What Were The Disney Direct to DVD Sequels?

Disney, the gigantic cash-cow empire that it is, loves to make live actions movies of their properties these days. I feel like we can’t go one year without hearing an announcement for a new live action movie. Disney is very obsessed with turning all of their projects into live action, even if it doesn’t exactly translate well into live action (I’m still shuddering over their Dumbo remake!). This doesn’t mean I hate all their live actions I swear! I really love their Little Mermaid (2023) and Cinderella (2015) live actions! They’re just a huge hit or miss in my opinion. 

The point I’m trying to make is that they’ve been making these live actions for money…but what if I told you that back in the 90s and 2000s they had a different type of way of squeezing money out of their animated properties? Yes! If you don’t know, I’m referring to their Direct to DVD sequels! You might’ve seen one when you were kid if you grew up in the 2000s-2010s. It was such an interesting nostalgic era and I want to explore it a little bit today in this article! 

1. So What Was Their Purpose? 

Back in the 90s and 2000s, Disney was churning out Direct to DVD sequels. They wanted to find a way to capitalize on their animated properties in an inexpensive way. These Direct to DVD sequels were their solution to that. Did it work? Oh yes it did! Almost every animated property of theirs has a sequel or even threequel. These sequels were not made by the main company and they had cheap animation. It was low cost but also made a lot of money regardless of the quality. 

2. Are They Any Good? 

In my opinion, most of them were not very good. Like I said before, a lot of them had a huge downgrade in animation compared to their predecessors. They were made by a separate animation studio so the quality control wasn’t there. They didn’t try all that much to create a good story either, and a lot of them created plot holes. 

However, and this is a huge however, some of them weren’t actually that bad! In the crevices of a Mulan 2 or Hunchback of Notre Dame 2, there are a few sequels that are actually worth watching. Sometimes, these rare sequels are even better than the original!

3. My Favorite Direct to DVD sequel – Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time

Okay I get it, the title alone would turn people away. It sounds so cheesy from that title I get it. BUT IT IS FANTASTIC! It’s just one of those movies where I can say, “Yeah, that? It’s an underrated hidden gem and great! Please watch it because you won’t regret it!” 

In the movie, Cinderella and the Prince were married for at least a year. Her stepfamily is completely miserable, but then discovers that Cinderella used magic to get her happily ever after. Do you know what they do? They steal Fairy Godmother’s magic wand and turn back time! They destroy Cinderella’s glass slipper and steal her happy ending. They hex the prince and he believes that Anastasia, Cinderella’s stepsister, is his true love. The whole movie revolves around Cinderella trying to save the prince and get her life back. 

This movie is so good for so many reasons. While I adore the original 1950 Cinderella, it did lack in a few things. In this movie, Cinderella is very spunky and has a lot of agency compared to her predecessor. We get to see more of her personality shine through

The Prince in this movie also has more personality too! He’s funny, charismatic, and might actually be a little crazy. There is a whole scene where he jumps out of a window to rescue Cinderella from being exiled. He’s no longer one-dimensional, which often happens to be the case in early Disney Princess movies. This movie made me realize why Cinderella fell in love with the Prince. 

Another good part is the redemption arc they gave Anastasia! Anastasia is no longer cruel and evil like was in the original. She wants to find love herself and actually feels guilty for her actions. It shows that even mean people can change and be kind if they try. 

Conclusion 

Yes, I did spend the majority of this article praising Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time but it really is that good! While Disney Direct to DVD sequels were a hit or miss, there were some hidden gems, like that movie. I can’t entirely hate these movies since they were so integral to my childhood. I have a feeling most of ya’ll feel the same  about these weird movies in Disney’s history. 

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