Over the last 30 years, The House of Mouse has been bombarding audiences with sequels of its most successful franchises. Most are straight-to-video releases and almost all of them are a complete joke compared to their original counterparts. There are a few, however, that stand out among movie enthusiasts.
While Pixar had previously not been inclined to work on theatrical sequels, they made a small exception for Toy Story 2 back in 1999. Up until now, their work has been strictly unique (no matter how many fan requests they receive for an Incredibles sequel). Toy Story 3 marks Pixar's first sequel in over 10 years, but news has spread that it won't be their last. Upcoming Pixar sequels include Monsters, Inc 2 and Cars 2.
It's sad to say that with so many sequels existing throughout Disney's history that only a few are truly worth watching. One would think that a studio known for success at the box office could turn out the same quality material for home video as well. If you've ever doubted the strength of Disney sequels, and many of you probably have, this list is for you.
Friday Five: Disney's Best Sequels
Honorable Mention: The Return of Jafar (1994)
This movie has to be pointed out here, due mainly to it being the first direct-to-video sequel that Disney released upon the masses. This was the one that started it all, baby. While most Aladdin enthusiasts argue that the third film in the Disney franchise, Aladdin and the King of Theives is far superior, The Return of Jafar has to be an honorable mention for having the unique position of being the absolute first for Disney's home video sequel market (a market that now has over 31 releases).
Fantasia 2000
There isn't a lot to say about Fantasia 2000. If you've seen Fantasia, it's simply more of the same. But what makes it worth checking out is the glorious animation. The CGI techniques used in the movie pre-date Pixar's Toy Story, and would later become commonly used throughout Disney's animation departments. The movie also holds an Imax record as being the first, full length animated feature to grace those gorgeous screens.
Rescuers Down Under (1990)
The Rescuers Down Under is Walt Disney's 29th animated classic while also being Disney's first ever animated theatrical sequel. While the movie wasn't a huge success at the box office, especially compared to other Walt Disney animated classics released during the Disney Renassiance era (make sure to watch the upcoming Waking Sleeping Beauty), it has gone on to become something of a cult classic among die-hard Disney fans.
Return to Oz (1985)
Return to Oz falls into the category of 'darkly demented Disney movies from the 80's'. Just look at the poster. You have the lion and scarecrow, a robot, and a gigantic pumpkin-head character all riding on a flying moose-couch. And you have Dorothy with a look of fear and excitement. Which is exactly what you feel while watching this incredibly disturbing Disney movie. And that is what makes it so fantastic. The rights to the original book were public domain at the time, so Disney took the idea and ran with it. The movie is loosely based off the other books in the original series and the characters are beyond bizarre -- including a villian who has a hallway of heads which she can replace with her own. Classic 80's. Not so classic Walt Disney.
Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
Walt Disney knocked it out of the park with the first Pirates of the Caribbean, a completely unexpected yet entertaining take on their own park's amusement ride. With the original cast and director attached to the sequel, it would be hard to mess it up. They didn't, and even ended the movie with a strong Empire Strikes Back vibe. What makes this movie work so well is how anti-Disney it truly is. It may be their intellectual property, but the film is dark and dreary - the exact opposite of what you'd expect from The House of Mouse.
Toy Story 2 (1999)
What's not to love about Toy Story 2? The film is absolutely perfect and still holds a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes (147 positive reviews, 0 negative). Pixar took one of their hottest properties and turned it into an amazing followup that touches a strong emotional chord with its audience. The movie wasn't originally slated for theatrical release, instead Disney was shooting for another footnote in their expanding direct-to-video sequel library. However, Disney quickly became impressed by what they saw in the early stages of production and decided to release it in theaters instead. Good decision, Mickey, as the movie went on to gross over $485 Million in worldwide box office (roughly $790 Million after adjusting for inflation). The movie currently sits at #99 on the domestic Top 100 All Time Box Office (after the adjustment for inflation).
