Disney isn't known for making many sequels, but when they decided to make a sequel to Aladdin, it wasn't shown in theaters. Aladdin was an instant classic and a no-brainer for Disney to green light the sequel. A no-brainer though it was, there must have been some thought put into the decision as Aladdin 2 was only the second ever Disney sequel, after 1990s The Rescuers Down Under.

Aladdin 2: The Return of Jafar was a straight follow-up to the original and featured several of the original voice cast, including Linda Larkin as Jasmine and Scott Weinger as Aladdin. Robin Williams did not return to voice Genie for the sequel, however. A slight tweak was made to the original film's ending for the plot of the sequel, with Aladdin and Jasmine deciding to see the world instead of staying and ruling Agrabah.

Related: Was Aladdin Originally Arab, Indian or Chinese?

Originally, the plan was to not have the sequel made as a feature release, but as a TV series. Director Tad Stones had other ideas and suggested it would be better off as a home video release. This was something of an unusual request as up until that point Disney had not made a straight-to-video animated release. Even so, that is the route they took, with the original 1992 Aladdin ending tweaked. Thus, the Aladdin sequel skipped theaters and TV altogether, becoming the first ever Disney direct-to-video animated film. Tad Stones was completely correct about it doing better for Disney as a home release, as The Return of Jafar sold 1.5 million VHS copies within its first two days of release. So great was the success of Aladdin 2 that the studio fast-tracked Aladdin 3, which was released in 1996. Aladdin and the King of Thieves marked the second direct-to-video sequel from Disney and made Aladdin the first trilogy from the animation studio. Aladdin 3 also saw the welcome return of Robin Williams' iconic voice performance as the Genie after stepping away from The Return of Jafar, where Homer Simpson actor Dan Castellaneta took over voice duties.

How Aladdin's Sequel Created A New Age For Disney

Aladdin in The Return of Jafar

Aladdin 2 turned out to be a very important movie for Disney. Though there was some initial resistance to the idea of a straight-to-video sequel, all the doubt went away when it proved a success. It didn't stop with Aladdin and the King of Thieves, either. The two Aladdin sequels brought about a new age for Disney where home-released sequels were a priority. From this initial start, three Beauty and the Beast videos were made, as well as sequels to Pocahontas, Hercules, and The Lion King in the late '90s. This would continue well into the 2000s, with An Extremely Goofy Movie and The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea bringing in the new century.

The late '90s and 2000s was an era for Disney and its movies like no other, which began with the bold decision to release Aladdin 2 direct to video. In some cases, three or four direct-to-video sequels were released in one year. Its plans and strategy seemed to change moving into the 2010s as the last straight home release was in 2008 with The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning. After that, no sequel was made at all until the theatrically released Ralph Breaks the Internet in 2018 and then Frozen 2 in 2019. Though Disney moved away from this strategy, the importance of Aladdin 2 bringing in a new age for Disney can't be understated.

Next: Aladdin's Darkest Villain Wasn't In The Movies