- 2 hours ago
Disney’s direct-to-VHS sequels took fans back to beloved stories with mixed results. From charming continuations to cringe-worthy cash grabs, these follow-ups brought new adventures, questionable animation, and surprising plot twists. Join us as we explore some of the best, the worst, and the downright baffling sequels that tried to capture the magic — but didn’t quite manage it.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00I'm so sorry to break up your little party.
00:02Ooh, this is gonna be good.
00:04Welcome to Miss Mojo, and today we're looking at the straight-to-VHS Disney sequels,
00:09spinoffs, and continuations of yore.
00:12The good, the bad, and the wicked.
00:14Spoilers to come, of course.
00:16We wouldn't want you to have to write another letter of apology, would we?
00:19What do you mean?
00:22Chapter 1. The Good
00:24You are part of the great circle of...
00:27Circle of life, I know.
00:29Exactly.
00:30In the heyday of their greatest 90s hits, Disney did not hesitate to milk their success with
00:35straight-to-video sequels like The Lion King 2, Simba's Pride.
00:39This sequel follows Simba's daughter, Kiara.
00:41She strikes up a friendship, and later a romance with Kovu, who belongs to a Pride once loyal
00:46to Scar, to her father's great disapproval.
00:50You will not leave Pride Rock.
00:52You will stay where I can keep an eye on you.
00:54Away from him.
00:55You don't know him!
00:57I know he's following in Scar's paw prints.
01:00And I must follow in my father's.
01:02Unfortunately, the quality of the animation isn't as good as the original, and Simba is
01:07forced to take a more antagonistic role.
01:09But using Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet as the premise was a good choice, considering
01:14the original film's indebtedness to Hamlet.
01:17It also helps that the soundtrack does have bangers.
01:20He Lives in You even made it to the stage show adaptation.
01:23As sequels go, this is one of the better ones.
01:32For Aladdin, the studio released two sequels, The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King
01:38of Thieves.
01:39The latter is certainly a much better movie, following Aladdin as he finds out his father
01:56is not only alive, but as Kasim, the leader of the Forty Thieves.
02:00Kasim has been hunting for the hand of Midas that can turn anything it touches into pure gold.
02:05It's just a myth.
02:06It's not a myth, boy.
02:09It was once right here.
02:11Look, there's your proof.
02:14From stern to stem, every piece of rigging, every peg and board, all of it, solid gold.
02:22But of course, Kasim learns the true treasure is his son, and Aladdin and Jasmine finally
02:27get married.
02:28It's a rollicking adventure, and even snagged an Annie Award for Best Home Video Production.
02:33Nice.
02:34If a street rat could have come so far, maybe I could do it.
02:38Sure, there's nothing to it.
02:39After the success of a Goofy movie, Disney released an extremely Goofy movie, an unusually
02:44decent continuation.
02:46There, Goofy follows his son Max to college and forms a romance with librarian Sylvia, with
02:52whom he bonds over 70s disco.
02:54Meanwhile, Max signs up for a skateboarding competition against the snobbish Bradley Uppercrust
02:59III.
03:00It may not have the musical chops of its predecessor, but the film explores empty nest syndrome and
03:14the college experience with surprising poignancy.
03:17This movie also won an Annie Award for Best Animated Home Video Production.
03:22For good reason.
03:23I might not be your little boy anymore, but I'll always be your son.
03:28Cinderella got the bulk of the sequel-itis, the best of them being the third installment.
03:39In a twist in time, Cinderella's stepmother uses the fairy godmother's wand to travel
03:44back in time, ensuring Anastasia marries the prince instead of Cinderella.
03:49She also casts a spell to prevent the prince from realizing the deceit.
04:01It's up to Cinderella to get the wand and her prince back.
04:04You're far more persistent than I thought.
04:07I am not going to let you get away with this.
04:09We already have.
04:11I don't think so.
04:12It's the sequel that gave us a timeless internet meme to be sure, but it's great to see Cinderella
04:17take action and fight for her happily ever after.
04:20The film also continues to develop Anastasia's sympathetic side.
04:24For a great twist on the material, this sequel is worth watching.
04:27Chapter 2, The Bad
04:43I'm so sorry about the mess.
04:46Here, let me help you.
04:48No, no, that's why I'm here, to help you.
04:51But of course, for every Lion King 2 and Cinderella 3, there are a dozen effortless cash grabs.
04:57Cinderella 2 Dreams Come True decided to go for an anthology format featuring three stories.
05:03This spinoff has the grace of good animation, but the sin of subpar storytelling.
05:08We don't know how to make a book.
05:11Oh, don't worry, dear.
05:13I think I can help.
05:17The first one follows Cinderella throwing her first ball, but being stifled by the expectation
05:23of royalty and tradition.
05:24The third story is better, following Anastasia's sweet romance with the bread maker.
05:29The second story, following Jacques' transformation into a human, is atrocious.
05:34This uneven quality definitely makes Cinderella 2 among the worst of the sequels.
05:40Poor Cinderella.
05:41Please don't cry.
05:43Cinderella not happy.
05:45Mice, mice not happy.
05:46Worst things, alas, are always possible.
05:49In that same year, Disney released their sequel to The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
05:53Take that back!
05:54No!
05:56Take that back!
05:59Esmeralda and Phoebus are now married with a kid, and Quasimodo gets his own romance with
06:04circus girl Madelaine.
06:06Madelaine, however, is stuck with the villainous magician Sourouche, who forces her to carry
06:10out his plans to steal one of Notre Dame's bells.
06:13If I have to go up there with my men and do it the hard way, the hunchback may get hurt.
06:21No!
06:21You can't!
06:23You wouldn't...
06:24If you want him alive, then lure the bell ringer away while I steal La Fidele.
06:31The romance is nice, and Madelaine's finally breaking free of Sourouche is satisfying.
06:36But with animation this cheap, and a very feeble villain, this sequel is undoubtedly many miles
06:42away from the dark grandeur of its predecessor.
06:44A better sequel lies in The Little Mermaid 2, Return to the Sea, following Ariel and Eric's
06:57daughter Melody.
06:58When Ursula's sister Morgana threatens to kill Melody, Ariel decides to protect Melody
07:15by hiding the truth of her half-mermaid heritage from her.
07:18Predictably, the girl grows up longing for the sea and wanting to be a mermaid.
07:22I wish I could tell my mom how I feel, but she'd never understand.
07:30I can talk to crabs, but not to her.
07:34Even Disney fans are divided over whether this is one of the good-bad or simply bad sequels.
07:40It has good animation and character design for sure, with Melody being one of the more
07:44realistic and memorable offspring of a Disney princess.
07:47Still, this is a blatant rehash of the first movie, this time with Ariel forced to repeat
07:52her father's mistakes as the overbearing parent.
07:55Your mileage may indeed vary.
07:57Melody, listen to me.
07:58If there was one thing in my life that I could do over, I...
08:02Too late.
08:04Speaking of children who repeat their parents' mistakes, this sequel to Lady and the Tramp
08:09is also a very mixed bag.
08:11Here, Lady and the Tramp's only son, Scamp, can't stand being a house dog and finally escapes.
08:16Wahoo!
08:18So long, you house dogs.
08:20You can't tell me what to do anymore, cause I'm a wild dog.
08:24He settles in with the junkyard dogs led by Buster and even has a romance with Angel, who
08:29longs for a family.
08:31Of course, Buster is no benevolent leader, and Scamp finally sees the error of his ways,
08:36returning home to his family with Angel in tow.
08:39Did you help our scamp out on those lonely streets?
08:46Oh, she's a little angel.
08:50Again, this has the same character development as the original, except with a brattier protagonist.
08:56The superfluous songs and different animation style from the original are also not ideal.
09:01Still, its good production values did lead it to be nominated for some Annie Awards, so
09:07it wasn't a complete loss.
09:08Let me try.
09:12Oh, that was smooth.
09:16Chapter 3, The Wicked.
09:18For the worst of the worst, we're looking at those that truly go off the deep end in
09:23terms of production and continuation.
09:25Belle's magical world definitely qualifies.
09:28Just because it's your castle, doesn't mean you should be rude.
09:32Rude, offensive, primitive, abrupt.
09:35I know what it means.
09:38Like Cinderella 2, it's also an anthology film of three stories, four if you watch the
09:45special edition, except with worse animation.
09:48Arguably, the worst story is when Belle tends to an injured bird, which causes a jealous beast
09:54to put it in a cage and demands that it sing for him.
09:57If only you treat him with respect, he'll be happy.
10:01If he's happy, he'll sing.
10:04No!
10:05His birds shall sing for my pleasure and mine alone.
10:09It is my order.
10:10Eventually, he learns once again not to be selfish.
10:14Belle is a shadow of her previous character, and the beast's bratty selfishness hits a new low.
10:19I don't understand.
10:21Are you taking back your apology?
10:23It wasn't my letter!
10:25But I have it!
10:26Show it to me!
10:27If you insist.
10:29Oy.
10:29The original Pocahontas was a feat of animation, but was much criticized for its lack of historical
10:35accuracy.
10:36So its sequel, Journey to a New World, tries to rectify this, and completely fails.
10:41The path ahead's so hard to see, it winds and bends, but where it ends depends on only
10:50me.
10:51In this film, Pocahontas travels to London with fellow diplomat John Rolfe, just like her
10:57real-life counterpart did.
10:58But her outrage at witnessing the cruel practice of bear baiting leads King James to imprison
11:03her.
11:03Her love John Smith returns to rescue her, and the company prevents the Armada from going
11:08to Jamestown.
11:09Why do you speak out when so many doubt you, even when it could mean your life?
11:16Because I speak the truth.
11:18Except for her protecting the bear, Pocahontas is a pale imitation of her former self, waiting
11:23to be rescued and choosing Rolfe over Smith with little justification.
11:27Also, this film has Pocahontas impressed by 17th century London.
11:32Crowded and loud, but so exciting too, with colors I never even knew.
11:39No, just, no.
11:42Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
11:46about our latest videos.
11:48You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
11:52If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
11:56This trend of character assassination continues in the truly execrable Mulan 2.
12:02Now this is a battlefield.
12:05With our strategy, General.
12:07Divide and conquer.
12:09Continuing from the original film, Mulan and Shang are engaged to be married.
12:14Mushu, who finds out that he'd be out of a job as a guardian if Mulan marries, tries to
12:18sabotage their relationship.
12:20Meanwhile, the Emperor's three daughters, all destined for arranged marriages to another
12:24kingdom, fall for Yao, Ling, and Chan-Po instead.
12:31While Mulan approves of the love matches, Shang does not, and they nearly break up before
12:41the final reconciling.
12:43Half-decent animation cannot save this mess, alas, with most of the characters being one-dimensional
12:48versions of themselves.
12:49Holding a truly dismal Rotten Tomatoes rating, this sequel may just be the worst of the worst.
13:02Which other Disney direct-to-VHS sequel do you feel does justice to its original film?
13:07Or desecrates it totally?
13:09Let us know in the comments down below!
Comments