Top 10 Exact Moments Disney Dropped the Ball
Mickey dropped the ball and not even Pluto would fetch it. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the times the House of Mouse stumbled, covering everything from box office flops to its problematic past.
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00:00I was supposed to be a warning shot.
00:05In that case, not so good.
00:06Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the times the House of
00:11Mouse stumbled, covering everything from box office flops to its problematic past.
00:15Since they're waiting for me, they ain't passing the time of day.
00:23Number 10.
00:24Betraying Robin Williams.
00:25Genie from Disney's Aladdin is iconic, thanks to Robin Williams' remarkable voice performance.
00:40Remembered for his warmth, humor, and charitable work, Williams was deeply committed to giving
00:44back, from supporting the unhoused to performing for troops overseas.
00:48So perhaps it's no surprise that he reportedly accepted a reduced salary for the Genie role.
00:53He simply asked that his voice not be used for merchandising, and to only be featured
00:57in 25% of ads, maximum, fearing commercial exploitation.
01:01Disney broke the first part of the agreement, leading to a fallout.
01:05Fine, I understand.
01:07After all, you've lied to everyone else.
01:08Hey, I was beginning to feel left out.
01:11Now if you'll excuse me, master.
01:16Williams was understandably mad, only returning to the franchise for Aladdin and the King
01:19of Thieves once he had received an apology.
01:22During the interim, Dan Castellaneta, known for his work on The Simpsons, replaced him.
01:36Number 9.
01:37The fall of LucasArts.
01:47We know George Lucas as the mastermind behind the Star Wars franchise.
01:51In 1982, he founded Lucasfilm Games, a division of Lucasfilm, to develop video games.
01:56One is not going to wipe out the other.
01:58They will coexist.
02:00People will always want to have a story told to them, and they will like to play games
02:06where you don't know the outcome and where you have some control over the outcome.
02:09Renamed LucasArts in 1990, they developed beloved projects like the Star Wars Jedi
02:14Knight series, The Secret of Monkey Island, and Grim Fandango.
02:17However, Disney's 2012 acquisition of the company ended all in-progress development
02:22and led to the dismissal of most staff, dealing a significant blow to the community.
02:27The loss of these games, especially the highly anticipated Star Wars 1313, led to disappointment
02:33many still feel today.
02:43Number 8.
02:44Swirling Lemmings Off a Cliff.
02:59In 1958, Disney added a documentary called White Wilderness to its true-life adventure
03:04films.
03:06the company faked part of the product.
03:19To create compelling footage, filmmakers threw lemmings off a cliff, basically implying this
03:24was a natural behavior amid migration season.
03:27The animal cruelty was terrible enough, but the doc also spread misinformation, causing
03:32viewers to believe that lemmings have such instincts and mindlessly follow their herd.
03:36In fact, many still think this is true.
03:39In reality, while the animals do exhibit group behavior, especially during migration, they
03:43also have individuality, like in the Lemmings games.
03:55Number 7.
03:56Creating a Formidable Competitor in Don Bluth.
03:59Director Don Bluth joined Disney in the 1970s, contributing to beloved classics like Robin
04:03Hood and The Fox and the Hound.
04:05Unhappy with the company's business direction and creative limitations, he left in 1979,
04:11taking a number of animators with him to start Don Bluth productions.
04:23Seeking more artistic freedom and higher standards, Bluth's new studio notably produced The Secret
04:28of Nimh.
04:29He later founded Sullivan Bluth Studios, creating hits like An American Tale and The Land Before
04:33Time.
04:34Then, at Fox Animation Studios, he delivered the popular Anastasia.
04:45Those three films were incredibly successful, sparking renewed interest in quality hand-drawn
04:50animation from studios other than Disney.
04:53These films collectively made Bluth a fierce competitor to his once employer.
05:05Number 6.
05:06Disney Plus Releases and Charging Extra for Premiere Access.
05:10Disney Plus made waves when it launched,