Twenty-five years ago, on June 15, 2001, Disney released Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Emerging from the acclaimed Disney Renaissance of the 1990s, the film, directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise and produced by Don Hahn, was an ambitious attempt to pivot Disney's animated output toward a style inspired by Adventureland at Disney's theme parks. However, the film underperformed at the box office and received mixed to negative reviews.
Despite its initial reception, Atlantis has cultivated a significant cult following through home video releases and is now viewed more favorably than at its debut. The film's artistic merit, stemming from talents like directors Wise and Trousdale (known for Beauty and the Beast and The Hunchback of Notre Dame), screenwriter Tab Murphy, and the distinctive art style of Mike Mignola, has sustained its fanbase. "I like to think that it's a decent film," said Trousdale. "That it's entertaining and fun, and the characters are fun." He noted that the film was patterned after live-action adventure films of the late '50s and early '60s, and its lack of musical numbers and inclusion of gunfire meant it didn't align with adult expectations for Disney films at the time, though children reportedly enjoyed it.
Screenwriter Tab Murphy added that many children discovered the film on home video, leading to a growing, albeit untrackable, fanbase. The film's appeal lies in its sense of adventure, exploration, and its memorable characters, all packed into a 90-minute runtime. Trousdale explained the creative team's approach to diverge from the musical format that had defined Disney's recent successes, likening the shift to exploring Adventureland at Disneyland instead of the more traditional Fantasyland.
The film's evocative design, including notable creature designs like the Leviathan, has also contributed to its enduring charm. Yet, Atlantis's release coincided with a significant industry shift towards 3D animation. As a 2D animated film with 3D elements, it stood apart from the emerging trend of fully computer-generated features like Pixar's Toy Story and DreamWorks' Shrek, which would soon dominate the market. This timing proved challenging, as Atlantis, along with fellow 2D/3D hybrids Treasure Planet (2002) and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003), failed to find commercial success.
"I kind of pin it on the first Shrek for putting the nail in the coffin of 2D animation," Trousdale commented. Murphy echoed this, stating that "there was a new kid on the block, a new toy glistening in the movie theaters, and that was CGI, that was Shrek." The success of Shrek propelled DreamWorks Animation into prominence, while Disney's main animation division navigated a transitional period until the early 2010s.
Atlantis's distinctiveness, both ahead of its time with its pulp serial sensibility and behind the curve with its 2D format, contributed to its initial struggles but also its lasting appeal as a unique artifact. Its financial failure, alongside Treasure Planet and Sinbad, marked the effective end of Disney's experiment with the "Adventureland" style of animated features and accelerated the decline of 2D animation in North America's theatrical space.
The industry's swift transition to 3D animation, with Disney releasing its last 2D animated film, Winnie the Pooh, in 2011, led to a significant loss of 2D animation expertise. Trousdale lamented, "we've lost a lot of the expertise, a lot of the crews, the people that did the animation... most of those people have retired or died off or just moved on to other things." The creative team had envisioned sequels and other projects, including a theatrical sequel where Helga Sinclair would return as a steampunk cyborg, and theme park attractions. Murphy also proposed a prequel focusing on Kida's journey to becoming a warrior. However, none of these materialized, and Disney has largely overlooked the film, much to the dismay of its fans. Trousdale expressed frustration that Princess Kida is not recognized as an official Disney Princess, despite preceding Tiana and being a Black princess. Murphy shared that the character resonated deeply with many Black women who saw themselves represented on screen for the first time. Despite Kida's significance, the film's box office performance ultimately precluded such recognitions.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire stands as a pivotal film in Disney's history, representing a moment of creative exploration that was curtailed by commercial realities. While it did not achieve its intended success upon release, it has since earned a dedicated audience and a rightful place in the appreciation of animated cinema.