Original animated movies may soon become hard to find, at least at Disney.
A new report from The Wrap [via Yahoo] stated that Disney Animation canceled an original animated movie set to focus on a Persian princess following the tepid box office reception to Wish and Strange World.
This original animated pic originally occupied Moana 2's release date, but seeing how audiences reacted to Wish and Strange World, the studio quickly reconfigured a 5-episode Moana TV miniseries intended for Disney+, titled Moana: The Series, which was announced in late 2020 and scheduled for a 2023 release.
The project began as a small-scale continuation of Moana’s story, designed specifically for streaming. However, as development progressed, the creative team realized that the story had grown far beyond its original format.
However, after getting cold feet about its Persian princess original animated movie, Disney executives decided to change course after viewing some early footage from Moana: The Series and realizing the project had greater potential.
It proved a winning strategy as Moana 2 went on to gross $1.059 billion in 2024.
With Pixar’s Elio struggling to gain momentum at the box office and unlikely to repeat the unexpected success of Elemental, The Wrap's report suggests that this could signal a shift in strategy for Disney. According to the outlet, original animated films might be released directly to streaming platforms in the future, while theaters will likely be reserved for sequels and established franchises with proven audiences.
Details on what was planned for Disney's Persian princess animated pic remain scarce but in 2019, Iranian-American director Suzi Yoonessi (Daphne & Velma) was announced to be developing an untitled animated feature for Walt Disney Animation Studios.
For those unfamiliar with historical geography, Persia and Iran refer to the same region and, generally, the same country. Iran is the modern and official name used today, while Persia was the name commonly used by Western countries for hundreds of years. Both names describe the same place, just from different points in history.
In interviews, Yoonessi shared that the movie draws inspiration from Persian fairytales her grandmother used to tell her, featuring imaginative details like enchanted lakes and talking cockroaches.
Although Disney never officially confirmed the film’s title or the idea of a “Persian princess,” comments from director Samira Yoonessi and various industry reports indeed pointed to a project with that concept being in the works.
However, with recent shifts in Disney’s animation strategy, it’s unclear whether the film is just delayed and still moving forward or if it's been shelved entirely.