There was a time where Disney wasn't just top of the animation industry, but a pioneer in the art form. The company was so synonymous with classic cartoon characters and full-length features that it helped shape the business we know today.
The thing about progress is it always progresses, as the saying goes. While Disney has been at the forefront of animation's evolution, it's been trying to do the next big thing for far too long. It might be better to get back to basics.
Back to the drawing board (literally!)
Rumors have circulated for the past few years that Disney Animation should return to its original hand-drawn style, and there are more than a few good reasons that there might be some truth in that idea. As the market becomes overbloated with CGI, alternative animated styles like hand-drawn and 2D are falling into the indie market more and more.
There has definitely been a resurgence and a call for traditional animation, as demonstrated with The Boy and the Heron from Studio Ghibli and Pablo Berger's Robot Dreams, but what has Disney done in response? The closest thing we've seen to something like this from the Mouse House has been a short film and maybe a few ads. That's not exactly a good look.
Looking ahead at 2025's animation calendar, most of the big-name studios like Disney and Dreamworks are sticking to the usual formula of CGI and other modern animation techniques, but the few traditional-animated projects on the board certainly have a Disney-esque style. The Light of the World by Disney alum Tom Bancroft certainly pops off the page.
Although Disney already has a slew of animated sequels coming down the pipeline, it might be in the studio's best interest to remind audiences what it felt like to watch a Disney movie. Films like Frozen and Moana are fine ,but how long has it been since we were enchanted by classic Disney magic?
It should be stated that a return to 2D or hand-drawn animation doesn't mean getting back to the stone age and doing everything by ink and paint again; the industry has evolved far beyond that kind of nostalgia bait. However, a more handcrafted quality would help reestablish Disney's identity amidst its competitors.
If wishes were fishes, we'd all cast a net, and this might all still be wishful thinking. Even so, Disney returning to form would be not only a great way to generate fan interest, but possibly even a power play. After all, Disney walked so others could run.
Do you think 2D animation will make a comeback at Disney?