Summary
- Disney struggled to adapt to the shift towards computer animation in the 2000s, leading to some box office disappointments.
- Movies like Chicken Little and Brother Bear fell short of Disney’s usual standards in the 2000s, lacking originality and magic.
- Despite some missteps in the 2000s, Disney did produce a few timeless classics, and a few underappreciated gems which have gained cult followings.
The 2000s were an odd decade for Disney animated movies, but the studio still produced a few stone-cold classics. After the success of the 1990s Disney renaissance, the studio had to reckon with changing trends in the animation industry. Audiences were more interested in computer animation at the time, with studios like Pixar and DreamWorks toppling Disney’s historial dominance.
Disney took longer to adjust to the changing times than some other studios, and this is reflected in their box office totals throughout the 2000s. While other studios raked in hundreds of millions of dollars, Disney suffered a series of box office bombs as it stuck to 2D animation and saw its first few efforts to get with the times backfiring. The studio soon rebounded in the 2010s with a string of hits such as Frozen and Zootopia. While some 2000s Disney animated movies didn’t get the respect they deserved at the time, they have since been reappraised as misunderstood classics.
Related 15 Best Animated Disney Movie Soundtracks, Ranked
As Disney celebrates its 100th anniversary, here’s a look back at the best soundtracks that make up their iconic, timeless animated movies.
10 Chicken Little (2005)
Disney Often Finds Inspiration In Well-Known Folk Tales
Close
Chicken Little Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Director Mark Dindal Release Date November 4, 2005 Cast Zach Braff , Garry Marshall , Don Knotts , Patrick Stewart , Amy Sedaris , Steve Zahn
Chicken Little was Disney’s first fully computer-animated feature-length movie. This makes it an important Disney movie, even if it isn’t among the studio’s best. The animation is a little choppy in places, but it mostly holds up. The same can’t be said for some of Disney’s other experiments, such as Dinosaurs, the 2000 movie which mixes computer animation with live-action backdrops.
Chicken Little
has some quirky small-town charm, but it’s far from Disney’s finest effort of the 2000s.
Chicken Little starts out with a cute premise, but it struggles to build an original story that’s worth remembering. The folk story of Chicken Little is famous all over the world, but Disney’s attempt to update it for a 21st century lack any real substance. There’s an alien invasion that doesn’t gel with the plot of the title character’s exploits on the baseball diamond. Chicken Little has some quirky small-town charm, but it’s far from Disney’s finest effort of the 2000s.
9 Brother Bear (2003)
Brother Bear Fails To Put A Fresh Spin On The Disney Formula
Close
Brother Bear Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Director Aaron Blaise , Robert Walker Release Date October 23, 2003 Cast Joaquin Phoenix , Jeremy Suarez , Jason Raize , Rick Moranis , Dave Thomas , D.B. Sweeney
Brother Bear has a beautiful animation style, but its story doesn’t live up to the same high standards. Joaquin Phoenix stars as a man who is transformed into a bear, as he learns to respect the natural world after his brother’s death. Brother Bear is a relatable tale for men who grew up with brothers. Even if it lacks the usual Disney magic, there are moments of genuine heart.
Brother Bear
hits many of the familiar story beats of an uplifting Disney family classic, but it doesn’t have the same inspiration that’s needed to make the movie sing.
Brother Bear hits many of the familiar story beats of an uplifting Disney family classic, but it doesn’t have the same inspiration that’s needed to make the movie sing. Much of the movie feels recycled, from the generic message of self-acceptance to the wacky comedic side characters. Disney fans won’t find anything surprising in Brother Bear. It’s a little too sentimental without earning the right.
8 Meet The Robinsons (2007)
Meet The Robinsons Deserves More Credit
Close
Meet the Robinsons Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Director Stephen J. Anderson Release Date March 30, 2007 Cast Angela Bassett , Daniel Hansen , Jordan Fry , Matthew Josten , John H. H. Ford , Dara McGarry
Meet the Robinsons was a rare box office disappointment for Disney, but it was a definite step in the right direction as the studio refined its approach to 3D computer animation. The story follows a young inventor who travels into the future to meet his family, but he has to stop a mysterious figure in a bowler hat from changing the past. The visual style is inspired by retrofuturism, with plenty of tesla coils and cars with large fins.
The chaotic time-travel plot creates the opportunity for some great humor, but it slows down at the right moment to deliver a bittersweet emotional finale.
Meet the Robinsons is still underrated among Disney fans, but it has a lot of positives. The chaotic time-travel plot creates the opportunity for some great humor, but it slows down at the right moment to deliver a bittersweet emotional finale. Lewis and Wilbur’s dynamic is the focus for most of the movie, but Bowler Hat Guy steals every scene he’s in with his cartoonish, mustache-twirling villainy.
7 Fantasia 2000 (2000)
An Update To A Disney Classic
Close
Fantasia 2000
Director Don Hahn , Pixote Hunt , Hendel Butoy , Eric Goldberg , James Algar , Francis Glebas , Paul Brizzi , Gaëtan Brizzi Release Date January 1, 2000 Cast James Levine , Steve Martin , Itzhak Perlman , Quincy Jones , Bette Midler , James Earl Jones , Penn Jillette , Teller , Angela Lansbury
Walt Disney originally envisioned Fantasia as a constantly evolving work of art, with new segments being added or updated to reflect the recent work of the studio and the latest cutting-edge advance in animation. 60 years after the release of Fantasia, this wish came to fruition, with Fantasia 2000 both acting as a celebration of Disney’s past and a glimpse into its optimistic future. Fittingly, Fantasia 2000 was released on the first day of the new millennium.
The sumptuous orchestral music from the original
Fantasia
is just as powerful as ever, and the animation is just as creative.
Fantasia 2000 is one of Disney’s most experimental animated movies, but it works brilliantly. The sumptuous orchestral music from the original Fantasia is just as powerful as ever, and the animation is just as creative. One outstanding segment is “Rhapsody in Blue,” which uses fast-paced, energetic music and animation both playing off each other to great effect. Fantasia 2000 is an inventive Disney curio to cap the 1990s renaissance in style.
6 Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
Atlantis Has Developed A Cult Following After A Disappointing Release
Close
Atlantis: The Lost Empire Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Director Gary Trousdale , Kirk Wise Release Date June 2, 2001 Cast Michael J. Fox , Corey Burton , Claudia Christian , James Garner , John Mahoney , Phil Morris
Atlantis: The Lost Empire was a box office disappointment for Disney. This has been attributed to the fact that animation trends at the time were shifting toward CGI. Atlantis: The Lost Empire also had to compete with Shrek. Years later, Atlantis: The Lost Empire has earned a cult following. Some separation from the industry trends of the early 2000s has helped to highlight the stunning visual artistry.
Inspired by the work of Jules Verne and other adventure writers,
Atlantis: The Lost Empire
seeks to recapture the same spirit of exploration for the 21st century.
Inspired by the work of Jules Verne and other adventure writers, Atlantis: The Lost Empire seeks to recapture the same spirit of exploration for the 21st century. Although the story takes place in 1914, the movie strikes the right balance between the period charms of a different era of exploration and the timeless ideals of adventure and discovery. The climactic battle scene bumps the entire movie up a couple of notches.
5 Bolt (2008)
Bolt Was One Of Disney’s First Computer Animated Hits
Close
Bolt Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Director Byron Howard , Chris Williams Release Date November 21, 2008 Cast John Travolta , Miley Cyrus , Susie Essman , Mark Walton , Malcolm McDowell , James Lipton
After some relatively lean years by Disney’s lofty standards, Bolt was the movie which got the studio back on track. Disney’s 3D animation had never looked better, but more importantly, Bolt showed that Disney had found a way to get back to basics with its storytelling. Bolt tells the story of a dog trying to reunite with its owner, although there are plenty of original ideas that allow the movie to break free from its restrictive genre.
Bolt
uses its 3D animation to its full extent with some genuinely perilous action scenes.
As with all great comedy adventure movies, Bolt has to team up with some dysfunctional allies to help him find his way home. Curb Your Enthusiasm‘s Susie Essman is her typical sarcastic self as Mittens the stray cat, and the overly excited Rhino, a hamster, rounds out the trio. The fun dynamic between these three heroes keeps things feeling fresh, and Bolt also uses its 3D animation to its full extent with some genuinely perilous action scenes.
4 The Princess & The Frog (2009)
Disney Only Princess Movie Of The 2000s Tried To Return The Studio To Its Roots
Close
The Princess and the Frog Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Director John Musker Release Date December 10, 2009 Cast Anika Noni Rose , John Musker , Keith David
The 1990s produced Aladdin, Mulan, Pocahontas and Beauty and the Beast, but the only Disney princess movie of the 2000s is The Princess and the Frog. Princess Tiana is Disney’s first Black princess, and her movie is set in New Orleans in the 1920s, which is an interesting change of pace from Disney’s familiar setting of Europe a couple of hundred years earlier. Despite these changes, The Princess and the Frog still feels like it belongs alongside the likes of Sleeping Beauty and The Little Mermaid.
In the same way that
Mulan
and
Raya and the Last Dragon
draw on the mythology of their settings,
The Princess and the Frog
is steeped in the mysticism and magic of Louisiana.
The Princess and the Frog is representative of Disney’s strange decade in the 2000s. It’s caught between the classic princess movies of the 1990s Disney renaissance and the computer animated classics of the 2010s like Frozen and Moana. The Princess and the Frog doesn’t quite fit into either of these groups, but it’s still a lively and entertaining story. In the same way that Mulan and Raya and the Last Dragon draw on the mythology of their settings, The Princess and the Frog is steeped in the mysticism and magic of Louisiana.
3 Treasure Planet (2002)
Disney’s Swashbuckling Sci-Fi Adventure Was A Box Office Bomb
Close
Treasure Planet Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Director John Musker Release Date November 27, 2002 Cast Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Martin Short , Emma Thompson
Disney endured a lot of box office failures during the early 2000s, and Treasure Planet was affected more than most animated movies. The swashbuckling sci-fi adventure didn’t manage to recoup its own budget, but its financial performance is no reflection on its quality. Treasure Planet brings the spirit of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure novel Treasure Island up to date.
Computer animation may have been the latest trend in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but
Treasure Planet
proves that 2D animation is capable of stunning beauty.
Computer animation may have been the latest trend in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but Treasure Planet proves that 2D animation is capable of stunning beauty. Aside from its glorious visuals, Treasure Planet also boasts plenty of original sci-fi quirks to revitalize the spirit of old adventure stories. The character designs are all top-notch, including the bubbly sidekick Morph and the cyberpunk Long John Silver.
2 The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
A Stellar Voice Cast Help A Great Comedy Stand Out
Close
The Emperor’s New Groove Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Director Mark Dindal Release Date December 15, 2000 Cast David Spade , John Goodman , eartha kitt , Patrick Warburton , Wendie Malick , Kellyann Kelso
The Emperor’s New Groove was one of Disney’s first big hits of the 2000s. Disney has a surprising number of movies about people being transformed into animals, but The Emperor’s New Groove manages to stand out. It lacks some of the grandeur and ambition of the studio’s 1990s hits, but this means that it’s able to rattle off plenty of great jokes and visual gags at a rapid pace.
It lacks some of the grandeur and ambition of the studio’s 1990s hits, but this means that it’s able to rattle off plenty of great jokes and visual gags at a rapid pace.
The Emperor’s New Groove has plenty of great quotes, and the characters are each cast brilliantly. David Spade plays the arrogant, entitled emperor, with John Goodman as the affable village elder who helps him. Eartha Kitt and Patrick Warburton are the two standout performers. Their comedic dynamic as Yzma and Kronk produces many of the movie’s best scenes, and they make a fine addition to the list of great Disney villains.
1 Lilo & Stitch (2002)
Disney’s Best Animated Movie Of The Decade Is An Uplifting Classic
Close
Lilo & Stitch Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US
Director Chris Sanders , Dean DeBlois Release Date June 21, 2002 Cast Chris Sanders , Daveigh Chase , Tia Carrere , Ving Rhames , David Ogden Stiers , Kevin McDonald , Jason Scott Lee , Kevin Michael Richardson
Disney’s best animated movie of the 2000s created one of the studio’s most endearing mascots of the new millennium. Stitch is just human enough to be relatable, and just alien enough to reveal all the nonsensical foibles of human life. Lilo & Stitch pairs him up with the outgoing but socially awkward Lilo, a young Hawaiian orphan who doesn’t understand her sister’s struggles with raising her.
Disney’s best animated movie of the 2000s created one of the studio’s most endearing mascots of the new millennium.
Lilo & Stitch is an uplifting story about family, even if that family includes a small blue alien who gets picked up at the dog pound. It’s no surprise that Lilo & Stitch is getting a live-action remake, since it belongs in the very top tier of Disney animated movies. Whether this live-action remake will be able to recapture the charm of the original remains to be seen, but only the most popular animated movies get the same treatment.