The Atlantis Franchise’s Surprise Return Officially Confirmed (But It’s Not Sequel)

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Despite a difficult start at the box office in 2001, Disney’s film has gained a dedicated following over the years. Now, Disney is planning a special new release to honor this beloved cult classic.

Boardwalk Times recently shared a sneak peek on X (formerly Twitter) of merchandise for Disney’s upcoming film, scheduled for release on June 3rd. While the complete collection hasn’t been fully revealed yet, a photo shows a beautiful, Disney Store-exclusive sweatshirt featuring the film’s logo in gold and a vibrant all-over print of the characters. We can expect to see more merchandise announcements soon.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary in Style

It’s unclear what else Disney has planned for the 25th anniversary of Atlantis: The Lost Empire, but fans on X are hoping for special commemorative pins and a new doll of Princess Kida.

Disney’s Atlantis is a hidden gem among animated classics. The story takes place in 1914 and follows Milo Thatch, a young linguist, as he discovers a special book that leads him and a team on an adventure to find the lost city of Atlantis. James Garner provides the voice for Commander Lyle Rourke, who leads the expedition, and Cree Summer voices the character Kida.

As a huge Disney fan, I’ve always been fascinated by Atlantis: The Lost Empire. It really stood out from other Disney films of the time, and a big part of that was the incredible work of one of the production designers. Plus, it was one of Disney’s first movies to really lean into CGI. What’s even cooler is they created an entire Atlantean language for the film, much like James Cameron did with Avatar – it added such a unique layer of detail!

Despite having many special qualities that made it stand out among Disney films, Atlantis didn’t immediately connect with audiences. While it’s now a beloved cult classic, it wasn’t a financial success when it was released in 2001, earning only $186 million worldwide despite costing an estimated $90–120 million to make. Critics also had mixed reactions, with many pointing out problems with the characters and storyline.

Disney’s Atlantis Already Received an Underwhelming Sequel

Although the movie Atlantis has become more popular over time, many fans tend to avoid discussing its sequel. Atlantis: Milo’s Return, released in 2003, brought back Cree Summer as Kida, but a different actor, James Arnold Taylor, took over the role of Milo, replacing Michael J. Fox.

In the movie, Milo and his wife Kida learn that the creatures meant to safeguard them are actually causing damage on the surface world. They journey to Iceland to reach out to people outside their own civilization. Because it was made by Walt Disney Television Animation, the film had a smaller budget and less impressive visuals compared to the first movie, which has resulted in mixed reactions from over 10,000 viewers.

The Disney Store’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire 25th Anniversary collection drops on June 3.

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2026-05-26 14:06