While the Walt Disney Company has been celebrating the movies it's released over the past 100 years since the beginning of 2023, it officially reached the milestone on Monday, October 16. To commemorate the occasion, ABC held a Disney 100 special on Sunday that culminated in the premiere of the Once Upon A Studio animated short film. Like any major House of Mouse fan, I had high hopes for the production, and it did not disappoint. In fact, not only was it great, but key scenes -- like the return of Robin Williams' Genie -- made me especially emotional.
Once Upon A Studio follows Mickey Mouse and a plethora of other animated characters, as they gather outside the historic studio building to take a photo to mark a century of the company's existence. Of course, shenanigans ensue, because getting everyone outside and ready is a lot harder than it looks. Seeing all the characters was not only fun, but it also made me miss the Disney animated series House of Mouse (which is still missing from streaming). As a whole, the Dan Abraham and Trent Correy-directed short is remarkable, but here are the five scenes were really need to discuss:
Robin Williams' Genie Returned
In the lead up to the short's release, one of the most anticipated aspects for Disney super fans was getting to hear Robin Williams voice Aladdin’s Genie one more time. The news originally garnered criticism from some people, who feared Williams' likeness was being used without proper consent. However, Josh Gad -- who reprised Frozen's Olaf for the production -- confirmed that Williams' estate worked with the producers. Trent Correy also explained to CinemaBlend that archival footage was used and that Williams’ family reacted positively to the way in which his character appeared.
I’m so happy the two sides reached the agreement, because seeing Genie jump out from the sketch page to interact with Olaf was a tearjerker for sure. His voice gave me chills, and the Roman Empire joke felt oddly topical, given the TikTok trend of asking men how often they think about the Roman Empire. Robin Williams' passing was a tremendous loss to the world, but it’s heartwarming to see his legacy live on.
There's A Cameo From A Legendary Disney Animator
One thing that seemed to be very important for the shorts' directors was the notion of having legendary animators return to help craft the film. For some -- like Eric Goldberg (lead animator for the Genie), James Baxter (lead animator for Belle), and Ruben Aquino (lead animator for Ursula) -- that meant getting to draw their beloved animated characters again in traditional 2D animation form.
Legendary animator Burny Mattinson had a different role to play, though. He appeared as himself at the beginning of the short. For those who aren’t Disney animation superfans, Mattinson worked for the studio from 1953 until his passing earlier this year. The first Disney movie he worked on was Lady and the Tramp, while his final was Strange World. Seeing him immortalized in such a way brought tears to my eyes. And of course, the heartfelt memorial at the end was a bittersweet bookend to his legacy.
Disney’s First Princesses Welcomed The Newest Princess
In my eyes, Snow White gets overlooked when it comes to celebrating Disney’s history. That's a point that irks me to no end, given that Snow is a major reason the studio exists today. During my first watch-through of Once Upon A Studio, I was on pins and needles while waiting for her to show up (and was prepared to write a strongly worded article had she been neglected). Thankfully, her appearance did not disappoint. In fact, it was everything it should've been and more.
Once outside the studio, Snow White appeared alongside Mulan, as they sang “When You Wish Upon A Star.” It was a beautiful moment that became even more iconic when Snow White extended her hand to Asha, the newest Princess from the upcoming movie Wish, joined the group. I was a sobbing mess watching the heroines of the Disney Princess movies, and I can't wait to see who gets added to their ranks in the years to come.
Everyone Came Together To Sing “When You Wish Upon A Star”
Disney animated movies have featured a lot of iconic songs over the years. In fact, those tunes have been nominated a whopping 42 times for the Oscar for Best Original Song, winning 14 times. The first of these wins was “When You Wish Upon A Star” from Pinocchio.
“When You Wish Upon A Star” always makes me emotional, but getting to hear 543 Disney characters sing it sparked an out-of-body experience. The characters all brought their own flair to the beloved song, but there was something magical about seeing Jiminy Cricket get raised into the frame on Mickey’s hand while singing it. It was the perfect ending song for this masterpiece of a short film.
Mickey Mouse’s Emotional Moment With Walt’s Picture
Obviously, I was an emotional wreck for most of the short, but the moment that really broke me occurred halfway through when Mickey Mouse stops to talk to Walt Disney. Mickey’s look of admiration and affection is caught in the reflection of the photo before the camera turns to face him, and he removes his hat in a sign of respect. As Minnie calls for him off-screen, Mickey takes on moment to say thanks to his creator.
Though Mickey Mouse wasn’t Walt Disney's original creation (that honor is bestowed on classic character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit), he is the one who helped launch the company into prominence. The mouse has become synonymous with the company in the same way Disney's legacy looms over every move the studio has made in the last 100 years. Seeing the character get to say thank you for what the late producer started gave me chills.
What really got me, though, was when Mickey said, “On with the show.” It felt like a passing of the baton sort of moment. Even though Mickey has been the official mascot since the beginning, that moment felt like the character was accepting the fact that it’s up to him to lead the studio into the future. Or maybe I’m just an overemotional Disney adult reading too much into it. Either way, that scene and the others we've discussed make this short more than worth a watch.
If you didn’t get a chance to tune into the broadcast premiere of Once Upon A Studio last night, you can stream it using a Disney+ subscription. Or you can wait until next month to see it on the big screen, as it'll air ahead of Disney’s Wish when it hit theaters on November 22. And keep an eye out for all the upcoming Disney Movies that will be released as the company enters a new century.
