Top 20 Disney Movies That Break the Fourth Wall

This whole movie is technically one long fourth wall break, as it’s narrated by one of the main characters. Flynn Rider – or Eugene Fitzherbert – is a professional thief who eventually meets and falls for Rapunzel, and he recounts their adventure through the magic of storytelling. The movie begins and closes with Eugene’s narration, where he pulls in the audience flawlessly and invites us all to be part of his love story. This is a rather original take from Disney, as their films aren’t often narrated – an even less so by part of the cast. It helps “Tangled” stand out from the rest and come on, it’s Flynn! We’d listen to him read off a cereal box!

Disney has been breaking the fourth wall from the very beginning. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was the company’s introductory and now iconic effort, telling the story of, well, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. If it’s been a while since you’ve seen the movie – like, since you were five years old – the fourth wall breaking is actually brought about by the Evil Queen. In a rather old-fashioned bit of storytelling, the Evil Queen looks directly into the camera and talks about both the poisoned apple and true love’s first kiss. Sure, maybe she’s just talking to herself as she often does, but the creative choice of having her look directly at the audience leads us to believe that this was an intentional breaking of the wall.

No one can deny the chance to strike a heroic pose - not even Tarzan. “Son of Man” plays over a montage that sees Tarzan growing up and learning the ways of the jungle. It’s a fun little moment filled with great visuals, like Tarzan swinging through vines, riding elephants, and defeating a python. And then, out of nowhere, we’re hit with a fourth wall break. After sliding down a tree, Tarzan turns around and strikes a pose while staring directly at the audience. Perhaps it’s to show that he is now one with the jungle. Either way, it’s a memorable image that introduces adult Tarzan in thrilling fashion.

This movie not only has one of the greatest Disney villains, but it also contains some of the greatest of Disney’s self-aware characters. The first instance comes about when Phoebus enters the titular church and fights Esmeralda. During the skirmish, Phoebus mentions the “music” that is accompanying the fight. There’s obviously no music playing in Notre Dame, so it’s likely that he’s referencing the dramatic background score. Another more direct instance occurs in the post-credits sequence, as Hugo waves and says goodnight to the audience. It’s a fun note to end the movie on, and just endearing as a whole.

Speaking of post-credits scenes, “Brother Bear” contains one of the most memorable in the entire Disney canon. It’s a doozy, that’s for sure, and Koda could not be more adorable. It’s a great parody of the “no animals were harmed in the making of this film” and is made even funnier when it turns out the claim is dubious at best. The idea that Koda knows the gesture for cutting the camera is nothing short of amazing and him covering the lens with his paws was a nice touch. It’s one of Disney’s most blatant fourth wall breaks, acknowledging not just the audience, but the physical presence of a camera and film crew.

Despite being a Disney film, “Mulan” is an incredibly violent story about war and the innumerable deaths that result. In the movie’s climax, Mulan takes out hundreds of soldiers herself when she sends a rocket into the mountainside. The resulting avalanche sweeps away everyone, resulting in the tiniest acknowledgement of the audience from everyone’s favorite Chinese dragon. Mushu rides the avalanche, searching for Mulan, and spots a tuft of dark hair sticking out of the snow. Instead of Mulan, he pulls out the head of a Hun and we get the funniest little, “nope!” and a wide-eyed glance at the camera, before Mushu puts him back! We’re asked to laugh, but come on Mushu, that was pretty cold.

This classic helped usher in the Disney Renaissance, and it contains some brilliant fourth wall breaks. A major one occurs when the seahorse herald tells Sebastian that Triton wants to speak to him. Fearing what’s to come, Sebastian turns and directly addresses the audience, telling them, “He knows!” Another happens during the absolute banger that is “Poor Unfortunate Souls.” Ursula looks at the audience and asks us, “Do I help them?” Leave it to Ursula to ask and answer her own question! Still, there’s nothing like a fun villain who lets the audience in on their little secrets.

A rather unique Disney film, “The Great Mouse Detective” is heavily modeled after Sherlock Holmes, featuring a detective protagonist and taking place in Victorian London. The titular hero, Basil, the Sherlock Holmes of mice, is enlisted to help Olivia find her abducted father. In one scene, Basil analyzes Major Dawson. He makes note of the thread that he used to sew his cuff, telling Olivia that it has a “peculiar pungency.” His remark causes Olivia to widen her eyes in surprise and look directly into the camera. It’s a brief but very funny moment that helps characterize both the wickedly intelligent Basil and the young Olivia.

Getting personally hunted by a crocodile has to be terrifying. We’re not siding with Captain Hook here, but come on, you have to feel for the guy. The crocodile, Tick-Tock, stalks Captain Hook through much of the movie, and it follows Hook after he kidnaps Tiger Lily. As Hook and Smee are passing through Mermaid Lagoon, the pursuing crocodile turns and looks at the viewer with an excited, hungry look on its face, as if to say “I’ve almost got him.” It’s a fun little inclusion that allows audiences to feel part of the narrative and provides some humor in all the tension.

Like “Tangled,” “Hercules” is traditionally narrated. This time, it’s by the Muses, who are modeled after the Choruses that narrate Ancient Greek plays. But that’s certainly not the only instance of fourth wall breaking in the film. Hades does a ton of it, often looking directly at the audience to help convey his emotional state - which is usually something in the realm of unbridled rage. His voice also appears at the end of the credits, bemoaning his lack of a happy ending and complaining that no one is there to hear him. It’s an enjoyable character trait that helps reinforce Hades as one of the all-time great Disney villains.

Disney has been breaking the fourth wall for a long time! Their second feature length animated movie, “Pinocchio,” opens with Jiminy Cricket singing “When You Wish Upon A Star” over the credits. The motion picture then cuts to Jiminy singing on top of a book titled “Pinocchio.” Yeah, you can probably tell where this is going! After finishing the song, Jiminy turns to the audience and introduces the story you’re about to watch. By framing “Pinocchio” as an old storybook, it helps the movie convey a suitable tone of fantasy and reinforces Disney’s penchant for adapting old stories for modern audiences.

The fourth wall break in “Lilo & Stitch” comes during the dance at Mrs. Hasagawa’s fruit stand. The first instance occurs when Lilo gets Stitch to move his hips, and Stitch makes a sound to the audience. Both Lilo and Stitch also look at the viewers during their dance, almost as if they’re asking us to validate or praise their moves. And finally, a spotlight comes out of nowhere during the dance and shines on the couple, which is an obvious nod to theater. There doesn’t seem to be a deeper meaning behind this – it’s just Disney having some fun and adding to the movie’s lighthearted tone. After all, it is for kids!

Breaking the fourth wall can also come in the form of cute meta-references and Easter eggs. This is the case for “Zootopia.” In the first instance, Chief Bogo tells Judy that “life isn’t some cartoon musical,” which of course references Disney’s history of producing cartoon musicals. It’s also a meta-reference to “Zootopia” itself, as it’s NOT a cartoon musical – it’s a computer-animated adventure without songs. In the second instance, Duke Weaselton is seen selling sketchy DVDs that are clear parodies of Disney movies and posters. He also points out that he has movies that haven’t been released yet, including Meowana and Floatzen 2, which are obvious nods to the then-upcoming “Moana” and “Frozen 2.”

“The Aristocats” has arguably one of the greatest endings in Disney history. Not only does it contain spectacular color changes and the always-catchy “Ev’rybody Wants to Be A Cat”, but it also features one of Disney’s best fourth wall breaks. After the cats finish singing their delightful tune, Lafayette tells Napoleon that it’s the end (of the song). Napoleon disagrees, only for the words “the end” to slide across the screen and slam into his face, prompting him to state that it is the end (of the movie). It’s a great bit of humor and it comes as a huge surprise, especially considering that the rest of the film refrained from breaking the wall.

By contrast, this creative retelling of a classic made breaking the fourth wall one of its chief creative decisions. The movie opens with a wall break as Alan-a-Dale introduces himself and proceeds to act as the story’s narrator. It doesn’t get more fourth wall break-y than having a narrator! There are a few other instances throughout the motion picture, including the times Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham look directly at the camera (or, you know, the camera’s equivalent). Like “Pinocchio,” the narration helps establish the story’s mythic quality, and it adds a unique twist to the Robin Hood story - that and using animals in place of people! Disney sure knows how to make an old tale new again.

“The Aristocats” may have one of the most creative fourth wall breaks in Disney’s filmography, but “The Lion King” has the funniest. It comes during Hakuna Matata, when Timon covers Pumbaa’s mouth before he says the word “farted.” Not only does Timon stop Pumbaa and say “not in front of the kids,” but he also gestures towards the camera and draws both Pumbaa’s and Simba’s attention towards their young audience. It’s a cute little moment that utilizes both meta and childish body humor - this unique concoction also helped make Timon and Pumbaa the breakout stars of “The Lion King.”

This movie takes the art of wall-breaking to a whole new level. The film is obviously based on the classic works of A.A. Milne, and it utilizes its status as a storybook adaptation to huge creative advantages. Characters are repeatedly addressing and reacting to the narrator, and they even realize that they’re in the confines of a physical book. This is most evident when Tigger asks the narrator to help him escape from a tree. It’s a unique creative decision that showcases Disney’s penchant for enlivening old stories - while nonetheless honoring the legacy of A.A. Milne.

“Moana” is full of fourth wall breaks, and each serves as unique forms of the convention. You’ve got characters addressing the audience, particularly Tamatoa, who tells us to look up what a decapod is and asks us for help during the post-credits sequence. You’ve also got Heihei looking into the camera right before screaming, almost as if he’s pleading to us for help. And finally, you have a meta-referential fourth wall break when Maui tells Moana that she shares all the hallmarks of a princess. The latter is particularly smart, as it both highlights Disney’s progression while acknowledging that they nonetheless have a proven formula. Disney knows what its audience is thinking, and they’re always one step ahead of them!

“Aladdin” is chock full of hilarious and interesting fourth wall breaks. The first comes right at the beginning of the movie, when The Peddler greets the audience and is accidentally hit by the camera. If that wasn’t enough wall-breaking, he proceeds to tell the story of the lamp and our titular hero. The Genie is also a huge wall-buster. He whips out the movie’s script on numerous occasions, and he’s also the last thing we see when he literally lifts the screen for one last joke. To top it all off, a post-credits sequence has the Genie telling the audience that they were great. When it comes to the classic Disney movies, none are as self-referential and movie-like than “Aladdin.”

As self-referential as “Aladdin” is, nothing beats the sheer audacity of “The Emperor’s New Groove.” Kuzco breaks the fourth wall on numerous occasions, so much so that he literally argues with himself while narrating the movie! He also pauses the movie on one occasion to remind the viewers that he’s the protagonist. There’s also the scene where Yzma and Kronk see contour lines on the ground during a chase, and these lines are later referenced by Kronk after they beat Kuzco to the secret lab. “The Emperor’s New Groove” is a sadly overlooked entry in the Disney canon, despite all this fun wall-breaking. Underrated or not, it’s arguably one of the funniest Disney movies to ever be released.