Disney has put out plenty of sequels to its films over the years. From the more recent theatrical releases to the early 2000s’ movies, here are five of the best Disney sequels/prequels.

5. Moana 2 (2024)

“Moana 2” was a great sequel, but doesn’t exactly hold its own against the original. The characters, especially the new additions, felt a little under developed. Despite this, “Moana 2” wasn’t bad at all. The animation was beautiful, and the story definitely had potential. I just wanted more from it.

4. The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000)

“The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea” follows Ariel’s daughter Melody as she -– as the title states -–  returns to the sea. The relationship between Ariel and Melody was well developed and a cute dynamic. The plot of the movie was also compelling. There are obviously some issues with it: the songs are bland and some of the side characters left something to be desired, but overall, I enjoyed watching it.

3. Mulan II (2004)

“Mulan II” was surprisingly pretty good. Out of all the sequels, I felt like this one did the best job of developing the characters. “Mulan” wasn’t going through the same arc she did in the first movie, something which a lot of sequels do. It wasn’t as high-stakes as the original, but almost none of the Disney sequels are.

2. Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007)

“Cinderella III: A Twist in Time” is one of the most creative sequels Disney has put out. In the beginning of the film, Lady Tremaine finds the fairy godmother’s magic wand and uses it to turn back time to when the original movie took place. The alternate timeline is just as compelling as the original and had some surprisingly funny moments. It also had some phenomenal character development. This is one of the few Disney sequels that might be on par with the original.

1. Mufasa the Lion King (2024)

“Mufasa the Lion King” is a prequel to “The Lion King.” It has a compelling story, believable characters and incredible music. I struggled to find anything from the narrative that I disliked. The animation was the only thing bringing this movie down. The movie used photorealistic animation rather than mimicking the style of the first movie, which was a bad decision. Other than that, I thought this movie was incredible.