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Shocking Classic Fairy Tales Disney Still Hasn’t Adapted – Prepare to Be Surprised!

BBG News

When Disney premiered its first full-length animated film “Snow White and the Dwarfs“, it might not have realized, but it was setting a trend. The studio has since become renowned for reimagining classic fairy tales such as “Cinderella” (1950), “Sleeping Beauty” (1959), and “The Little Mermaid” (1989) among others. This theme is reflected in the studio’s theme parks, where gleaming castles are their main attractions. Over time, Disney’s adaptations of these fairy tales have become the most iconic versions that people recognize worldwide.

Although Disney has adapted numerous fairy tales, there are still many untouched ones in their collection. While films like Mulan (1998), Moana (2016), and Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) signify Disney’s venture beyond traditional European stories, this trend is relatively new. There remain numerous folk and fairy tales that Disney could potentially adapt for its upcoming animated productions.

Pixar’s Brave Was Inspired by This Grimm Fairy Tale

Snow-White and Rose-Red Features a Different Snow White Than Audiences Might Know

To clarify, the tale titled “Snow-White and Rose Red” is distinct from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs“. Although they share a similar title, they are different stories. The version most commonly known was penned by the Brothers Grimm. This story centers around two sisters named Snow-White and Rose-Red. Throughout the narrative, they extend help to both a bear and a dwarf in times of trouble. The bear expresses gratitude while the dwarf reacts with anger. However, the bear ultimately takes matters into its own hands, vanquishing the dwarf. In the climax, the bear transforms into a prince.

Through this tale, a bear-themed story emerges as a possibility. However, Disney (or Pixar) has not delved into a true adaptation of it thus far. Given the potential for confusion between characters, they may choose to steer clear. Nevertheless, given the success of Frozen, a story about two sisters, perhaps this could be another promising venture.

Rumpelstiltskin Would Make a Great Disney Antihero

He Appeared as a Character in Disney’s Once Upon a Time

It’s likely that enthusiasts of DreamWorks are already acquainted with the fact that Rumpelstiltskin appeared as the antagonist in the fourth Shrek film titled Shrek Forever After. However, the original German fairy tale revolves around a mischievous imp who strikes a deal with a young maiden to spin straw into gold and present it as her ability to impress the king. The condition of this agreement is that she must promise her firstborn child to him. The only loophole in the contract is by calling out Rumpelstiltskin’s name, something she doesn’t know.

Once she ascended the throne, the young queen manages to discover Rumpelstiltskin’s true name, and everything ends happily ever after. While Rumpelstiltskin has indeed made an appearance in stories before, it remains uncertain if he will get his own standalone movie from the company. It could be quite intriguing to explore a villain as the principal character in a tale that isn’t a prequel.

How the Tiger Got His Stripes Is a Vietnamese Legend

The Tiger Learns a Lesson in Humility

The Story of the Tiger and His Stripes originates from Vietnam. It serves as a moral tale about an arrogant tiger who boasts excessively about his striking golden fur. This tiger envies humans for their intelligence and knowledge, and demands it from them. However, he is outwitted by the cunningness of man, ending up tied to a tree with a rope. In his struggle to free himself, the Tiger’s coat gets burnt onto the rope, leaving permanent black markings all over his once uniform fur.

This story, specifically, appears to be tailor-made for Disney animation. It carries a distinct, powerful moral (which Disney often emphasizes in their movies) and features animals that can talk. What Disney might exploit even more than fairy tales is an animal endowed with the unique ability to speak or overact.

The Magic Paintbrush Is a Wondrous Journey

The Disney Brand Would Suit This Chinese Tale Perfectly

Originating from China, the enchanting Paintbrush of Magic follows the tale of a young lad named Ma Liang. After drifting into slumber, he discovers a magical tool – a paintbrush that brings his drawings to life. With this newfound asset, Ma Liang lends aid to numerous individuals. However, some start making excessive requests of him. The emperor eventually attempts to compel Ma Liang to employ it for amassing wealth and gold, but the boy devises means to thwart the emperor and his soldiers, ultimately causing a tempest with his paintbrush to sink their vessel.

After departing from his bustling life, Ma Liang finds solace in his humble hometown, occasionally dabbling with his paintbrush. Now, he’s conscious of his potent influence. This experience serves as a reminder of responsibility and carries an enchanting vibe reminiscent of Disney tales. Moreover, the concept of paintings springing to life appears tailor-made for the vivid animations that Disney is renowned for.

The Rainbow Serpent Is Threaded Throughout Aboriginal Australian Folklore

The Visuals Alone Would Be Stunning

The Rainbow Serpent is a significant figure in Aboriginal Australian folklore. This respected creature appears not only in one tale but also weaves its way through many of their creation myths. The Rainbow Serpent is considered both a guardian of water and a provider of life. In art, it is typically portrayed as having a dragon-like or snake-like form with iridescent scales that stand out against the vivid Australian backdrop. Despite this, it has natural adversaries such as Ginga the Crocodile and Tiddalik the Frog.

Disney boasts an abundance of tales linked to the Rainbow Serpent, offering numerous possibilities for a film. Given the diverse array of creatures associated with it, various storylines could be explored. Since Disney’s last journey Down Under was in animation, it might be fitting to revisit this continent – this time delving into its indigenous culture.

The Princess and the Pea Is Familiar Territory

Rumor Has It Disney Has an Adaptation in the Works

In Disney terms, “The Princess and the Pea” might seem like familiar ground, but it remains unexplored territory, being another enchanting tale penned by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. This story revolves around a perplexed prince on his quest to find a suitable bride. On a stormy night, a woman arrives at the castle, asserting herself as a princess. To test her authenticity, the queen places this mysterious lady on a bed piled high with mattresses, hiding just one unpeeled pea beneath them all.

As I stir from an uneasy slumber, I confess that I couldn’t find rest, for there was something beneath my mattress that disturbed me. This experience lends credence to the notion that I must indeed be a princess – such sensitivity is a characteristic only true royalty possesses. Although Disney has overlooked it thus far, the tale of a sleepless night could have made an enchanting addition to their collection of beloved princess stories, had they chosen to adapt it into musical theater, as was done with “Once Upon a Mattress.” However, whispers suggest that a potential adaptation titled “Penelope” may be under consideration by the company. Yet, no solid news has emerged from Disney on this matter as of yet.

Anansi the Spider Is the African Story Disney Is Missing

The Legend Is Ghanaian in Origin

In essence, Anansi the Spider is a character deeply rooted in West African folklore, particularly among the Akan and Ashanti people. Much like the Rainbow Serpent, Anansi is a versatile figure often appearing in various tales and portrayed as a cunning trickster. Given their prevalence in this region, spiders are abundant in West Africa, with Anansi said to hail specifically from Ghana. Along his adventures, Anansi interacts with characters such as Fish and Falcon. Over time, these stories have been passed down, transformed into engaging children’s literature and animated shorts.

It might be beneficial for Disney to explore Anansi as a primary character in one of their upcoming films, as they haven’t fully tapped into the wealth of African folklore, despite productions like “The Lion King” (1994) and “Tarzan” (1999) being set on the African continent. Their previously planned animated film “Aida” did not come to fruition.

It’s Shocking Disney Hasn’t Tackled The Monkey King

Netflix Beat Disney to the Punch

In an interesting twist, Netflix surpassed Disney by centering The Monkey King as the lead in their 2023 animated film, while this trickster character is also a key figure in the classic Chinese tale, “Journey to the West.” Remarkably, the anime series “Dragon Ball” (1986-1989) and its protagonist Son Goku were significantly influenced by “Journey to the West,” which explains his monkey tail and mischievous personality. Endowed with powers from Taoist teachings, such as extraordinary strength and photographic memory, Sun Wukong, a being born of stone, is the main character in this ancient Chinese epic.

Disney could potentially create an engaging animated movie around this intriguing figure, offering numerous possibilities for storytelling. Particularly appealing for them would be content that showcases a strong-willed character who repeatedly struggles to grasp lessons.

The Crane Wife Is a Transformative Japanese Tale

Disney Doesn’t Often Center Stories Around Married Couples

The Crane Wife hails from Japanese folklore and narrates the story of transformation over time. One account follows a man who unknowingly marries a woman who was actually a crane in disguise. To earn their living, she starts to shed her feathers, transforming them into valuable cloth for sale. When he asks her to stop, she argues that love necessitates sacrifice; though he disagrees, ultimately he learns the hard way that she was right.

Disney rarely focuses on husband-wife relationships as central characters in its love stories; instead, they often portray individuals embarking on romantic journeys that lead to marital separation. However, this upcoming animation could offer a refreshing twist, focusing on a story set within Japan, expanding the studio’s repertoire and showcasing the Land of the Rising Sun as the subject matter for an animated feature.

The Twelve Dancing Princesses Would Be Disney’s Jackpot

The Studio Would Have a New Movie and a Lot More Princesses

As a movie enthusiast, I find it hard to believe that Disney, with its affinity for fairy tales and princesses, hasn’t yet explored the captivating tale of “The Twelve Princesses.” This story, steeped in mystery and magic, is ripe for animation, especially given Disney’s penchant for transforming timeless stories into cinematic masterpieces.

In this tale, a wise and powerful king has twelve beautiful daughters, each as enigmatic as the next. Every night, they mysteriously leave their rooms, only to return with shoes worn thin from dancing the night away. The king, intrigued yet concerned, issues a challenge: whoever can find out where his daughters have been going will be rewarded with the hand of one of them in marriage.

The story follows these twelve princesses on their nightly escapades, their secrets gradually unraveling as they navigate the complexities of love, duty, and self-discovery. With its rich history and engaging plot, “The Twelve Princesses” is a story that Disney fans have been waiting to see brought to life on the big screen.

Using a cloak that made him invisible, given by an elderly woman, a solitary soldier manages to trail the princesses and uncover their exit strategy. Later, he gets married to one of them after successfully demonstrating to the king that his daughters had been secretly dancing with twelve princes every night. Although it’s not exactly progressive, Disney could update this story in their signature style to appeal to contemporary audiences.

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2025-05-06 01:37

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