Disney Renaissance

• 1. Departure And Descent

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  Walt Disney died in 1966, and his brother Roy followed him five years later. The studio leadership passed to Donn Tatum, Card Walker, and Ron Miller. Creative control over animated features shifted to Wolfgang Reitherman. He insisted on producing only family-friendly material that would turn a profit. This approach softened the villains into figures who were more comical or pitiful than scary. The Fox and the Hound released in 1981 suffered a major blow when animator Don Bluth left the company. Bluth took eleven of the sixty-five animators with him to start his own rival studio. Production delays stretched by six months as the remaining staff struggled to finish the film. Don Bluth Productions then created The Secret of NIMH in 1982, which had originally been rejected by Disney for being too dark. That project became the main competitor for Disney throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.

• 2. Leadership Changes And New Hopes

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  Michael Eisner became CEO of Walt Disney Productions in 1984 after a hostile takeover attempt by Saul Steinberg nearly succeeded. Jeffrey Katzenberg joined as studio chairman while Frank Wells served as president. Peter Schneider arrived in 1985 to lead the feature animation department. The animation team moved from the main Burbank lot to temporary hangars and trailers in Glendale on the 1st of February 1985. They stayed there for ten years at what was once Grand Central Airport. The Black Cauldron failed at the box office in 1985, putting the future of the department in jeopardy. Roy E. Disney returned to supervise operations after resigning in 1984. He convinced Eisner to let him improve the fortunes of the animation division. Disney released The Great Mouse Detective in 1986 just months before An American Tail opened. Steven Spielberg helped produce Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988, which won three Academy Awards. This hybrid film renewed interest in theatrical animated cartoons and put Disney back in first place for box office receipts that year.

• 3. The Musical Turn Begins

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  Disney had been developing The Little Mermaid since the 1930s. By 1988, the studio decided to make it an animated musical with a Broadway feel. Lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken joined the project after working together on Little Shop of Horrors Off-Broadway. Peter Schneider served as company manager on the stage version. Ashman worked to stitch songs into the movie while bringing theater traditions into Disney films. The Little Mermaid premiered on the 17th of November 1989 and became a critical and commercial success. It earned more than Don Bluth's All Dogs Go to Heaven, which opened the same day. The film broke The Land Before Time record for highest-grossing animated movies. It won two Academy Awards including Best Original Song for Under the Sea. The production marked a return to darker villains typical of earlier Disney work. The Rescuers Down Under followed in 1990 as the first sequel produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. That film was notable for being completely produced using the new Computer Animation Production System.

• 4. Critical And Commercial Dominance

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  Beauty and the Beast released on the 22nd of November 1991 proved to be an immense success. It became the first animated film nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. The category only accepted five entries between 1944 and 2008. Beauty and the Beast won the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture Musical or Comedy. It also took home awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song. The film reached $100 million at the US box office, a first for any animated movie. A profitable merchandising campaign followed its theatrical run. Aladdin arrived on the 25th of November 1992 and became the highest-grossing animated film at that time. Howard Ashman wrote several songs before his death, but Tim Rice completed the score with Alan Menken. The Lion King opened the 24th of June 1994 and surpassed all previous records. It remains the highest-grossing traditionally animated film in history. Both Aladdin and The Lion King won Academy Awards for Best Original Song. They also received Golden Globe Awards for Best Picture Musical or Comedy. The Lion King earned four Academy Award nominations total while Aladdin received five.

• 5. Technology And Artistic Evolution

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  The Rescuers Down Under was the first film completely produced using Disney's Computer Animation Production System. All subsequent traditionally-animated films during this period used CAPS technology. Glen Keane credited Hayao Miyazaki as a huge influence on Disney's work. Castle of Cagliostro from 1979 influenced the climax scene of The Great Mouse Detective. That two-minute sequence used computer-generated imagery, making it the first Disney film to extensively use computer animation. Robin Williams' performance as Genie in Aladdin led other studios to cast celebrities as voice actors. DreamWorks Animation and Pixar began competing against Disney during the late 1990s. Pocahontas released the 23rd of June 1995 earned $346 million worldwide but drew mixed reviews. The Hunchback of Notre Dame opened the 21st of June 1996 with a budget over $100 million. It grossed $325 million despite better reception than Pocahontas. Hercules followed on the 27th of June 1997 earning $252 million, which was $73 million less than its predecessor. News media suggested Disney animation was entering a downward trend.

• 6. Competition And Industry Response

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  Mulan released the 19th of June 1998 restored commercial standing for Disney's output. It earned $304 million at the worldwide box office. Tarzan premiered the 18th of June 1999 and became Disney's most commercially successful film since The Lion King. It won an Academy Award for Best Original Song You'll Be in My Heart. The film grossed $448 million and received widespread positive reviews. Major studios established new animation divisions to replicate Disney's success. Fox Animation Studios, Warner Bros. Feature Animation, and DreamWorks Animation all launched during this period. They turned their animated films into Disney-styled musicals. Examples included Cats Don't Dance, Anastasia, Quest for Camelot, and The Prince of Egypt. All four films released between 1997 and 1998. Critics noted that six Renaissance films achieved approval ratings over 85 percent according to Rotten Tomatoes. Pocahontas averaged only 54 percent positive reviews, making it the lowest reception among the era's movies. The Rescuers Down Under remained the only film not nominated in both Annie and Oscar ceremonies.

• 7. Legacy And Modern Revivals

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  The Princess and the Frog opened in 2009 marking a return to form for Walt Disney Animation Studios. Frozen released in 2013 grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide. It held the title of highest-grossing animated film until later years. Frozen also became Walt Disney Animation Studios' first feature-length motion picture to win an Academy Award since Tarzan. Ron Clements and John Musker returned to direct The Princess and the Frog and Moana. Alan Menken scored Tangled and composed songs for Ralph Breaks the Internet. Beauty and the Beast directed by Bill Condon premiered the 17th of March 2017 as the first live-action adaptation. It grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide becoming the highest-grossing live-action musical film. Aladdin followed on the 24th of May 2019 with Guy Ritchie directing. The Lion King released the 19th of July 2019 directed by Jon Favreau. It became the highest-grossing remake of all time at $1.6 billion. Mulan arrived the 4th of September 2020 but faced financial disappointment due to the pandemic. The Little Mermaid released the 26th of May 2023 earned $569.6 million worldwide.