Walt Disney Animation has produced films over the 1960s, starting with their first full-length feature in 1937, Snowwhite and the Seven Dwarfsand continue with recent hits like Encanto. As the studio grew, the number of films produced in a year doubled overnight. With this influx of movies produced, it’s understandable that not every movie can be a record-breaking blockbuster. If you look at the entire movie list for Disney, it’s not surprising that you missed some movies.
Updated: January 2023: To keep this article fresh and relevant by adding more information and items, this article has been updated by Olivia Martello.
The ever-loved princess movies, such as Cinderella, Beauty and the Beastand The little Mermaid are among the most popular on the list. While they are visually appealing movies with a storybook ending, they lack edge-of-your-seat action or even just another storyline. Live action movies have also started remaking some Disney classics, but they too are missing some hidden gems of the Disney universe. Not every movie can take the crown as the best Disney animated movie, but here are 11 that are sorely underrated and definitely worth checking out.
11/11 Treasure Planet (2002)
Treasure planet is the most underrated movie on this list. Full of colorful animation, Treasure planet follows young Jim Hawkins on his quest for the elusive Treasure Planet. Backed by an all-star cast that includes Joseph Gordon Levitt as Jim Hawkins, Emma Thompson as the daring Captain Amelia, Martin Short as the forgetful robot BEN and David Hyde Pierce as the bumbling Doctor Doppler, Treasure planet mixed action, comedy and adventure together to make a perfect movie. Like most Disney movies, Treasure planet is loosely based on the novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. This film was truly innovative for its time as it introduced a process called virtual scenarios which generated a 360º environment for the animated character to interact with. With this process, the film took 10 years to complete. Although it flopped in theaters, Treasure planet was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
10/11 The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
The great mouse detective is a unique take on Sherlock Holmes, as young mouse Olivia searches for Basil, the famed mouse detective, so he can investigate her father’s kidnapping. The kidnapping was done by Ratigan, Basil’s nemesis, who took Olivia’s father so he could create a robotic replica of the Queen Mouse and use it to rule over the other mice. The plot is crazy, but it has great characters with great voice performances, including Vincent Price as Ratigan. It’s nice to see classic Holmes elements on a small scale, with mice instead of humans. Released when Disney was at rock bottom in the 1980s, its success was a huge turning point for the company, and while it never achieved huge popularity, it’s definitely worth a look.
9/11 The Sword in the Stone (1963)
Considered one of the best King Arthur adaptations by ScreenRantThe sword in the stone is Disney’s take on the classic myth. Under the guidance of the eccentric wizard, Merlin, young Arthur is tutored in several subjects that Merlin knows will help Arthur when he eventually becomes king. Merlin’s magic transforms the two into fish, squirrels and birds, before Arthur triumphantly draws the sword from the stone and is crowned king. The colorful visuals are excellent and embrace the magic, as Merlin’s dishes put themselves away. It may not be as deep as some Disney movies, but it’s classic silly fun with great designs and a memorable character in Merlin.
8/11 The Black Cauldron (1985)
Known as the movie that nearly killed Disney animation in the ’80s, The Black Cauldron is just a movie made in the wrong generation. The Black Cauldron follows Taran and his band of misfits as they search for the mystical black cauldron. With a pig as a guide, Taran and his friends battle dark magic to save the land. The Black Cauldron was a scary movie and was said to be straight out of Walt Disney’s dark days, ending the big budget production methods for Disney Studios. With a new team and location for the studio, Disney pushed for faster results and less expensive production for their future films – a move that has since proved worthwhile. Had The Black Cauldron produced today, its dark character and terrifying scenes would be more accepted by parents and children who are now accustomed to dark scenes in movies.
7/11 Brother Bear (2003)
People turning into animals is a common theme in Disney movies, but Brother Bear does it a little differently. In the film, Alaskan boy Kenai kills a mother bear whom he blames for his brother’s death. The Great Spirits then turn Kenai into a bear, where he bonds with Koda, the bear cub left behind after the mother’s death. The colorful animation is impressive and breathtaking, bringing the Alaskan wilderness to life in stunning ways. This story of appreciating nature and growing up concludes with a different and mature ending, where Kenai chooses to remain a bear to take care of Koda after his own mistake. It is a deep and wonderful journey of humanity and nature.
6/11 Meet the Robinsons (2007)
One of the few sci-fi based Disney movies, Meet the Robinsons deals with topics such as adoption, depression and time travel in a light-hearted way. We know that Disney isn’t afraid to kill one or two of the main character’s parents, but in this film, the Disney team showed viewers how the character goes through the rigors of adoption. Meet the Robinsons follows 12-year-old amateur inventor Lewis, a man in a robotic bowler hat, and a boy named Wilbur who arrives from the future. Lewis and Wilbur team up to ruin the bowler hat’s plan and save the future. Meet the Robinsons is a witty film that is both funny and thought-provoking. Goob’s dry sense of humor also helps make the movie better – who else doesn’t want to get out of bed most days!
5/11 A Crazy Movie (1995)
Starring a classic Disney character, A crazy movie makes for a surprisingly moving father-son film. After his son Max gets into trouble at school, Goody decides to take him on a road trip so they can bond before Max grows up. Max resists his father’s attempt because he wants to ask his crush out and live his own life. It’s a quintessential conflict, but one that’s handled with humor and surprising emotion that add so much to each character. It’s funny and colorful, but also serious and ahead of its time for its realistic treatment of a family relationship.
4/11 The Life of an Insect (1998)
An insect life follows a creative ant named Flik, who invents new devices to help his colony fend off the locusts. After another failure, the colony is angry and Flik leaves to find ants to help the colony. Little did he know that the critters he believes to be strong warriors are actually just circus performers, filling the film with joy. Similar to the way Finding Nemo would submerge the audience, An insect life takes the viewer into the ant colony and lets them live in the small, colorful world. The animation may look dated by today’s standards, but it’s still a fun journey into a small world of community and friendship.
3/11 Hercules (1997)
Hercules is on this list because it was one of the least known of the era of memorable princess movies. Hercules combines singing and acting in this animated film, along with memorable characters and an introduction to basic Greek mythology (with obvious deviations in Zeus). Supported with comedic one-liners from Danny DeVito and James Woods, Hercules is by far one of the funniest Disney movies to date. The film is loosely based on Hercules’ journey from his abduction from Mount Olympus to finding his restored divinity and becoming a hero. This light-hearted film is both fun to watch and sing along to. Entertainment Weekly shared that it is slated to join the wave of live-action remakeswith the Russo brothers directing.
2/11 The Rescuers (1977)
The Saviors follows two unlikely protagonists on an even more unlikely mission: two mice named Bernard and Bianca, who work with a mouse organization that rescues kidnapped humans. Their mission is to rescue a young girl named Penny, who was kidnapped by the evil Medusa to get her a diamond. Medusa is one of the scariest Disney villains and makes the movie dark and intense. Bernard, voiced by Bob Newhart, and Bianca, voiced by Eva Gabor, are two delightful protagonists. Bernard’s shy and anxious nature is a perfect contrast to Bianca’s sense of fantasy and adventure. Cute and heroic on their rescue journey, they proved so popular that a sequel was made in 1990 – the first ever animated Disney sequel.
1/11 Atlantis: The Lost Realm (2001)
Thanks to rumors of a possible Andrew Garfield live-action version, Atlantis: the lost realm came back to the topic of underrated Disney movies. Loosely based on the lost city of Atlantis, the film follows an unlikely team working together to discover the riches of the lost city. Following the lead of nerdy historian Milo, the team discover Atlantis and work together to save it from some bad guys hidden within the group. Atlantis: the lost realm is full of action, adventure, history and a comedy troupe worthy of being remembered as one of Disney’s best films. While no remake is in the works, the animated film, as well as all the others on this list, can be enjoyed on Disney+.