It’s hard to think of a world where The Lion King (1994) wasn’t the towering masterpiece that defined a generation.And that’s why it’s hard to believe that back in the early 1990s—when Disney’s animation department was hitting its so-called “Renaissance,”—this future global phenomenon was treated like the awkward stepchild no one wanted to deal with.Inside the studio, the big prize project was Pocahontas (1995)—a historical drama with romance, politics, and all the prestige. Executives thought it would bring home Oscars.Compared to that, a weird Hamlet-with-lions story? Sounded like a gamble at best, a time-filler at worst. - YouTube www.youtube.com The irony is almost too rich. While Pocahontas was given Disney’s brightest stars, biggest animators, and red-carpet expectations, The Lion King was quietly staffed with a so-called “B-team” and handed down to the middle ranks.And yet, what many believed was destined to be a forgettable experiment, The Lion King ended up rewriting box office history and shaping the cultural memory of the 1990s.This is the story of how a movie labeled second-class inside its own studio fought past skepticism, rewrote its destiny, and claimed the throne as the king of animation.The “B-Project” LabelThe Allure of “Pocahontas”: Disney’s Clear “A-Project”When executives lined up their priorities in the early ’90s, Pocahontas was the crown jewel. The studio saw it as a prestige drama rooted in American history, featuring human characters, romance, and weighty themes. It had all the hallmarks of “serious art” and was expected to sweep awards. Animators scrambled to join its...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Tuesday, 23 September