The news of "Moana" getting a sequel has gotten fans of the movie excited, and it's understandable since the first movie was a hit. However, some may forget that just because the first film was successful, doesn't mean that a sequel would be too, and here are instances of that.
(You can stream all the listed movies on Disney+)
1. 'Mulan 2'
The first movie was arguably one of the best in the Disney princess lineup. While a story about finding love in Prince Charming may be endearing, a woman dressing up as a man to save her father from a war he cannot survive and ends up saving the whole country might be more empowering.
The second movie shows that Mulan still has an independent and progressive mind, but it does not quite live up to the first. She did still have an important role to play in making sure China remains safe, but the first movie started too strong and was hard to beat.
2. 'Pocahontas 2: Journey To A New World'
The first movie was already problematic since people pointed out that it was full of inaccuracies, and that the age difference between John Smith and Pocahontas meant that nothing romantic should have happened in the first place.
In the second movie, Disney managed to get their facts straight, and this time, no underaged romantic situations were happening. Based on real events, John Rolfe and Pocahontas were married when the latter was already of age. However, the film was still rather forgettable compared to "Pocahontas."
3. 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame 2'
While Disney was mostly famous for films that revolved around pretty damsels in search of love, it was a breath of fresh air to see the entertainment giant tell a story of Quasimodo, a man who appeared different from everyone else, resulting in him being pushed away and insulted.
The protagonist was in love with a woman, Esmeralda. Even though they did not end up together, Quasimodo was accepted by society and by himself for who he was. That point was rendered useless, as some fans believe when the sequel was about him finding a girlfriend.
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4. 'The Lion King II: Simba's Pride'
Watching "The Lion King" as a kid, you might've shed a tear or two when Mufasa fell to his death, trampled by wildebeests. After that, we watched the cub prince Simba grow up outside his father's domain, only to return as a mighty lion to retake what is rightfully his.
As for the sequel, it failed to provide fans with the same level of strong emotions that the original movie brought out. It was more light-hearted than the first movie, and it did not have as much of an engaging plot.
5. 'The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea'
"The Little Mermaid" not only gave kids a sense of wonderment towards deep waters, but it also provided us with songs that we would continue to love over the years. Seeing as Ariel and Prince Eric found their happily ever after, the sequel shows what that relationship led to, which is a family.
Ariel now had a daughter called Melody, who seemed to have inherited her stubbornness when it came to rules. The sequel revolved around the same storyline. Melody makes a deal with a witch (Ursula's sister) so that she can stay in the sea, which leads to troubles that Ariel has to help her with.
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