5 Recent Disney Projects That Give Us Hope & 5 That Make Us Think They Don't Know Us At All

5 Recent Disney Projects That Give Us Hope and 5 That Make Us Think They Don’t Know Us At All

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at five recent Disney projects full of the classic Disney magic and five that feel more like a curse. We’ll be including all Disney properties here, so expect spoilers not just for Disney and Pixar, but Marvel and Star Wars too.

#5: Give Us Hope: “The Little Mermaid” (2023)

Disney’s live action remakes of animated classics are a controversial topic as they often make unnecessary changes, feel pointless, or worst of all, tarnish the legacy of the original. The 2023 remake of “The Little Mermaid”, however, was a welcome delight. From gorgeous visuals to new songs, the remake doesn’t just pay homage to the original but also expands upon it. Eric is given more personality, and the connection he forms with Ariel is fleshed out, leading to a more believable romance between the two. Halle Bailey shines as the star of the film, perfectly portraying not just Ariel’s moments of wonder but also heartbreak. This film is proof that live-action remakes can actually elevate the source material if done right.

#5: Don’t Know Us at All: “Snow White” (2025)

2022’s “Pinocchio” was a huge failure, thanks in part to it feeling like a beat-for-beat copy with CGI replacing the cozy traditional animation that was so beloved. It's quite concerning, therefore, that the upcoming Snow White remake is going to feature seven CGI dwarves. There’s plenty of controversy surrounding these characters and the missed opportunity for representation of people with dwarfism. The movie has also faced a ton of backlash for an interview given by Rachel Zegler where she appears not to understand her character at all. It’s clear the crew has made unwanted changes for the sake of pandering to audiences, which is always a massive mistake.

#4: Give Us Hope: “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” (2023-)

With a pair of film adaptations hated by audiences and author alike, hopes were high when the new TV adaptation of Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson” series was announced. Season one of this show proved itself to be a much stronger adaptation, with age-accurate casting and a script far more faithful to the source material. Even the opening lines of the show are a direct reference to the opening lines of the book. The show has also been a chance to expand upon the books, such as adding new layers to the character of Medusa: a decision many fans praised. If the second season keeps up the quality, this is bound to be a much beloved adaptation.

#4: Don’t Know Us at All: “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (2023)

“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” is a prime example of the dip in quality of Marvel films. The film is riddled with frankly baffling plot points. There’s the return of the first movie’s forgettable villain, accompanied by a montage that does a lackluster job of making us care about him. And then there’s the Wasp inexplicably rescuing Ant-Man after having done barely anything up to that point – despite being in the movie’s title. “Quantumania” is also the debut of Kang the Conqueror, who would have been the next big Marvel villain if the actor hadn’t been dropped due to having been found guilty of assault. While not the fault of the film, it does leave it feeling like a pointless entry to the MCU.

#3: Give Us Hope: “Andor” (2022-)

There’s been a lot of “Star Wars” content in the last few years, and not all of it good. In fact, it’s rare to find a piece of modern “Star Wars” media that isn’t incredibly divisive. “Andor” manages to break that pattern, uniting fans with high praise for its political commentary, new characters and, perhaps best of all, its non-reliance on nostalgia. The dialogue is strong, the narrative is compelling, and there are plenty of deeply emotional moments. Here we see a powerfully human story which just so happens to be set in the “Star Wars” universe, rather than another soulless spin-off.

#3: Don’t Know Us at All: “Secret Invasion” (2023)

While Marvel’s TV output has given us some quality content like “WandaVision” and “Loki”, “Secret Invasion” is the definition of wasted potential. With a star-studded cast and a chance for Nick Fury to finally have his main character moment, this should have been a fan favorite. Unfortunately, it fails to do anything interesting with its storyline. The first episode kills off Maria Hill in a deeply unsatisfying way, which is a massive insult to her character. The show is also filled with lifeless dialogue that only serves to give exposition, and the climax of the entire show comes down to a laughable fight scene where Emilia Clarke dons CGI muscles.

#2: Give Us Hope: “Inside Out 2” (2024)

It’s very easy for a sequel to feel like a cash-grab, but “Inside Out 2” easily justified its existence. The idea of having new emotions take over control of Riley's mind while she's going through puberty is truly inspired. Much like its predecessor, and like any good Pixar film, “Inside Out 2” manages to pull on the heartstrings of adults while sending profound messages to children. The manifestation of an anxiety attack is one of those perfectly realized moments that only a Pixar film can manage and it makes you wonder what other relatable experiences another “Inside Out” sequel could portray.

#2: Don’t Know Us at All: “Disenchanted” (2022)

2007’s “Enchanted” is adored by fans, so the announcement of a sequel brought with it a lot of hype. However, “Disenchanted” is yet another example of sequels failing to live up to what came before. The concept, at least, is strong: Giselle wishes for a fairytale life and ends up forced into the wicked stepmother trope. Unfortunately, the plot becomes predictable and lackluster from there. It might have been saved by the music, but the soundtrack also failed at giving us anything as memorable as the first film. Not even Idina Menzel’s iconic belt could save it.

Before we unveil our top picks, here are a few honorable mentions.

Give Us Hope: “Ms Marvel” (2022)

It’s Better Than the Trailers Made It Seem & Also Brings Some Much-Needed Representation to the MCU

Give Us Hope: “Elemental” (2023)

An Underrated Pixar Romance, It Shows the Second-Generation Immigrant Experience in a Way Young Viewers Can Digest

Give Us Hope: “Turning Red” (2022)

Because It Discusses Important Taboo Topics in Clever Ways

Don’t Know Us at All: “Lightyear” (2022)

Nobody Asked for This & It Didn’t Even Try to Convince Us We Should Have

#1: Give Us Hope: “Agatha All Along” (2024)

When it was first announced, people were quite baffled by Marvel’s choice to make an entire miniseries focused on Agatha Harkness. However, from the opening notes of “The Ballad of the Witches’ Road”, audiences were hooked. Kathryn Hahn’s performance alone is enough to justify this show’s existence but every member of the ensemble cast gets a chance to shine. What starts out as an incredibly enjoyable, witchy romp, ends with a deeply emotional set of episodes that give us hope Marvel hasn't lost its touch. The miniseries also gets props for being unashamedly queer and, of course, introducing fan favorite Billy.

#1: Don’t Know Us at All: “Wish” (2023)

Created as a celebration of Disney for its 100th anniversary, “Wish” had huge expectations to live up to. The story had potential, centered around the concept of wishes which are such a staple theme of Disney. The animation took a new approach as well, merging traditional watercolor with modern computer animation. Unfortunately, the potential failed to follow through. The songs aren’t terrible, but they aren't particularly memorable either. There's no “Part of Your World” or “Let It Go” to be heard here, and many criticized the villain's song for its poor lyricism. The plot also fails to feel original and, with endless references, it seems like this anniversary celebration is stuck in the past rather than looking forward.

What are your hopes for Disney’s future? Let us know in the comments below!