Not every Disney movie can be Frozen or The Lion King, and for every smash hit there’s a jewel lost in the depths of the ocean. At least, that’s the case for Atlantis: The Lost Empire, a movie that, despite gaining cult classic status, has only 49% on Rotten Tomatoes. Released in an era of princesses and musical prowess, the darker-toned Atlantis has been buried as one of Disney’s animated failures, but the creative risks make it one of the most underrated and unique Disney movies of the early 2000s.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire, which is getting a live-action remake, made history in 2001 as Walt Disney Animation Studios’ first science fiction film. The adventure features Milo Thatch, voiced by Michael J. Fox, and his eccentric exploration team on a quest to find the lost city of Atlantis. The movie draws direct inspiration from Jules Vernes' Journey to the Center of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. With a stellar voice cast and strong creative team behind it, the movie seemed destined for greatness. Yet its low rating from critics speaks to a change in Disney itself.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire Is A Great Movie & Deserves Better

It's A Throwback Sci-Fi Adventure Epic

Atlantis: The Lost Empire is an old-style sci-fi epic. The movie left the musicals behind for explosions, steampunk technology, and history. Hellboy comics’ Mike Mignola gave Atlantis: The Lost Empire its comic-like art style with a color palette that beautifully reflects the murky depths of the sea. The ensemble cast has strong personalities and are diverse in ethnicity and body type. Mayan, Southeast Asian, and Indo-European culture influenced Atlantis' architecture and the invented Atlantean language. The voices of Michael J. Fox and Cree Summer bring everything to life. This unique hero story retains all the Disney magic.

Hellboy comics’ Mike Mignola gave Atlantis: The Lost Empire its comic-like art style with a color palette that beautifully reflects the murky depths of the sea.

Before the plans were scrapped, the future was bright for Atlantis. Disney had planned the TV spin-off Team Atlantis in addition to the 2003 direct-to-DVD Atlantis: The Lost Empire sequel. Disney’s Submarine Voyage theme park rides would have been revamped into Atlantis-themed adventures. Atlantis has untapped potential. Kida could be added to the Disney Princess lineup and the action and grit of the film would make it a thrilling live-action remake. Enthusiasm for Atlantis led to a cast and crew reunion for the 2021 and 2022 anniversaries. It is time for Disney to rediscover Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

Why Atlantis: The Lost Empire Wasn't A Big Success For Disney

For a movie about recovering history in 1914, Atlantis was ahead of its time. Many of the risks that made Atlantis exciting became the reasons it wasn’t a big success. In 2001, critics called it “a creative gamble,” referring to the lack of songs or cuddly sidekicks. The older audience it was meant to attract favored full CG animation rather than Atlantis’ mix of hand-drawn and CG animation. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes discussed weaknesses in plot and pacing, the same negative criticism the film received in 2001. The movie’s mixed reviews ultimately contributed to the franchise’s disappearance.

When Atlantis: The Lost Empire premiered, it went up against Dreamworks’ Shrek and action competitor Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. They proved to be the bigger draw. In its 25-week theatrical run, Atlantis made $186 million worldwide compared to its $100 million budget. The lack of success speaks to post-Disney Renaissance industry decisions. Due to studio competition, high costs, and box office bombs, Disney severely downsized its staff and movie production. Parting with the Disney formula was a high pressure experiment that the crew had incredible confidence in. Unfortunately, Atlantis: The Lost Empire needed more than confidence to be considered a success.