A Defining Era For Disney Animated Movies Ended 15 Years Ago Today

The most defining era of Disney‘s animated films officially came to an end 15 years ago today. For over a century, Disney Animation Studios has provided many beloved films that are still enjoyed by many generations of fans today.

Beginning with Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, Disney has been crowned one of the kings of animation with one new movie releasing at least one per year. Whether it’s an original property, a sequel, or an adaptation of a classic fairy tale, moviegoers have flocked to theaters to see what Disney has in store over the years.

The biggest era in Disney’s history, though, was its traditional animation department. Hand drawn animation was the primary method for animation during the 20th century. Disney had been releasing all of their in-house animated films this way since 1937, and it continued to be this way for decades.

However, Pixar’s Toy Story ultimately changed the game by introducing the world to computer animation. This movie’s success led to many studios tinkering with the idea of making their own films this way, including Disney.

Over the 2000s, the iconic studio began to slowly incorporate CG elements into its films until it released its first full-length computer-animated film, Chicken Little. This led to the phasing out of Disney’s traditional animation department, with the studio’s final theatrical 2D film, Winnie the Pooh, releasing 15 years ago today on July 15, 2011.

2011’s Winnie The Pooh Marked The End Of Disney’s Traditional 2D Animation In Theaters

Stephen Anderson and Don Hall’s Winnie the Pooh was never meant to be the end of an era for Disney. In fact, compared to some of Disney’s other animated films, it’s fairly low stakes. The film readapts the classic children’s stories by A.A. Milne to introduce Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet, and the rest of the Hundred-Acre-Wood to a new generation.

Throughout its incredibly short 63 minute runtime, Winnie the Pooh is a collection of vignettes featuring the honey-loving bear as he experiences various adventures. The main story focuses on him and the others trying to save Christopher Robin from a creature they dub the “Backson,” but the film also features other small wholesome moments throughout.

Winnie the Pooh is a heartwarming and cozy little film that shows Disney’s traditional animation team at their best. However, this ultimately ended up being their final project for the big screen as the 2D animation department was shut down not too long after.

Winnie The Pooh’s Success Proves It Shouldn’t Have Abandoned 2D Animation

While Winnie the Pooh wasn’t a runaway hit when it released, it was still a modest success. Earning $50 million against a $30 million budget is pretty good, especially when it opened the same weekend as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. There were still plenty of families that went to see this film, even if it wasn’t computer animated.

Plus, with the love for many of Disney’s hit series on Disney Channel over the 2010s, like Gravity Falls, there is still a clear and dedicated audience for traditional animation. There’s even been a renewed resurgence of 2D animated films in theaters. They’re not nearly as prevalent, but projects like The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie are still in demand by viewers.

While Disney is unlikely to return to traditional animation on the big-screen, many fans are still calling on them to give 2D animation another shot. The fanbase for these classic films from the studio continues to grow every day, and if Disney can pull off something as charming as Winnie the Pooh again, it could signify a turning point for the studio with an animation renaissance.