While Disney is praised for its masterfully animated originals, it has never been known for producing quality sequels. The follow-up movies usually aren't as memorable or beloved as their predecessors, meaning they tend to get a bad rap. Despite this, not every sequel is as poor as you might . Some of them — even if they aren't cinematic masterpieces — are still pretty entertaining. With this in mind, we decided to turn to Rotten Tomatoes to find out which of Disney's sequels come out on top.
In this ranking, we will first be looking at the Tomatometer score of a film, which is based on the number of positive and negative reviews from critics. If two films have the same score, we will next be turning to the audience score, which is based on the average reviews of moviegoers everywhere.
It's also worth noting that we won't be including Pixar films, live-action sequels, or prequels in this ranking. Midquels are a little trickier, but if a film has a "2" or "II" in its title, it's fair game.
With that said, it's time to blast through Disney's animated past. We hope you've saved room for seconds.
The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (43%)
The Lion King’s true sequel (unfortunately the highly ranked The Lion King 1 1/2 doesn’t quite fit the mold) scored a 43% critic rating and a 60% audience rating. In it, Simba and Nala's lion cub, Princess Kiara, wanders into the forbidden Outlands and encounters the son of a lioness who was close friends with Scar. However, her new friendship is threatened by the schemes of this lioness and the stark division among lionkind.
The film’s villainess was lauded, as was the film’s catchy music, funny jokes, and expanded characters. Though the visuals were not as impressive as those in the original, the film solidly fulfilled its role as a direct-to-video sequel.
Return to Never Land (45%)
The sequel to Peter Pan saw Wendy's daughter adventuring to Never Land with Peter himself. It brought in a 45% critic score and a 38% audience score.
While the story lacked the enchantment of the original, it remained playful, sweet, and brimming with adventure. It also contained the wanderlust nostalgia of the original that hardcore fans can’t help but appreciate.
Lady And The Tramp II: Scamp’s Adventure (45%)
Lady and the Tramp's direct-to-video sequel sees the dog couple add a litter of puppies to the family. One of their sons, Scamp, decides to search for a “real” dog's life, which winds him up on an adventure that makes him realize how much he truly values home.
Most critics complained that the sequel just couldn’t justify itself, falling short of the original. However, while it wasn’t a masterpiece, it was cute and heartwarming. Sure, it wasn’t as expertly designed as a theatrical release, but for a direct-to-video sequel, it fulfilled its entertainment purposes. It scored a 45% critic score and a 50% audience one.
An Extremely Goofy Movie (63%)
The follow-up to the theatrically released A Goofy Movie has Max going to off to college. However, when Goofy loses his job, he ends up becoming Max’s classmate after deciding to head back to school.
Though imperfect, fans and critics found that the film solidly developed its characters. It’s genuinely funny, and unlike many of the film’s direct-to-video counterparts, the quirky humor of the film helped it fit into its lower-quality format.
Brother Bear 2 (50%)
The first Brother Bear earned itself only a 37% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Yet, Disney knew it could do more with the series, so a second one was born. Thankfully, it earned a slightly higher 50% critic score and a 56% audience score.
Brother Bear 2 was praised for its gorgeous soundtrack and charming story. While the sequel felt needless, the artwork was applauded — and being that the Brother Bear franchise doesn’t hold as much weight as other Disney properties, Brother Bear 2 could get away with being less-than-perfect.
Bambi II (50%)
Bambi II rakes in a 50% critic score and a fresh 60% audience score. While the previous movie showed the death of Bambi’s mother, the new one shows what happens when Bambi's father, the Great Prince of the Forest, raises Bambi on his own.
Though the film came off as average, with a story that was borderline bland, it contained pretty visuals and feel-good vibes. It may be simple, but it's also delightful.
101 Dalmations II: Patch’s London Adventure (67%)
The direct-to-video sequel to 101 Dalmatians barked its way to a 67% Tomatometer score and a 41% audience score. It follows young Patch, who finds himself alone in London and stumbles onto the set of his favorite TV show, The Thunderbolt Adventure Hour. After the starring superdog almost loses his role, though, Patch decides to help him out. Unfortunately, Cruella DeVil’s kidnapping plans threaten to get in both their ways.
Being that the 101 Dalmatians franchise got two live-action films around the same time, critics found the kidnapping storyline to be overused. However, despite the small budget, the animation style was as strong as it could be.
The Rescuers Down Under 69%
The theatrically released follow-up to The Rescuers was greeted with mixed reviews that leaned positive. Though The Rescuers Down Under didn’t live up to the hype of the original, its increased production value, most notable during flight scenes, earned itself a 69% Tomatometer score and a nearly identical 68% audience score.
The critics called out the mediocre story and lackluster animations, but the appreciators pointed out that while the film wasn’t colorful, the drawings were gorgeous — and while the story wasn’t expansive, it was fun.
Cinderella III: A Twist In Time 75%
Cinderella’s second sequel has the princess’s wicked stepmother turning back the time after stealing the Fairy Godmother’s magic wand. It asks the question, “What would have happened if the glass slipper didn’t fit?” and answers it through one wildly enchanted adventure. It pulled in a positive 75% critic score and a 61% audience score.
Cinderella III was praised for its enjoyable songs, clever writing, and quality voice work. While it wasn’t as magical as the original, it stood out among those in the Disney direct-to-video club.
Fantasia 2000 (81%)
Disney’s Fantasia was given an encore with this special millennium concert film. Created sixty years after the original, Fantasia 2000 accompanied classical masterpieces with stunning animations.
Critics awarded the film an 81% for adding to the magic of the original, while audiences gave it a 75% for being fantastically stylized.
Fantasia 2000 managed to enchant itself above all other Disney sequels that have been released so far.
