In Disney’s vast back catalogue of classic movies, there are many characters who are worthy of a spinoff. There are many films that have great characters and storylines but we only get to hear about the lead characters who are the focal point of the narrative. Sometimes I would just like to know about the character in the background who is potentially just as interesting and even more exciting than the main characters? There are many animals, villains, underdogs and just unknown or overlooked characters who are only seen in a few scenes. These characters could actually be the leader of their own narratives.
Over the years, Disney has taken many characters and given them their own series. Take Maleficent, the dark fairy from Sleeping Beauty. In the film Maleficent, we get a glimpse of the fairy as a child see her falling in love and find out why she decided to curse a helpless baby. Sometimes just sometimes characters do things because of what happened to them in the past and these are stories worth telling.
Here is our list of Disney characters that deserve their own spinoff.
Neverland Mermaids (Peter Pan)
I definitely want to know more about these mermaids from Neverland. These mermaids in the tale seem obsessed with Peter, which automatically means that they don’t like Wendy or anyone that takes away Peter’s attention, which is further demonstrated when they try and drown Wendy but play it off as ‘only having fun.’
There are many questions that I would like answered about these Neverland mermaids. I want to know whether they live there all year round? Why they are transfixed on Peter? Do they have families? Are they supposed to come onto land? Are there only fun tormenting girls who Peter takes an interest in?
Hook (Peter Pan)
A grown man is always hunting for pixie dust and we need to know why!
In the adaptations, Hook is always after the fairies for their dust. We know from the films that dust is what makes you fly. However, we know that it only works with happy thoughts. Not something that Hook seems to have a lot of.
I would love it if they made another movie revolving around Hook. The film Pan explores James Hook helping Peter when both are trapped mining dust for Blackbeard which gives us a clue that maybe Hook was an orphan as well just like Peter. I would like to see how Hook started, how he grew up, why he was abandoned and what ultimately led him to become a pirate.
Lady Tremaine (Cinderella)
From the tale we know she is power-hungry, high maintenance, bossy, manipulative and wants only one of her daughters to marry and become rich. But have you ever wondered what happened in the stepmother’s life before Cinderella?
I mean was she always like this? Did she let jealousy rule her life as Cinderella’s father loved his daughter whilst her own daughter’s father/s didn’t want anything to do with them or her?
We all want to know what has driven her to be this cold and bitter woman because if she was from a good family shouldn’t she just be content with bringing up her daughters to be respectable young women of society?
LeFou (Beauty and the Beast)
A goofy looking oddball who is undeniably in love with Gaston would make for a great series about unrequited love.
He would be Disney’s first-ever LGBT protagonist highlighted in a live-action movie. Picture the first-ever proud character experiencing the highs and lows of life and ultimately finding the one.
The film wouldn’t be Disney’s happily ever after take on love. No, it would be a dark tale of love where LeFou is infatuated with Gaston. However, these two seem like an unlikely and disastrous pair. In Beauty and the Beast, we see Gaston hitting and choking LeFou. Wouldn’t it be interesting and exciting to watch Lefou stand up for himself and stop taking the abuse?
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb (Alice In Wonderland)
I imagine a Disney spinoff about these twins would be a whole world of laughter and fun.
A movie about the twins’ life in Wonderland would be epic, watching them grow up in a world where there’s a jabberwocky, the Cheshire cat and of course the Madhatter.
It would be great to know what happened next. I mean did they fall in love, get married, have any children or even if they’re actually still on talking terms. But it would also be interesting to watch how Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb grew up, how they came to know the Cheshire cat and the Madhatter.
Frozone (The Incredibles)
“Honey, where is my super suit?!” is an iconic Pixar line from one of the best superhero characters. He has the ability to create ice and freezing surfaces by manipulating water molecules.
We know from the film that he is married to Helen, but we don’t receive any other information about his relationship or family. But wouldn’t it be great if there was a film just about Frozone? We could explore his childhood, how he met Helen, where his powers come from, how he met Bob and his life before being a superhero.
I’m not sure about you but I would totally love to see a mash-up with Frozen and Elsa. I believe they would make a powerful and epic duo.
Nani (Lilo & Stitch)
Lilo & Stitch has a couple of candidates for a Disney spinoff. Firstly, what if we had a film that told the story from Nani’s point of view.
In the film, Nani is left looking after her baby sister. We don’t really know that much about her other than she works at a surf shop, has a boyfriend and tries to keep Lilo out of trouble. But the film hardly mentions her life before Lilo or even what her dreams were. I mean, surely, she had her own aspirations and friends before looking after her sister.
I would love to watch the story of Nani growing up with her parents. I would love to know what she was like as a kid, was she the same as Lilo growing up? Did she also have trouble making friends and fitting in?
Cobra Bubbles (Lilo & Stitch)
I would love to hear all about Cobra Bubbles life.
From the film, we know that he is a CIA agent who has spent most of his life secretly working for the government. I would love a series exploring his life. I mean he was an agent so he must have seen and done some pretty epic things.
In Lilo and Stitch, Bubbles, the CIA agent, is working as a social worker, however he isn’t all that surprised about the existence of aliens. Have bubbles known about them all along? Maybe being a social worker was just a cover and that he knew all along that there was a Nanny and Lilo.
Scar (The Lion King)
They do say villains are more exciting and interesting characters and something about Scar just makes me want to know more. I don’t know about you but I would love a Disney spinoff about Scar. Maybe a prequel?
Many things didn’t add up, who is Scar? What was he like growing up? Was he always evil? What turned him bad? There’s a quote which I have come across sums it up that “No one is born evil” They become that way, through choice and circumstance.” ―Victoria Aveyard, Glass Sword. Which to me sounds like something bigger happened than a little sibling rivalry that led Scar to become cunning and jealous.
Zazu (The Lion King)
I just think a Disney spinoff all about Zazu would be hilarious.
He’s the adviser to Mufasa and is always left looking after the mischievous Simba. I would love to watch a film about Zazu’s youth and see how he ends up working for Mufasa.
A film about Zazu growing up, falling in love and having a family would be a great insight into Zazu as a character as a whole and not just a bossy chatty bird. In the film we don’t know that much about Zazu, I mean was he was always close with Mufasa?
Written by guest contributor Zahra Arshad.
Which Disney character do you think deserves a spinoff?
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