From the iconic duo of Timon and Pumbaa in The Lion King to the powerhouse performance of Robin Williams as the Genie in Aladdin, Disney movies are known for their iconic side characters. But there are some amazing supporting characters that always seem to be waiting in the wings for a little bit of the limelight.
Whether it's for their comedic chops or their overall design, certain characters simply deserved a little more than they got in terms of screen time. If audiences had seen more of them, they possibly could have become household names like Olaf in Frozen.
Pain And Panic (Hercules)
Hades's two minions might have received a more successful career outside the movie in the animated Hercules series that followed, but there's no denying they are two of the best Disney movie henchmen. They might be bumbling, but they get high marks for humor, loyalty, and commitment.
They are also two of the biggest personalities in the film, making viewers want to see more of them than even Megara or Hades's army of monsters. Not the most competent, but easily two of the most popular.
Clawhauser (Zootopia)
In a city full of furry and cuddly faces, there are few that rival that of Officer Clawhauser. Easily one of the most lovable creatures in all of Zootopia, it's a shame he only gets a small amount of screen time in the film.
The popstar-loving, donut-guzzling, cheetah cop has all the makings of a lovable Disney sidekick. He's funny, his design is adorable, and he's chock-full of personality that would work as a great foil against the dedicated Judy or the sly Nick in more scenes than he's in. In a perfect world, the script would have written him in as Judy's friend on the inside, trying to help her with the missing mammal cases. But watching him geek out over Gazelle is still fun to watch, nevertheless.
Uncle Waldo (The Aristocats)
One of the most underappreciated side characters in all of Disney history has to be old Uncle Waldo from The Aristocats. He didn't need much more screen time, but a longer appearance from this hilarious tipsy waterfowl would have been excessively enjoyed.
Granted, an intense display of animal inebriation might not be the most Disney-ish concept in the world, but his antics are still one of the funniest scenes in the movie, especially when he's "marinated", as it's put in one of the best quotes in The Aristocats. Even his cameo at the end gets a laugh or two.
M-O (WALL-E)
M-O from Pixar's WALL-E is perhaps one of the funniest characters aboard the Axiom. This little guy is what happens when somebody gives an obsessive cleaner a military-grade sanitation job. M-O is a bot on a mission, and no amount of filth will get in his way.
This little grime-fighter is intensely dedicated to locating any form of foreign contaminant and scrubbing it away with his roller brush. Watching him on an endless pursuit of Wall-E and Eve is adorably funny, but it should have gone on a bit longer to reach rigmarole status.
Pete’s Family (Goof Troop)
Anyone familiar with Goof Troop will know about Pete's family next door. Peg, PJ, and Pistol all work off of each other magnificently. Although Goofy might be a beloved Disney favorite, the studio missed a golden opportunity by not giving Pete's family their own spin-off show.
The amount of comedic dysfunction within their family unit is a goldmine of hilarious proportions. Peg's got a short fuse that could easily rival her husband's, PJ's nerdy and neurotic tendencies make him the perfect target for slapstick, and Pistol's off-the-wall, rapid-fire persona could easily open the door for all sorts of wacky antics. Fans are still just thankful for what they did get out of them.
Maid Marian (Robin Hood)
Maid Marian is a special case, not just because she didn't get enough time on screen, but because she disappeared somewhere in the middle of the movie. After she runs off with Robin Hood to Sherwood Forest, she isn't seen again until the very ending.
Since she's such a big part of Robin's life, it's only reasonable to think that she would hang around to be a part of the adventure. Her sudden departure from the plot sticks out like a sore thumb. Maybe her scenes were cut or maybe it was an afterthought, but it still deserves an explanation.
Captain Hook And Mr. Smee (Peter Pan)
Captain Hook might be one of Disney's most famous and hilarious villains, but it's the comedic duo of Hook and Smee that definitely deserves as much screen time as possible. Their scenes together are some of the funniest the studio has ever produced, especially under Walt Disney's own direction.
The scenes at Skull Rock alone are evidence enough to display their talents, and they easily make up one of the best Disney duos in the studio's history. How have they not gotten their own series of animated adventures?
Frozone (The Incredibles)
Definitely a favorite amongst Pixar fans, Frozone should have gotten a bigger part in the sequel or at the very least his own movie. He's cool, he's smooth, and he's voiced by the legendary Samuel L. Jackson — the list of reasons goes on and on.
With the high demand for more superheroes of color, Frozone is an obvious choice for more adventures. There's so much that can be done with him (and his own family too) that Pixar should seriously consider making him their next big project.
Gusteau’s Chefs (Ratatouille)
One's a former circus acrobat, one's a notorious gambler banned from Vegas and Monte Carlo, one ran guns for the resistance, and one's an ex-con with a mysterious past. This team of animated chefs definitely deserves a spinoff or something. Pixar piqued the interest of the audience with these fascinating characters and yet didn't explore them further.
The chefs in Gusteau's kitchen have such eclectic personalities and standout characteristics that they practically beg to be seen. They'd be a great aspect of the movie to expand if there's ever a sequel.
Tadashi Hamada (Big Hero 6)
Tadashi Hamada and his unfortunate demise are both key elements in the narrative of Big Hero 6. His tragic death was the catalyst that drove Hiro to be a superhero and many fans rank Tadashi's as one of the saddest Disney movie deaths, on par with the death of Mufasa and Bambi's mother. But is that really the case?
Tadashi really didn't have that much screen time in order for the audience to thoroughly form a connection with him. His death feels like a plot device, but it doesn't strike an emotional chord with everyone. But who knows, he might come back as Sunfire in the sequel, and he'd be a great character to expand further considering how much of an impact he left in such a relatively short period of time.