This vision of futuristic sci-fi as imagined by someone from the 1800s is immediately captivating, especially since it goes hand-in-hand with a similar fusion of hand-drawn artistry and computer-animated wizardry. However, it also uses architecture and costumes ripped straight out of the 19th-century when Treasure Island was first published. Treasure Planet takes place in a world where voyages to other planets are common and aliens are just your next-door neighbors. This manifests itself in various creative ways, but one of the most exciting examples is how it bleeds over into production design. Treasure Planet isn’t about eschewing its older roots, it’s about blending them with new outer spacing trappings. Meanwhile, a parrot, the usual companion pet of a pirate, is now a pink blob named Morph that can transform into a miniature replica of anyone or anything, like a cosmic version of the Pokemon creature Ditto. A peg-legged pirate like John Silver, for example, is now a cyborg. Though many of the characters from the source material remain, they’ve been translated to fit archetypes and molds common in sci-fi entertainment. RELATED: How ‘Atlantis: The Lost Empire’ Almost Changed Disney Foreverīased on the Robert Louis Stevenson novel Treasure Island, Treasure Planet takes the story of Jim Hawkins and his search for buried treasure and places it in the stars. In fact, Treasure Planet has so many unique charms that it’s well worth calling this passion project from directors Ron Clements and John Musker one of the unsung gems in the Walt Disney Animation Studios canon.
But Treasure Planet is a movie with plenty of virtues worth recognizing. Those financial results largely led to Disney treating Treasure Planet like The Black Cauldron or Home on the Range, a box office dud without much reason to be acknowledged. Why would there be? Treasure Planet was a legendary box office disaster that informed Disney’s decision to forego hand-drawn animation in its feature-length projects. Meanwhile, it’s doubtful that there are any plans for Disney+ shorts continuing the in-universe adventures of these characters. One of the more forgotten properties in the Walt Disney Animation Studios canon, you won’t be seeing new theme park attractions at Shanghai Disneyland based on the exploits of Jim Hawkins ( Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Long John Silver ( Brian Murray). However, that doesn’t mean every animated feature that Disney has produced has gotten this kind of ongoing push. The Mouse House has cultivated its brand over these kinds of iconic animated properties. Throw a stone and you’re bound to hit a billboard reminding you that Disney is the studio behind properties like Zootopia or Raya and the Last Dragon. Meanwhile, they’ve been controversially promoting works on social media that they acquired from the Disney/Fox merger as if they’ve always been a part of the Disney library. They’re still making new theme park rides based on cartoons the studio made in the 1930s. Here's an idea: Maybe Disney should turn the abandoned island into an "Into the Woods" attraction.Disney is not usually restrained in letting you know what animated movies it owns. The going was pretty slow on the island due to the limited lighting, heavily overgrown paths, and disorienting animal noises." The blogger wrote: "We were literally surrounded by what sounded like thousands of birds. That's creepier than the scene where Snow White is lost in the woods. He found the lights were still on and the old attraction had not been maintained. The blogger actually swam onto the island to avoid getting caught. Years after it closed, a blogger explored the abandoned island.Īnd even though this blog post was written six years ago, it has recently reappeared in headlines. That last one sounds cool, but neither rumor became reality, and the island just sat there.
And Disney has neglected its old attraction.Īlthough rumors spread that the island would be repurposed with a theme from the "Lost" TV show.Īnd another said it would be turned into Myst Island, based off the "Myst" PC game. So, fans have been missing out on the island for more than 15 years now. The attraction was reportedly not that popular, either, which would give credence to Animal Kingdom's popularity ultimately closing it down. The Walt Disney Company pleaded not guilty to charges and settled out of court. most dealing with the death of vultures which were crammed into a tiny, overheated shed for days with limited food and water." "A two-month investigation resulted in 16 state and federal charges filed. Update your settings here to see it.Īlthough, according to an archived 1989 Orlando Sentinel article, the older 11-acre attraction wasn't without controversy: This content is not available due to your privacy preferences.