Dumbo" through a 2019 live-action Tim Burton remake that drastically overhauled and expanded on the original's story. A proper, fully-animated sequel, though, is no longer poised to take flight. 

What would eventually become Disney Animation's biggest flop, "Treasure Planet" had high expectations leading up to its 2002 release. Disney executives openly discussed the possibilities of a "Treasure Planet" direct-to-video sequel, as well as a TV series. The follow-up, known as "Treasure Planet 2," was in development before the first film even hit theaters. Helmed by seasoned director Jan Fulkenstein, it followed "Treasure Planet" lead Jim Hawkins heading off to the Royal Interstellar Academy and getting into adventures to prove himself. The first film's cast was to return, alongside a famous name set to voice new villain Ironbeard.

Willem Dafoe's best movie roles to date have spanned countless personalities, but cosmic pirates have long been missing from his filmography. Unfortunately, on what was supposed to be the first day of Dafoe's voice recording sessions, the "Treasure Planet 2" crew learned of "Treasure Planet's" disastrous opening weekend. The follow-up was shelved while the Mouse House took a $74 million write-down on "Treasure Planet's" immense losses.

In the years since, "Treasure Planet" has procured a cult following as well as tremendous respect for its unique animation style. But in Disney's eyes, a "Treasure Planet 2" remains as lost as forgotten treasure.

Bowing in 1970, "The Aristocats" was the first Walt Disney Animation Studios release after the passing of its namesake founder. Reviews were middle-of-the-road, with many complaining that "Aristocats" failed to break any new ground. Still, Duchess and her three kittens have endured as merchandising icons, resulting in a direct-to-video sequel being eyeballed in the 2000s. This proposed production, "Aristocats 2," would've been a CG-animated affair that placed the first film's feline leads aboard a cruise ship.

Speaking with Animated Views in 2008, DisneyToon veteran Tod Carter recalled that "Aristocats 2" endured several creative retoolings as the team tried landing on a story. While he and other story artists plowed away, Disney eventually put "Aristocats 2" on pause. Carter claimed that concern over how the film would perform in an increasingly competitive home video market led to its demise. However, other sources indicate that it was one of many proposed direct-to-video sequels jettisoned by John Lasseter. Whatever the reason, "Aristocats 2" wasn't moving forward.

Considering that Disney's live-action remake of "The Aristocats" is no longer happening, the 1970 feature seems destined to be a one-off. But so long as "Aristocats" socks and pajamas keep selling, it's doubtful Disney executives will complain.

"It was a recipe for disaster/A four-course meal of no sirree." 

So goes the first lines from "Chicken Little's" opening song, "One Little Slip." While meant to reflect the titular protagonist's mistake-riddled life, it also perfectly describes the existence of "Chicken Little 2: The Ugly Duckling Story." While Disney's direct-to-video sequels largely concerned its classic hand-drawn animated films released up to the '90s, efforts from the new millennium like "Brother Bear 2" and "Kronk's New Groove" made it apparent that more recent releases weren't off-limits. 

The proposed home video follow-up to Disney Animation's first entirely CG feature would've concerned a love triangle between pre-existing characters Chicken Little (Zach Braff), Abby Mallard/The Ugly Duckling (Joan Cusack), and new character Raffarela. Leaked storyboarded sequences reveal that teen angst and romantic drama would've driven the sequel, a sharp contrast to the first's emphasis on alien invasion. 

The installment was eventually canned due to Disney executives worrying that the original "Chicken Little" lacked a large enough fanbase to justify a continuation. In the end, "Chicken Little 2" was given a "no sirree," retroactively cementing its status as a "recipe for disaster."

Adults watching "Cars" will notice the truly weird and unexpected directions this franchise went down. What was once a Route 66-centric story about slowing down and smelling the rose has now encompassed a slew of sequels, short films, and video games that even included a digression into spy movie shenanigans. Among those additions are a pair of "Planes" spinoff movies from DisneyToon Studios following the exploits of Dusty Crophopper (Dane Cook). While "Planes" and "Planes: Fire and Rescue" didn't set the world on fire critically, Disney was nevertheless planning to wrap up this franchise with a third film.

Announced in 2017, "Beyond the Sky" would've emphasized cosmic aviation, and was set to hit theaters on April 12, 2019. However, "Beyond the Sky" lost its release date in early 2018, and DisneyToon Studios closed a few months after. One key reason "Sky" might've shuttered was John Lasseter — or more accurately his absence. Being the originator of "Cars," the executive was a major proponent of the "Planes" franchise. But his departure from the Mouse House in summer 2018 after allegations of sexual misconduct materialized left "Beyond the Sky" with no high-profile cheerleader. Whatever led to it falling apart, "Beyond the Sky's" demise ensured the "Planes" saga was through. 

In early 2004, Disney and Pixar Animation Studios announced that they would no longer work together beyond 2006's "Cars," an event largely blamed on feuding between Pixar leads and Disney executives. Even after the announcement, Disney, per its original contract, fully owned Pixar's first seven films. That meant the Mouse House could create sequels and TV spin-offs of these properties without Pixar's involvement. Disney hastily established Circle 7 Animation, a label that would be dedicated exclusively to making sequels to Pixar movies.

This proposed "Toy Story 3" involved Buzz Lightyear getting recalled to Taiwan due to egregious malfunctions. Woody and the others then have to save Buzz once it's clear that he's in grave danger. Bradley Raymond, a veteran of past Disney sequels like "The Lion King 1/2," was directing the feature, which was gearing up for a 2008 debut. Eventually, though, Disney returned to the bargaining table and bought Pixar Animation Studios.

A few months into this new status quo, Circle 7 Animation was shut down, and this iteration of "Toy Story 3," along with all other planned Pixar sequels, went with it. Pixar eventually produce its own "Toy Story 3" in June 2010, to extreme critical and financial success.