How The Black Cauldron became a notorious Disney flop

15 days ago

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Disney's 1985 film *The Black Cauldron* was an ambitious but financially disastrous experiment.
The film was Disney's first PG-rated animated feature, targeting a teenage and young-adult audience with dark fantasy elements.
Despite its innovation, *The Black Cauldron* underperformed at the box office, earning less than half of its $44 million budget.
The film's failure led to internal conflicts and layoffs, raising doubts about Disney Animation's future.
New leadership under Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg led to significant changes, including last-minute edits that frustrated animators.
Roy E Disney, Walt Disney's nephew, played a crucial role in preserving Disney Animation during this crisis.
The studio rebounded with *The Great Mouse Detective* and later *The Little Mermaid*, marking the start of the Disney Renaissance.

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