The huge success of some Disney films has led to their characters and stories being further explored in fan-favorite TV shows. The last film to get a series inspired by its characters is Pixar’s From the inside outwith the miniseries Dream Productions debuting later this year. While the act of rebooting or producing sequels to films and series based on acclaimed films seems like an established habit in recent years, Disney has been turning its films into series for decades.
Show how Lilo and Stitch: the series, Timon and Pumbaaand Aladdin it aired on TV in the late 90s and early 2000s and is still enjoyed by audiences to this day. When audiences immediately connect with certain characters, like Baymax or Olaf, it only makes sense to produce a follow-up series which explores fun adventures outside of the main narrative of its original films. From classics like The Lion King for recent successful releases such as Big Hero 6There are several high-quality TV shows inspired by the best Disney films.
10
The 7D (2014-2016)
Based on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Part of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs sees the titular princess’ growing relationship with the seven dwarves she encounters. The seven characters have become widely known and easy to identify thanks to their apt names, such as Happy, Bashful, and Grumpy. Airing on Disney XD, The 7D follows the dwarves and details their lives before they met Snow White.
In the series, the dwarves protect the Jollywood village from threatening figures, mainly the Gloom characters. The 7D portrays the dwarven characters as heroes, and they are a bit more rowdy than those portrayed in the original film. The theme song has a punk rock sound and the animation style is not as cartoonish as the first animated depiction, which suits the slightly older audience tuning in to Disney XD. The series received mostly positive reviews and produced a total of 44 episodes over two seasons.
9
Ariel (2024-present)
Based on the Little Mermaid films
The Little Mermaid was first made into a TV series in the early 90s, which saw the return of some of the film’s voice actors. The ’90s series acted as a prequel and explored more of Ariel’s life as a mermaid. Shortly after The Little Mermaid live-action film was released, it was announced an animated series based on Halle Bailey’s version of the titular character would be done.
The titular character is voiced by Mykal-Michelle Harris, and actors like Amber Riley and Taye Diggs voice key figures in Ariel’s life. The series has a captivating animation style and pays homage to the famous qualities of the original characters. Ariel airs on Disney Jr. and is aimed at younger audiences. Still, with the target audience in mind, Ariel manages to be a light-hearted show filled with important life lessons about friendship and responsibilities.
8
Excavated Days (2021-2023)
Based on top
Although emotional openness Above is why the Pixar film is best remembered, another element of the film that audiences connected with was the character Dug – a golden retriever whose collar allows his every thought to be translated into words. The dog’s simple thoughts generated several moments of humor within Abovebut her relationship with Carl (Ed Asner) wasn’t explored much in the film.
In Excavated daysIn a series of shorts, Dug and Carl are seen moving to a new neighborhood and adapting to the people around them. This results in fun adventures and exciting moments between the golden retriever and its owner. The latter is more evident in Carl Datea short that shows Carl hesitantly opening up to Dug about going on a date with someone for the first time since his wife’s death.
7
Cars on the road (2022)
Based on cars
The premise of Cars on the road It’s simple but highly effective. The series takes place after the events of Cars 3 and follows Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) on a journey towards the latter’s sister’s wedding. Along the way, the two cars find themselves in several wild situations. Cars on the road received positive reviews from critics and audiences, who cited the series’ writing as its strongest element.
Not only is the dynamic between Lightning McQueen and Mater stronger than ever, but the overall humor and pop culture references within the show allow Cars on the road positively differ from other animated series based on Disney films. Several episodes of the series pay homage to classic films such as Mad Max and The Shiningmaking the show enjoyable for audiences of all ages.
6
Zootopia+ (2022)
Based on Zootopia
Zootopia is among the few Disney films with expected sequels, but before audiences are reunited with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, the miniseries Zootopia+ acts as the perfect expansion of the titular city. The 2016 film features a large number of fun characters that Judy and Nick briefly interact with during their journey. These characters are seen throughout the episodes of Zootopia+which takes place at the same time as the original film.
Each episode begins with memorable events from Zootopia before switching to the supporting characters’ point of view like the Hopps family, Duke Weaselton and Mr. Big. Zootopia it only scratches the surface of its fictional city. Therefore, several critics praised the Disney TV show for its ability to mix new stories with those that audiences were already familiar with.
5
The Lion Guard (2016-2019)
Based on the films The Lion King
The 90s animated comedy series Timon and Pumbaa centered on the lives of the iconic duo, leaning heavily on slapstick comedy. While the second series based on The Lion King features comedic stories and characters, The Lion Guard is much more concerned with its adventure narrative. The series takes place during the time slot in The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride and follows Simba and Nala’s son, Kion.
All over The Lion GuardKion teams up with his friends to protect his homeland from others who wish to cause chaos and destruction. The show ran for three seasons and received positive reviews from critics. Highlights of the series include the inclusion of The Lion King tradition and an animation style that is simultaneously in line with modern animated TV series and pleasantly reminiscent of the original film.
4
Monsters in Action (2021 to present)
Based on Monsters, Inc.
Following the commercial and critical success of the original film, there were plans for a Monsters, Inc. sequence. Although the intended story for the exciting follow-up film never came to fruition, the idea of ​​what happened after the end of Monsters, Inc. is explored in the series Monsters at Work. The series catches up with monster duo Sulley (John Goodman) and Mike (Billy Crystal) and sees the two navigate running a business that operates on laughs rather than scares.
Goodman and Crystal are an enjoyable reunion and are supported by a number of strong actors, including Henry Winkler, Steve Buscemi and Aubrey Plaza. The series is not as exciting or emotionally charged as the original film. However, it remains a great nostalgic watch for audiences familiar with the characters. The amount of heart and humor in Monsters at Work is plentiful and acts as a great introduction to the franchise’s monster-filled world for younger audiences.
3
Olaf Presents (2021)
Based on the Frozen films
Frozen was a huge success upon its release, connecting audiences of all ages. The sequence, Frozen IIfeatures a scene in which the animated and beloved snowman Olaf recaps the events of the first film. This concept inspired the miniseries Olavo presents. Throughout the series, Olaf, voiced by Josh Gad, recaps several Disney classicsof The Little Mermaid to The Lion King.
Olavo presents is primarily a one-snowman show, but the character is occasionally joined by some supporting characters from the snowman. Frozen films. The series of shorts works because of how humorous and quotable Olaf is. The character has the ability to make his inaccurate or exaggerated version of events captivating. Olavo presents It’s fun for younger fans of the character and older audiences who might laugh at the jokes made in the Disney films they grew up with.
2
Baymax! (2022)
Based on Big Hero 6
The public invested in the lives of Big Hero 6The titular team of superheroes got to see more characters from the film’s first TV series, Big Hero 6: The Series. Each group of characters has distinct personalities and heroic abilities that make it easy for audiences to connect with them. However, one undeniable appeal of the original film is the character of Baymax (Scott Adsit). The huggable robot has the singular goal of helping others and received its own series in 2022.
Baymax! consists of six episodes that show the lovable character helping other people. The format helped the series stay fresh and allowed a diverse set of dilemmas to be addressed.including a character who menstruates for the first time and another who discovers she is allergic to the food served at work. Baymax! It doesn’t necessarily expand the franchise in the same way as other Disney TV shows, but it has a lot of heart and is among the most complete series.
1
Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure (2017-2020)
Tangled-Based
Rapunzel’s life as a royal and her relationship with Flynn Rider are not explored much in Tangledas the film is more concerned with his coming-of-age story after years of isolation. Inspired by the characters from the original film, Rapunzel’s tangled adventureFirst presented as the TV movie Tangled: Before Ever Aftersees Rapunzel adapting to her new life as a princess.
The series ran for three seasons and followed Rapunzel and her friends’ efforts to keep the Sundrop Flower’s magic out of dangerous hands. Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi reprise their Tangled roles and are joined by a talented cast of actors, including Julie Bowen, Eden Espinosa and Bruce Campbell. Despite being marketed to younger audiences, Rapunzel’s tangled adventure touches on several mature themes that older audiences can relate to. Still, the show effectively introduces these themes in a way that younger audiences can benefit from.