The Disney Movie That Nearly Destroyed the Studio but Later Became a Beloved Classic

On January 29, 1959, Walt Disney Studios unveiled one of its most daring and aesthetically ambitious projects with the release of Sleeping Beauty. While the film is now celebrated as a pinnacle of animation, it was a production that nearly brought financial ruin to the company. The development process was notoriously grueling, spanning almost an entire decade as Walt Disney pushed for a level of detail never before seen on screen.

The studio aimed to create something that looked like a moving tapestry, drawing deep inspiration from medieval art and Gothic paintings. This commitment to perfection meant that the animation process was painstakingly slow, with artists sometimes spending weeks to finish just a few seconds of footage. Because of this obsession with quality, the budget eventually climbed to $6 million, making it the most expensive animated endeavor ever attempted at the time.

Upon its initial release, however, the reception was far from the fairy-tale ending the studio had hoped for. Critics at the time were surprisingly harsh, with some describing the film as too cold and sterile despite the lush visuals and a score based on the works of Tchaikovsky. Audiences did not flock to the theaters in the numbers needed to recoup the massive investment, leading to a significant financial loss for the studio.

The sting of this failure was so great that Walt Disney shifted his focus away from princess stories for a generation. It would be another 30 years before the studio returned to the genre with The Little Mermaid in 1989. For a long period, it seemed as though the story of Princess Aurora would be remembered primarily as a beautiful but costly mistake.

As the years passed, the public’s perception began to shift dramatically through television broadcasts and theatrical re-releases. New generations of viewers were able to appreciate the film’s unique artistic style, which stands out as far more sophisticated than the simpler designs of earlier eras. Today, it is recognized as an essential piece of cinematic history and a masterclass in hand-drawn animation.

While Princess Aurora remains a beloved figure, many fans argue that the true soul of the film belongs to the villainous Maleficent. Portrayed with a striking, horns-and-all design and voiced with chilling elegance by Eleanor Audley, she became one of the most iconic antagonists in history. Her popularity eventually led to a massive live-action spin-off franchise starring Angelina Jolie, which explored the character’s origins in a new light.

Currently, Disney is navigating a busy era of production with several major projects slated for the coming years. Angelina Jolie is reportedly preparing to return for a third Maleficent installment, which remains in development for a future release. Meanwhile, Walt Disney Animation Studios is gearing up for Hexed, a new original feature scheduled for later this year.

The studio is also continuing its trend of live-action adaptations, with a new version of Moana starring Dwayne Johnson and Catherine Laga’aia set for a 2026 debut. Additionally, fans are keeping a close watch on the upcoming The Mandalorian & Grogu film, which marks a significant return for the Star Wars franchise to the big screen. Despite the ups and downs of the box office, the legacy of films like Sleeping Beauty proves that true art often takes time to be understood.

Do you think modern animated movies still possess the same level of artistic detail as the classics from the hand-drawn era? Share your thoughts in the comments.