For over a century, Disney has changed that art form of filmmaking in more ways than one, enchanting audiences worldwide with a wide array of films that have been praised for the strength of their storytelling and creativity. While a financially and critically successful film would easily convince any other studio to move ahead on a sequel, regardless of how much sense it makes, Disney has never been one to make follow-ups to just any movie. Whenever they do, they usually only do so for movies that audiences actually want to see continuations of, the ones whose concept and characters can lend themselves to a wide range of other creative possibilities. Or at least, that's usually the case when it comes to their investment in sequels. Every so often, they have been known to take serious risks that no one asked them to take, which includes making sequels nobody ever asked them to make.

That being said, there were a select few of these sequels that did manage to surprise audiences with the level of care and effort that was put into them, but these were very few and far between. For the most part, not only were these kinds of sequels made without anyone expecting or even wanting them in the first place, but they would even add further insult to injury by failing to capture even a fraction of the magic that their predecessors touched their audience with.

While it was undoubtedly one of the riskiest moves to follow up on a Disney classic after more than 60 years, of all the films that Disney churned out during the direct-to-video sequel boom of the early 2000s, Bambi II was one that surprisingly felt very much in line with the spirit of the first. Serving as a midquel, the film picks up immediately after the death of Bambi's mother, showing a part of his childhood that the first film skipped over by exploring the relationship and bond between him and his father (voiced ever so gracefully by Sir Patrick Stewart). Unlike the majority of the other direct-to-video sequels, this one felt like it actually had a point to its existence, managing to expand the story and characters in ways that nobody had considered before.

With its gorgeous animation and color palate, along with its pacing and tone, it's clear just how much it tried to capture the tone and spirit of the original, and for the most part, audiences seemed to agree that it succeeded in doing so. Disney was so proud of the work that went into this sequel that they even opted to give it a theatrical release in several non-US territories. Sure, it may have been a sequel no one really wanted, but it's one that miraculously turned out far better than it really had any right to, and better than almost anyone could've ever hoped.

Considering how groundbreaking and innovative the first Fantasia film was for its time, it seems a little unfair that it doesn't get quite as much broad recognition as other classics from that era, like Pinocchio or Snow White. It was a significant passion project for Walt Disney, and he had always hoped that he'd be able to continue the concept with a sequel, which unfortunately never materialized in his lifetime due to its box office and critical failure in its initial release. Decades later, it's been recognized as one of the company's greatest animated masterpieces, and it even received an unexpected follow-up, Fantasia 2000, after nearly 60 years. The film follows the same formula as the first but features new works of music ("Rhapsody in Blues", "Pomp and Circumstance", etc.) with new art styles and segment introductions from such famous faces as Steve Martin, Angela Lansbury, Bette Midler, and James Earl Jones.

The movie-going public may not have been clamoring for a Fantasia sequel, but ever since its release, it's made so many Disney fans interested to see just how well a third film for a whole new generation might work. From its unbelievably breathtaking animation to the beautiful performances from its orchestra, against all odds, it managed to live up to the original in more ways than one. Compared to so many of the other animated sequels that were clearly made to cash in on people's nostalgia for the classics, this one was a true labor of love that most certainly would've made Walt Disney proud.

With its empowering message, strong female protagonist, and exciting battle sequences, the original Mulan remains held in incredibly high regard, especially by the millennial crowd, and is to be one of the best films to come out of the Disney renaissance. In the event of a sequel, most would have hoped that it wouldn't strip away everything that made audiences fall in love with it, to begin with, but that's exactly what Mulan 2 does. The romantic aspects of the first film, particularly the tension between Mulan and Shang, were extremely subtle and weren't even really acknowledged until the end; it wasn't a romance story, it was one about self-discovery and empowerment. The sequel, on the other hand, brings romance to the forefront of the story, instead delivering a message about the importance of romantic dependency.

Anyone hoping to see Mulan and her friends go off on some exciting high-stakes adventure might be disappointed, as the story's heavy focus on romance doesn't give them any real obstacles or challenges to overcome. How it derailed the portrayal of the main characters was one aspect that infuriated viewers the most, particularly with the characterization of Mushu, who not only lacks the comedic timing and heart that Eddie Murphy originally gave him (the character is instead voiced by an impressionist), but it also turns him into an unlikable jerk. It's a sequel that doesn't just fail to live up to the greatness of the first film, it's one that completely disrespects it as well.

The Fox and the Hound was one of Disney Animation's more somber films, a tragedy of a fox and a bloodhound who become best friends as pups, but are forced out of their bond by the roles that nature has made for them. The film ended on a bittersweet note that felt more than definitive, but even that one didn't stand a chance against the era of direct-to-video follow-ups. Much like Bambi II, The Fox and the Hound 2 is really a midquel, but it does absolutely nothing to expand the story, add any depth to its characters, or even try to be anything like the original.

The film instead tells a disposable and stake-less story that sees the two ill-fated childhood friends joining a country band made of a group of other dogs, with Reba McEntire and Patrick Swayze lending their voices to its members. Perhaps the worst thing about the film is that it's impossible to watch it and not be constantly reminded of the tragic falling out that Tod and Copper will still end up experiencing. No matter how happy of an ending it has, it only makes it feel even more pointless.

Despite how Jon Favreau's attempt to bring The Lion King into the realm of "live-action" still managed to gross over $1 billion at the box office, many Disney fans recoiled and cringed at how it failed to capture any of the original's heart or soul. Of course, how it left its audience feeling disappointed wasn't enough to deter Disney from green-lighting another one. Rather than adapt the original animated sequel, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, they instead decided to go the route of a prequel and tell the story of Mufasa and Scar's childhood and how the latter cub became king of the Pridelands, to begin with.

The film also completely rewrites the lore that the original animated franchise established, much to the chagrin of Lion King fans and further drawing away anyone who may have been willing to give it a chance. With the way it underperformed at the domestic holiday box office, failing to beat out Sonic the Hedgehog 3, it's obvious just how much of a sour taste the previous film still lingers among viewers. It remains to be seen if Disney has any more plans to revisit The Lion King franchise, but most fans seem to be holding out hope that they have nothing to do with the canon of the remake.

The first Cars movie isn't necessarily considered to be one of Pixar's strongest efforts, but it's hard to deny that it does have a dedicated fan base. While it left many people hoping its main characters would return in some kind of continuation, it's highly unlikely that an action-oriented spy film with a heavier focus on Tow Mater was the kind of follow-up that they had in mind. Setting the film in the world of espionage was already baffling enough, especially considering how it was the exact opposite of the slice-of-life Doc Hollywood-esque story of the first film, but turning Mater into the main protagonist didn't do it any favors, as audiences gradually grew irritable of the character's idiotic ignorance and the grating nature Larry the Cable Guy's vocal performance.

Naturally, the film was a box-office success, but the overall reception that it received from both critics and audiences was another story. It's still widely regarded to be the first real disappointment that Pixar has ever managed to produce, and arguably the worst film in their collective filmography. The Cars franchise eventually returned to its roots with the third installment, keeping the focus on Lightning McQueen and his racing pursuits, but the second film has earned quite an unfortunate legacy.

Starring Tim Allen, The Santa Clause has gained a reputation as a beloved Christmas classic that so many people love to revisit during the holiday season. Even its sequel, The Santa Clause 2, managed to win them over once again with its undeniable charm, even if it was a follow-up they weren't really anticipating. The third film, on the other hand, being overstuffed with so many poorly connected subplots, weak comedy, and an off-the-rail time travel story, was when audiences finally decided that they had enough.

While the first two films were seen as fun and wholesome stories made with genuine affection, the third film couldn't do anything to hide how it was randomly slapped together for the sake of a paycheck. Not even the comedic stylings of Martin Short were enough to save it, giving perhaps the most phoned-in performance of his entire career as the villainous Jack Frost. As much as the first two Santa Clauses have retained their re-watch value after all these years, a trilogy was definitely not something anyone was asking for, and the third film is enough to turn even the most die-hard Christmas lovers into the grumpiest of Scrooges.

Among many of the live-action animal-oriented films by Disney, such as Air Bud or Homeward Bound, Beverly Hills Chihuahua is one that truly sticks out, but not necessarily in a good way. It's generally considered to be one of the most uninspired, but also one of the most forgettable, theatrical outings that Disney has ever produced. While it's mostly been forgotten, it did quite well at the box office during its release, mostly due to a lack of competition, which perhaps doesn't make it all too surprising that it managed to score a sequel.

Considering that it didn't have much of a hard act to follow, Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 does about exactly everything that someone would imagine it to do with its story and characters, which is to say, not much of anything significant. Considering that these are the kind of family films that are clearly targeting the kids, and not necessarily the rest of the family, they are by no means worth getting upset over.

During Disney's era of direct-to-DVD sequels to their classic animated films, it's unlikely that anyone would have expected Brother Bear to be one that the studio would invest in giving it the same treatment, considering how it wasn't very well-received to begin with. The film had an incredibly mixed reception and while it performed modestly at the box office, it didn't do nearly as well as the studio would have liked, failing to even come close to reaching the same numbers that Pixar achieved with Finding Nemo that same year. It's also one that usually gets overlooked whenever other Disney films from that same era, like The Emperor's New Groove or Lilo and Stitch, are brought up in conversation, which is why many have found it so baffling as to why the company would dedicate any amount of effort to a continuation.

Swapping out the voice of Joaquin Phoenix for that of Patrick Dempsey, the film follows up on Kenai's new life as a bear and as Koda's guardian, as he runs into an old friend from childhood seeking his help, giving him something the first film didn't: a love interest. As relatively harmless as it is compared to so many of the direct-to-DVD sequels, it doesn't necessarily do the original film any big favors either.

The Emperor's New Groove marked a new generation of Disney animation as their first film of the early 2000s, and to this day, it's considered to be one of the funniest and most quotable films that the studio has ever made. Sadly, Kronk's New Groove was unable to obtain that same level of comedic gold, as it suffers from the exact same mistake that Cars 2 made by giving the spotlight over to Kronk. Despite how undeniably funny he was in the original, he was clearly not a strong enough character to base an entire movie around.

Even though the entire voice cast of the original film returned for this sequel, the film's weak story just didn't give them anything as funny or as memorable for them to do. Thankfully, Disney also gave the fans a further continuation in the form of an animated series, The Emperors' New School, which felt more in line with what they actually wanted to see done with the characters. No one was asking for Kronk to prove his ability as a main protagonist; the audience was already perfectly fine with how he handled his position as a sidekick.

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