Everyone has a soft spot for their favorite classic Disney film. You’re marveled as Jasmine went on a magic carpet ride through the night sky with Aladdin. You dreamed of one day finding your Prince Charming and to become a princess like Cinderella. Maybe you found some strength and admiration when Mulan took her father’s place in the army.
Disney films hold a special place in people’s hearts and Disney still continues to do so with new hit films like Frozen or Wreck-It Ralph. Believe it or not, Disney made sequels films to a number of their popular storylines. They didn’t necessarily make much of an impact as the originals. These are the lowest-ranked Disney sequels according to Rotten Tomatoes.
Mulan II (0%)
Let’s get down to business! Mulan is a beloved Disney film that will soon be released as a live adaptation film. But before fans can relish in the new film, there was a sequel to the original. Mulan II continues the story of Mulan as she is now engaged to General Li Shang. Turmoil still arises when Mulan and General Shang are sent on a special mission to transport the Emperor’s three daughters to their soon-to-be fiancés.
Along the way, the three princesses find unexpected love as Mulan and General Shang hit rocky waters with their own relationship. The group falls to difficult circumstances along the way, but overcome the odds by the end. Sadly, the sequel film wasn’t well-received by critics despite the success of the first film.
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (11%)
Cinderella is one of the most renowned characters when it comes to a fairytale princess. The movie is an example of a “rags to riches” story. Everyone knows the tale of the mistreated daughter who is given an opportunity by her fairy godmother to attend the castle ball. Here, she meets Prince Charming and loses her glass slipper. She soon lives happily ever after.
The 2020 sequel film lets fans know exactly what happened after the “happily ever after.” Cinderella II: Dreams Come True tells three distinct stories. The first is of Cinderella changing the rules of the palace, told by the mice Gus and Jaq. The second is of Jaq being turned into a human. The final story is of Cinderella’s stepsister, Anastasia finding love.
The Jungle Book 2 (19%)
Before The Jungle Book (2016) was made into a live-action film, it was first a beloved animated film created by Disney in 1967. The original story follows an abandoned child named Mowgli who was raised in the Indian jungle by wolves. His two friends, a panther named Bagheera and Baloo, a bear, try to convince him to return to his kind before the dangerous tiger Shere Khan arrives.
The sequel film is one of the rare few that had a theatrical release. The new story is of Mowgli as he lives in a human village, but wishes to return to his old life. Returning home isn’t easy as the village people believe Baloo and the other animals are dangerous. The tiger Shere Khan also poses a threat to the village people and Mowgli.
The Fox And The Hound 2 (20%)
The original film The Fox and The Hound (1981) teaches about overcoming adversities and differences as Copper, a dog, and Tod, a fox, in a society that believes they shouldn’t be friends. In the sequel film released on DVD in 2006, Tod and Copper are on a new adventure.
Todd and Copper attend a town fair where a band of stray dogs is performing. Copper is asked to join the band after showcasing his singing talent. Todd lies and says Copper is a stray in order to get him in the band. Now realizing he is alone, Todd carries out a plan hatched by Dixie, one of the band members, to get him kicked out. This causes tension in Copper and Tod’s friendship.
Atlantis: Milo’s Return (24%)
The legendary tale of the lost city Atlantis was created into an animated film by Disney in 2001, Atlantis: The Lost Empire. This film follows a young man named Milo as he discovers a sacred book that would lead him and other mercenaries to the lost city. In the 2003 sequel film, Atlantis: Milo’s Return, is told in three parts.
With the decline fo Atlantean culture, Kida is now queen and uses Atlantis’s heart to restore the city. Milo and Kida are visited by old friends and must help them destroy the monster wreaking havoc on the surface. The second story involves Kida and Milo protecting a hidden city with Atlantean history located in Arizona. The last story has themes many would recognize. It involves Kida stopping the destruction of the world in Ragnarok.
Pocahontas II: Journey To A New World (29%)
Everyone knows the classic tale of this film loosely based on the real historical events of the Native American woman, Pocahantas. The original film’s plot is based around Pocahanta’s encounter with Englishmen John Smith and British settler in Jamestown. The sequel continues where the first film left off.
This Disney sequel was another film that went straight to DVD. Pocahantas ventures to the new world with John Rolfe in order to settle negotiations between the Powhatan Nation and England. She must now save her people from the possible war started by England while finding new love.
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame II (30%)
Back in 1996, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame taught a valuable lesson to young viewers. Quasimodo has lived his life cast away in isolation within Notre Dame. He fears not being accepted by society due to his physical deformity. His caretaker, Judge Claude Frollo mistreats him after being forced to care for him to atone for the sin of killing Quasimodo’s mother.
The sequel to the film went straight to DVD in 2002. This time Quasimodo gets a more romantic storyline than the original film. Set seven years after the first movie, Quasimodo is not accepted in Parisian society. A circus group comes to town and its leader Sarousche devises a plan to steal La Fidèle from The Notre Dame.
Tarzan II (33%)
The vine-swinging jungle man is back in the sequel film Tarzan II, released in 2005. This time he is a little younger and much smaller. The film tells the story of Tarzan as he grows up in the jungle way before he ever meets Jane. The young Tarzan feels he doesn’t belong with his ape family and fakes his own death believing it is better for all of them.
Alone in the jungle, Tarzan fears a monster named Zugor. He comes to learn the truth about Zugor. Zugor and Tarzan become acquaintances, but a misunderstanding with three other apes Tarzan met along the way causes a problem as they find out the truth about Zugor.
The Littel Mermaid 2: Return To The Sea (33%)
The tale of Ariel continues and now she has a family. Taking place twelve years after the original film, Eric and Ariel have a daughter named Melody. The film focuses more on Melody’s journey than her mother Ariel’s. Melody dreams of being able to swim in the ocean. Melody was born human and was forbidden to enter the sea by her parents.
When Melody was a baby, Ursula’s sister, Morgana vowed to seek revenge for her sister if King Triton doesn’t surrender his triton to her. Fearing for the return of Morgana, Ariel and Eric keep all knowledge of the sea world and mermaids a secret from Melody.
Return To Neverland (45%)
The story of Peter Pan enthralled young audiences with the tale of a boy who never grows up and the freedom of Neverland. In the sequel film released in 2002, Wendy is all grown up and married. Wendy’s daughter, Jane doesn’t believe her mother’s outlandish stories of Neverland. Jane soon finds herself in Neverland after being kidnapped by pirates and Captain Hook.
Hook mistook Jane for Wendy and plans to use her to lure Peter Pan to him. Jane is saved by Peter Pan. But Jane is unable to believe what’s around her, causing Tinker Bell to fall ill. Later on, in order to save Peter Pan and the Lost Bits, she must learn to believe.