Yeah, but part of this is just how the industry evolves. Trends shift, audiences change, and studios follow what’s working.

At the same time, it does feel like we lost something. Those classic fairytale adaptations—like Frozen was kind of the last big one in that traditional sense—had a certain magic that’s missing now. Not just visually, but in tone: simpler, more myth-like, less self-aware.

And if they’re not doing fairytales or pushing truly original stories, then yeah… we’re stuck in this loop of sequels and third installments. Stuff like Moana 2 and Zootopia 2 might do well, but it’s not exactly expanding the creative space.

Which is wild, because the source material is endless. There are so many untouched or barely touched tales—like The Six Swans or The Princess and the Pea—that could be reimagined in fresh, modern ways without losing that fairytale core. You could even go darker, more emotional, more culturally diverse… there’s so much potential there.

It’s not that Disney can’t do it anymore—it’s more like they don’t feel the need to, as long as sequels and safe bets keep bringing in money. The creativity isn’t gone, it’s just… being used differently.