The Walt Disney Company is a never-ending fountain of creativity, constantly dreaming up new ideas that sometimes, unfortunately, never make it to our screens. Among these are several Disney Princess movies that were so close to becoming part of the legendary Disney lineup. Imagining what these films could have added to the Disney Princess lore is an exciting yet bittersweet exercise. Which of these canceled projects might have earned an official Disney Princess title is uncertain, as many incredible yet unofficial Disney princesses remain quietly cherished.

Disney Princess films have had their ups and downs; while some sequels have not fared well, Disney has always had a knack for turning classic fairy tales into spectacular new adventures. However, not every idea saw its fairy tale ending. For instance, concepts like the “Rose-Red” spinoff and a “Swan Lake” adaptation were promising but ultimately shelved. Another captivating concept was the “Princess Academy,” an ambitious project featuring all of Disney’s female characters in a unique boarding school setting. Sadly, this too remained unproduced.

One of the earliest canceled projects centered around “Snow White.” Initially, there was an idea for a short film sequel titled “Snow White Returns,” which had the dwarves preparing for Snow White’s annual visit. Later, a prequel exploring the backstories of the Evil Queen and the seven dwarves was contemplated, but neither came to fruition. Despite these cancellations, Snow White’s story continues to inspire, with numerous adaptations reminding us of her timeless charm.

Similarly, other potential gems like a “Little Red Riding Hood” feature never made it past the development phase. Disney dabbled with this idea in the 1960s but eventually shelved it, not unlike the years-long journey of turning “The Snow Queen” into what we now know as “Frozen.” Another unique concept was “Penelope and the Twelve Months,” a time-travel adventure from the 1940s that never progressed beyond initial artwork.

The mid-to-late 20th century saw Disney exploring various fairy tales like “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” and “Swan Lake.” Although these projects never took off, they continue to inspire, as evidenced by adaptations in other studios and media. While some projects like “Gigantic,” a new take on “Jack & the Beanstalk” set in Spain, showed promise, they too were left unrealized.

Disney’s extensive dream catalog includes ambitious projects like “Princess Academy,” combining characters like Violet from “The Incredibles” with classics like Cinderella. This unmade feature would have brilliantly showcased Disney’s diverse range of heroines unified under one audacious narrative but never got the green light.

What are your thoughts on these untold stories? Share your insights in the comments and let’s imagine what Disney’s rich tapestry of stories might have looked like with these princesses in the spotlight!

Source: Abigail Stevens