The story of The Walt Disney Company has always been an interesting one. Filled withimpactful storiesthat changed movies forever tolegendary box office bombs,incredible creativestocontroversial leadership, Disney’s legacy is one filled with incredible highs and nuanced lows. Even today, the company is in something of a creative gray area with last year’sMoana 2proving itself a box office hit, while 2025’sSnow Whiteended its theatrical run at a loss. By and large, however, many have stated their frustration with the company’s creative direction as a whole, with an over reliance on sequels and remakes making up the majority of the company’s catalog. However,one of Disney’s long-forgotten endeavors proves that the company can truly challenge its own stereotypes, while still being quintessentially Disney.
‘Meet the Robinsons’ is an Inventive Approach to Disney Magic
Disney is a rare bird in Hollywood. Unlike most other studios, Disney invokes deep emotions in billions around the world. Largely due to its common themes of optimism, magic and deep storytelling, their films andtheme parksare more than just entertainment for many: they’re a rite of passage.At first glance,Meet the Robinsonsmay seem like a jarring departure from Disney’s status quo, with some evenviewing the film as inferior among the Mouse House canon. However, the picture is pure Disney magic through and through.
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The film tells the story of Lewis (Daniel HansenandJordan Fry), a smart but lonely orphan who longs to find his birth mother. After Wilbur (Wesley Singerman), a young man from the future, travels back to Lewis’ timeline to employ his help, an extraordinary sci-fi adventure ensues, leading Lewis to find his forever home.It’s certainly not a typicalDisney fairy tale, but it still manages to be one of the shining examples of Disney storytelling. In fact, the picture is, in many ways, a tribute to the company’s beloved founder,Walt Disney. The film’s tagline, “Keep moving forward,” is directly taken from one of Disney’s most famous quotes and perfectly personifies his ideas of futurism, experimentation and optimism. While the film sadly flopped at the box office, it does serve as the perfect template for how Disney can continue to experiment with new modes of storytelling, while also upholding its traditions.
‘Meet the Robinsons’ Shows How Disney Can Reinvent Itself Successfully
It isn’t easy to pinpoint the exact reasonMeet the Robinsonsflopped in theaters. In the post-animationrenaissance era, Disney’s film division struggled greatly, withmany of their films underperforming at the box office.Meet the Robinsonswas just one in a string of financial failures, but there is a recipe for success hidden within the picture. While we can’t understate the triumphs of films likeFrozenandMoana, the company has spent more than a decade leaning into sequels and remakes of classic films todiminishing results. Indeed, we’re seeing films turned into franchises that are, frankly, unwarranted, which ultimately hurt the legacy of the original. WhileThe Lion Kingremake was a box office success, many questioned whether the film was even needed. And, yet it received a sequel that received adivisive reception.
Meet the Robinsons, however, was tantalizing in its originality. The movie boasts relatable and likable protagonists who aren’t perfect but are human.Despite living in a high-tech, futuristic world, they’re among the most realistic characters the company’s animation department has ever created. It also shines a light on difficult issues such as adoption, betrayal and continuing on, even when the world is against you. The messages are profoundly deep for a Disney movie, let alone one with such an outlandish premise. In many ways, the film is a love letter to the company’s founder. As we previously discussed, the movie’s central theme is taken from Walt Disney’s ideals, and it really reflects his penchant for experimentation. In fact, this is one of the company’s most “Walt-influenced” films since his passing. The picture’sTomorrowland influenceis the perfect way to tie together its more complex themes with its Disney heritage. Pound for pound, the movie is a wonderful template for the company to follow when it comes to creating new stories. It may not have been a box office hit, but the beauty and imagination of the movie cannot be denied.
Meet the Robinsons
