17 Disney Movies You Never Knew About Because They Were Axed

Some ideas just didn't cut it.

Sophia

• Published in Disney
• January 8, 2022

There is no question that Disney has given birth to some of the world's most beloved films that completed our childhood, and the childhoods of the people before and after our generation. You can always count on good ol' Disney for some amazing nostalgia trip, what with its excellent collection of classic films that people, no matter what age, appreciate and enjoy.

From the films of Disney princesses to live-action remakes, there is no doubt that Disney does not disappoint, for the most part. They have taken up so much space in the lives of people around the world, and it's literally impossible to avoid the numerous merchandise of them plastered in every store.

There's no doubt that Disney movies have now become synonymous with family entertainment—and they have been for decades. However, there are some Disney films that the public may have forgotten existed because well, they got canceled.

Not everyone can be perfect right? That bodes true for some of these Disney films that didn't have that mainstream breakthrough just like all their other films did.

It's not mainly because it lacked quality, but there are certainly other factors that pushed these films behind the curtains of popularity. Some of these were experimental works, while others simply didn't perform well at the box office, so they had to be retracted.

That doesn't mean they're not worth the watch though, because you can always expect a certain kind of standard when it comes to Disney films. Check out 17 of those "forgotten" films below!

1. Gigantic

"Gigantic" was supposed to be released in 2020. It was Disney's film adaptation of the classic tale of Jack and the Beanstalk.

However, Disney announced in October 2017 that they were dropping the project, together with Ed Catmull, the president of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. "Sometimes, no matter how much we love an idea or how much heart goes into it, we find that it just isn’t working," they said.

"With Gigantic, we’ve come to that point, and although it’s a difficult decision, we are ending active development for now."

2. Newt

Newt is Pixar's first and only project that was cancelled, and was supposed to be released in 2012. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, though, because when Ed Catmull gave the project to Pete Doctor—the director of up—he had another idea that he preferred more than this story of two last remaining newts called Newt and Brooke.

The cancellation then gave birth to Inside Out.

3. King of the Elves

This one is based on a fantasy short story called Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick. It was supposed to come out on Christmas in 2012.

It was supposed to be “a fantastic and imaginative tale about an average man living in the Mississippi Delta, whose reluctant actions to help a desperate band of elves leads them to name him their new king," based on its blurb.

4. Fraidy Cat

This one was started in 2004 but got cancelled in 2005. It's description says, "In Fraidy Cat, a chubby housecat with frayed nerves is torn off his comfy couch and dropped smack dap in the middle of a Hitchcockian thriller when he is accused of a crime he didn't commit."

5. Wild Life

This was supposed to be Disney's first fully CG animated, non-Pixar film, but that place was claimed by Chicken Little in 2005. This story takes place in a nightclub, following the owner and the "dwindling popularity of the club's singing starlet Kitty-Glitter."

6. Morgan's Ghost

This one followed the story of Mickey, Donal, and Goofy "managing the Jolly Roger Inn when a late night brings a strange visitor — Yellow Beak, an ex-pirate parrot!" and was in development from 1939-41.

The film was never done, but it then became into a comic book called Donal Duck Finds Pirate Gold in 1942.

7. The Shadow King

From the likes of The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline, and James and the Giant Peach, this one was also supposed to be directed by Henry Selick, the director of the aforementioned films. The story was supposed to follow Hap, a nine-year-old orphan in a fantasy adventure with "living shadow girl who teaches him to make amazing hand shadows that come to life."

This was supposed to come out in 2013, but Disney cancelled when the production goals weren't met.

8. A Few Good Ghosts

This was about three kids and a ghost "helping an Appalachian couple get together."

However, David Stainton, the then-president of Disney animation said that, "Despite the best efforts of the crew, the fundamental idea was not working."

9. Mort

The story is about Death who takes a boy named Mort and teaches him to collect souls. The photo below is a concept art in 2016 made by former Disney animator Claire Keane.

10. The Seven Dwarfs

This was supposed to be a prequel film. "It would have explained how the seven dwarfs met and how the Queen killed Snow White’s father to take the throne," according to Flavorwire.

It was supposed to show how Dopey lost his voice after he witnesses his mother's death. The project was cancelled in 2006.

11. Catfish Bend

This was supposed to be based on the Catfish Bend book series by Ben Burman.

12. The Three Pigs

This was a retelling of the classic fairy tale and was supposed to be produced with the combination of computer and traditional animation.

It's still unclear why the project was scrapped.

13. Where the Wild Things Are

This was a CG experiment made by animator Glen Keane (Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, Tangled) in 1983, based on Maurice Sendak's book.

14. Tam Lin

Dubbed as Scotland's first fairytale, this story is about a man named Tam Lin who gets rescued by his true love from the Queen of the Fairies. Internal politics between Michael Eisner and Roy Disney caused the project to be shelved, unfortunately.

15. Dumbo II

This was supposed to happen a day or two after when the original movie left off, wherein we were supposed to see Dumbo and his friends stranded in New York. This was cancelled in 2006.

16. Swan Lake

This was in development along the lines of Homer's Odyssey and Pocahontas back in 1992. The project was dropped, however, when some agreements couldn't be met and made.

17. Chanticleer

Based on a pre-WWI French play called Chantecler, this one was supposed to follow the story of a vain rooster. It was under development from the 1940s to 1960s, but due to budget problems, Disney made The Sword in the Stone instead.

This all makes us wonder how many Disney films didn't make it to the planning and developing stage, and how much more the studio has up its sleeves. Either way, their films now still got us on the hook even as adults, and that says a lot with the quality of the films they produce.

Which one would you have wanted to see among this list? Comment down your thoughts or share this for all your family and friends to see!

Sophia