11 Surprisingly Good Disney & Pixar Sequels That Exceed Fans’ Expectations
While having a knack for making magical animated masterpieces that live through generations of audiences, Disney is also known for not being so good at producing their own movie sequels, which is quite a baffling fact. There have been many times in the past when the House of Mouse completely ruined a sensational movie by following up with an abysmal sequel that no one wants to watch. Some prime examples include Cinderella 2 & 3, Aladdin: Return of Jafar, and Pixar’s Cars 2. Fans have been fuming about this lackluster trend of Disney, and accuse the studio of squeezing out a good franchise till the last drop just for money, without caring about the actual result.
However, not every Disney sequel is bad, as there are some examples here and there of how the House of Mouse could do the right thing if they actually try. Let’s take a look at these 11 Disney sequels that are unexpectedly decent, and manage to please even the most hardcore fans of the first film.
#1. Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998)
Source: Disney
While it can’t hold a candle to the original masterpiece, Simba’s Pride is actually a quite decent sequel that focuses on Simba’s daughter, Kiara, and her relationship with Kovu, Scar’s son. The movie is basically a Savannah version of Romeo & Juliet with a happy ending, seeing the young couple going through hardship for Simba’s approval. The movie ends on a high note, with the nostalgic coronation scene that reminds us of the first Lion King movie.
#2. Fantasia 2000 (1999)
Source: Disney
The first Fantasia was an epic, with Disney making it into a musical film, a rather bold move at the time. Fantasia wasn’t rated at the time, though, as the events of World War II prevented the movie from going to theaters. And the audience has to wait for more than half a decade later for its sequel.
Fantasia 2000, frankly speaking, is equally impressive, if not even better in some aspects compared to the original. The storytelling and animation were raised to a much higher level, while the classical symphonies are a blessing to our ears and match the sequences flawlessly. Disney also remade the fan-favorite Sorcerer’s Apprentice, while adding some other awesome scores like Pines of Rome, Rhapsody in Blue, and Firebird Suite.
#3. Leroy & Stitch (2006)
Source: Disney
To be honest, I can’t recall any Lilo & Stitch movie being a bad one. The 2006 Leroy & Stitch, while can’t bring the same sensation as the original masterpiece, still manages to meet the audience’s expectations with an innovative story with more action-packed sequences. The film this time focuses more on Stitch and his evil red clone version, who he calls Leroy. It was a fun ride with Leroy and Stitch, which concludes with an epic final battle between all of Jumba’s experiments and Hamsterviel’s clone army, which ends in the good side’s favor.
#4. An Extremely Goofy Movie (2000)
Source: Disney
In the original Disney crew, Goofy always seems like an underappreciated character, so we were all glad to see more about his personal life in A Goofy Movie, and how his relationship with his son Max will play out. In the sequel, Max is now a college student, and Goofy, now unemployed, finds himself struggling to let his son go.
The film, while not as great as the first one, still retains the quirky sense of humor, and also delves further into Goofy and Max’s relationship while also focusing on their personal lives. The dad even finds a new smoking hot girlfriend at the end, so it’s a win-win situation for everyone!
#5. The Tigger Movie (2000)
Source: Disney
Tigger has always been one of the fan’s favorite side characters in Winne the Pooh, so for him to have his own spotlight in the 2000 sequel was a wish come true for the audience. The film exceeds the predecessor in both awards and income, with three Annie Awards nominations, and became the highest-grossing movie in the franchise until 2018.
The Tigger movie focuses on the titular character’s adventure to find his real family, and his developing relationship with his best friend Roo and the others, such as Pooh and Rabbit. In the end, Tigger realizes that the real family is the friends he has always had in the Hundred-Acre Wood and throws them a big party. And admit it, we have at least once tried to sing the Whoop-de-Dooper Bounce song when we were little.
#6. Frozen 2 (2019)
Source: Disney
While not creating the same buzz as the first movie, Frozen 2 is quite a satisfying adventure that pleased all fans longing for a sequel about Elsa and Anna. The film also does well to answer some shrouded mysteries in the prequel, which delves more into Elsa’s power origin, and her family’s true identity. All the favorite characters from the 2013 sensation also return, so expect a wild and magical ride when you watch the movie on Disney+.
#7. The Incredibles 2 (2018)
Following the 2004 prequel’s success, The Incredibles 2 continues to be another critically acclaimed masterpiece of Pixar. The highly anticipated sequel follows the Parr family into a heap of new trouble: as Helen is selected to join a series of undercover missions, Bob now has to experience the life of a stay-at-home dad, which means he needs to deal with his kids more, especially Jack-jack ridiculous superpowers. The Incredibles 2 becomes one of Pixar’s highest-grossing films of all time, and is nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the 76th Golden Globe Awards and 91st Academy Awards that year.
#8. Finding Dory (2016)
Another Pixar sequel that delivers, Finding Dory this time focuses on the forgetful regal blue tang on her quest to find her real parents. The film continues to mesmerize us with the visually stunning deep ocean and its resourceful aquatic life, while also showing us the life of the sea creatures inside the aquarium and the Marine Life Institute. While mainly revolves around Dory’s family matters, the movie still gives Marlin and Nemo, the prequel’s protagonists, some wholesome moments and fun interactive sequences.
#9. Monster University (2013)
Instead of following the events of the first movie, Monster University, as the name suggests, it serves as an epilogue to its predecessor. The film focuses on Mike Wazowski and Sully’s time at university, with the monocular monster being the main protagonist this time. Monster University features Mike and Sully’s first encounter, and how they gradually turned their grudge into true friendship, while helping the Oozma Kappa to win the scaring game. The film also taught us a harsh but valuable lesson: Your dreams don’t always come true, but it’s okay to take another path.
#10. Toy Story 3 (2010)
While there are a lot of Pixar Movies out there, the Toy Story franchise remains one of their best, with all four movies being absolute hits. Toy Story 3, is the most highly anticipated movie out of the three, as it not only marks the return of Woody and his gang to the big screen after 11 years of waiting, but it also serves as the conclusion to the team’s time as Andy’s toy.
The movie takes place years later, when Andy is now a college freshman, who still struggling to decide if he should bring his childhood toys along or not. The film’s story is considered extremely dark compared to its prequel, as Lotso is much more of a cunning and manipulative villain than Sid or Stinky Pete, and features a lot of gut-wrenching moments as well. The ending when Andy finally says goodbye to his favorite toys, leaving them in Bonnie’s hand is a tear-jerker, which taught us about the price of growing up.
#11. Toy Story 2 (1999)
Released 4 years after the first movie, Toy Story 2 is not only the franchise’s best sequel, it’s also one of Pixar’s best movies there is. The introduction of Jessie and Bullseye was a nice touch, and the movie still focuses enough on Woody and Buzz’s friendship along with the others. Full of fun and emotional scenes intertwining, Toy Story 2 is the sequel that all future Disney and Pixar movies must learn from to create a good part two.
Which movie do you think is the best Disney/Pixar sequel ever? Share your thoughts in the comment.