Walt Disney Animation Studios has produced some of the most iconic movies ever created, though a few have flown under the radar. So many people have fond memories of classics like Cinderella, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and more but some of Disney’s best animated films rarely get talked about.

Some of these movies that came out during the eras where Disney films weren’t big hits, so they were overlooked. A few came out in the same year as another, more memorable Disney film that overshadowed it. The one thing they all have in common is that they’re good movies that deserve to be remembered more fondly.

10

The Aristocats (1970)

Walt Disney Animation Studios has had its ups and downs over the decades, and the ’70s weren’t a great time. Following the success of films like 101 Dalmatians and The Jungle Book, the studio fell into a lull of sorts, but the ’70s started with a bang.

The Aristocats was a huge commercial hit, grossing $191 million on a $4 million budget. However, the film has kind of been forgotten over time, getting overlooked in favor of later releases, even though it deserves more recognition.

In The Aristocats, a gang of cats is set to get their rich owner’s inheritance, only for the jealous butler to kick them out of the house. So, the film follows their journey to return home. Critical reception was only mixed, at 64% on Rotten Tomatoes, but the movie should become more relevant since a live-action remake is lined up.

9

Robin Hood (1973)

A few years after The Aristocats, Disney put out Robin Hood, which harkened back to the likes of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, as it’s based on a famous story from centuries past. Disney had to find a way to put their own spin on the classic tale, which they did by having the characters be anthropomorphic animals.

This is another movie that didn’t receive the strongest critical acclaim upon release. It was panned by some for the somewhat outdated animation style, yet over the years, it has become something of a cult classic. Even the animation style has a retro feel to it that is now beloved.

Robin Hood is one of the few Walt Disney Animation Studios projects that won’t be getting the live-action remake treatment because there have already been a ton of those. Also, at 83 minutes, it’s a breezy, fun watch, while some live-action takes on the story have been criticized for being overly long.

8

The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

Like so many other Disney animated films, The Great Mouse Detective is adapted from a notable story and along the same lines as Robin Hood, it tells the tale through anthropomorphic animals. Here, it’s mice and is heavily inspired by Sherlock Holmes.

The Great Mouse Detective centers on London Street’s Basil, who investigates the kidnapping of a toymaker alongside his trusty partner, David Q. Dawson. Anyone who enjoys a Sherlock Holmes tale is going to find things to love about this movie.

The film was a modest success at the box office but did enough to keep the studio afloat for a few years before the Renaissance Era took Disney to new heights. Though it never gets mentioned among Disney’s greatest films, it is one that was well-received and remains a sleeper hit.

7

Oliver & Company (1988)

In a lot of ways, Oliver & Company is the dog version of The Aristocats​​​​​​. While there isn’t an inheritance at the center of the story, the movie does follow a group of dogs living out on the streets, much in the same way The Aristocats followed cats who were forced to be homeless for a time.

The other similarity is that, despite dogs being the focal point, the тιтular Oliver is actually a kitten who joins up with them. The story is inspired by Oliver Twist but with a modern spin, moving the story from the 19th century to the ’80s and the setting from London to New York.

Though a strong commercial success, Oliver & Company was met with mixed reviews. That has changed over time, with it being seen in a better light these days and becoming a cult classic for some. When you consider the incredible music featuring Billy Joel, this should be remembered better.

6

The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)

The Renaissance Era was the biggest boom period for Walt Disney Animation Studios. The period spans from 1989 through 1999, starting with The Little Mermaid and ending with Tarzan. A year later, The Emperor’s New Groove arrived and was part of a struggling time for the studio.

Made for $100 million, The Emperor’s New Groove didn’t even gross back double its budget, which is why it hasn’t received the admiration that it deserves. That said, the reception for it was good and has only gotten better over the years.

The film focuses on a selfish emperor named Kuzco who is transformed into a llama by the cunning Yzma and her lovable doofus henchman Kronk. Kuzco gets help from a sweet man in the nearby village to get his body back. The comedy holds up incredibly well as it was ahead of its time in some ways.

5

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

The post-Renaissance Era for Disney involved a handful of movies that flopped at the box office. Among them was Atlantis: The Lost Empire, which had a very cool premise as it follows a linguist in 1914 who is part of a team that attempts to find the underwater lost city of Atlantis.

This film felt like a change in direction in terms of the animation style, standing out from the previous era’s movies from a visual standpoint thanks to the addition of some CGI. It also features a great cast, including Michael J. Fox, Cree Summer, and Leonard Nimoy.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire bombed commercially, though, like so many other underrated films from Disney, it has found a solid following over time. Still, it isn’t discussed as much as it should be. The movie did get a sequel, but it was direct-to-video and also forgotten.

4

Treasure Planet (2002)

Disney found something of a bounce back in 2002 when Lilo & Sтιтch became a hit and has been one of the few films from that time to remain popular to this day. However, their following release missed the mark as Treasure Planet was a mᴀssive flop after being the most expensive animated movie ever at the time.

Treasure Planet is a clever adaptation of Lewis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, set in a world where spaceships look like 18th-century ships and are powered by solar sails. The visuals are breathtaking and the film was nominated for an Oscar but not many people remember it.

While Disney is doing all of these live-action remakes these days, they’re often focused on popular movies that are hard to live up to. Treasure Planet is ideal for a live-action remake, though, since it’s not iconic, yet the visual style and sci-fi action would be great in that format.

3

Brother Bear (2003)

Following the disappointments of Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Treasure Planet, as well as the success of Lilo & Sтιтch, Disney opted to go back to a more traditional animation style for their next film. That was Brother Bear, which was actually a hit from a commercial standpoint.

The film grossed over $250 million worldwide, which made it Disney’s most successful release after the Renaissance Era aside from Lilo & Sтιтch​​​​​​. The problem is that Brother Bear received mostly negative reviews from a critical standpoint.

On Rotten Tomatoes, Brother Bear sits at just 37%. The movie tells the story of a young boy who is magically transformed into a bear after killing one and, in order to change back, he goes on a quest alongside a cub. Despite lackluster reviews, the film is better looked upon now and was nominated for an Oscar.

2

Bolt (2008)

As noted, the 2000s weren’t the best time for Disney’s animated films, which is likely why 2008’s Bolt doesn’t get talked about much. It should, though, because it’s a delightful adventure movie with a tremendous voice cast and a cute protagonist at the center.

The тιтular Bolt is a dog who works on a TV show and believes he actually has the superpowers that his character possesses. When he believes his human on the show, Penny, was kidnapped in real life, he breaks free in an attempt to rescue her.

The cast includes John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, and Malcolm McDowell, among others. Bolt was ultimately nominated for several major awards and received widespread critical acclaim, yet it never really gets brought up among the best films Disney has to offer.

1

Raya And The Last Dragon (2021)

It’s difficult for some of the more modern Disney animated films to be considered overlooked since they are so recent. It helps that many of Disney’s latest releases are fantastic like Moana, Frozen, Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph, and Encanto.

In fact, the success of Encanto plays a role in why Raya and the Last Dragon has been forgotten soon. The films came out in the same year and the musical hits from Encanto helped it stay in the minds of viewers and make it something easily rewatchable.

Raya and the Last Dragon follows Raya as she partners up with the last living dragon to rescue her father and other dragons from a curse. It’s a thrilling adventure, features an underrated score, has a strong voice cast, and shines a light on Southeast Asian culture. The Oscar nominee should go down as a Disney classic.