and have long been known for their innovations in the realm of animated movies, and their success speaks for itself. Over the years, each has made incredible films. Though not technically the first animated film, proved the format could be profitable, and the company dominated the animation genre for decades after, often using new technology to do so. Meanwhile, Pixar came onto the scene in 1995 with the company's first feature, . This was also the first computer-animated film, and with it, Pixar changed the industry forever. Since Disney owns Pixar, the two often share success, but these days, they face the same problems. In recent years, Disney and Pixar have become stagnant and stuck in the same style while other production companies experiment.

Since the onset of computer-animated films, there have continued to be changes, but Disney and Pixar seem to have latched on to the 3D animation style and stuck with it. This allows for incredible detail, making the animation look beautiful and as realistic as possible. For a while, it was impressive. The animation style grew progressively better, partially because of Disney and Pixar's other groundbreaking films. developed technology that allowed more realistic and complex movement in human characters. developed new technology to better animate Rapunzel's () hair, creating a shockingly realistic spectacle. Yet, after so many years, this animation style has lost its charm.

, with the last 2D animated film from the company being 2011's . Meanwhile, other animation companies have continued to experiment. honored its comic book origins with a unique look, combining 2D and 3D animation in an innovative way that benefits the film. Likewise, moved away from the naturalistic style of earlier animated films. These films show there is room for new technologies and styles that look less realistic, because if that's what you want, why not watch a live-action film?

Using the same technology wouldn't be nearly as noticeable an issue if the films didn't all look the same. While the films have different settings, . Elsa (), Anna (), Rapunzel, Moana (), Mirabel (), Asha (), and even Venelope () share the same facial structure, with round heads and overly large eyes. Most concerningly, Sisu's () dragon form in shares this look. The lack of variety is getting old.

Disney is not the only culprit. Though Pixar often centers stories around non-human characters, they occasionally fall into the same trap. The characters of and all look similar. These are three somewhat rare examples of Pixar stories centered on people, and they have the same struggle as Disney's recent films. making it less unique than it first seemed.

attempted to use a new style by blending 3D animation with watercolor backgrounds in an attempt to return to Disney's roots, but it was not a big enough change from modern Disney films, especially because the characters fit the typical mold. Despite being a celebration of the company's 100 years, Wish flopped, and it wasn't the first to do so. struggled as well. On Pixar's side, Turning Red, , and did not do well, and these all notably share the same animation style. In 2024, Disney released Moana 2 and Pixar Inside Out 2, and both gathered a respectable audience because their original films were so well-loved. While sequels are fun, the studios need original films, too. So, it's time for Disney and Pixar to let go of what they have been doing and try something completely new to recapture the audience's attention.