Disney Plus is full of titles from Disney's rich history, but fans may be surprised to know some key movies are missing. The streaming service's content includes titles from not just Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, but also from Touchstone, Hollywood Pictures, 20th Century Studios, and various 20th Century-owned animation studios.
When taking all the studios into account, there are some important movies Disney needs to add. Some films have been announced as coming soon to the service, while others have had no news about them at all. Other films were on Disney Plus for a period of time, but have now been removed with no return date set. Indiana Jones seems to be locked up with Paramount for some time, and the missing Muppets movies will soon join Disney Plus as part of the streaming deal with Sony, so those series won't be included here.
Big (1988)
When looking for a big movie missing from Disney Plus, it's best to start with Big. The 1988 film was directed by Penny Marshall and released by 20th Century Studios. The film was on Disney Plus in its early days but has now been removed, likely to various streaming rights and agreements.
The film is a classic to many fans, with the movie becoming a template for a person being stuck in a body they're not used to at all. Tom Hanks received an Oscar nomination for his performance, and the screenplay was nominated as well.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
1989's Dead Poets Society was released by the former Disney distribution label Touchstone Pictures. Directed by Peter Weir and starring Robin Williams, the film tells of a beloved teacher and his students at a prep school. If the film did come to Disney streaming, there's a possibility it would go to Hulu, due to the themes of suicide in the film. Still, the film isn't on Hulu either.
The film is beloved by many, with the "O Captain! My Captain!" scene often being highlighted. AFI voted the line "Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary." as the 95th best movie quote of all time in their 100 Years, 100 Quotes list. The film won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and it was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. Williams earned his Oscar nomination, giving viewers one of his many versatile performances.
FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)
Many 20th Century Studios animated movies have come to Disney Plus, including the Ice Age series, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and The Peanuts Movie. But one glaring omission so far is 1992's FernGully: The Last Rainforest. The film follows a fairy, a lumberjack shrunken to fairy size, and a bat as they deal with a spirit that grows from pollution.
FernGully left its impact in many ways. It was an animated environmental tale years before Happy Feet and Wall-E. It was a rare American kids movie to tackle pollution, as that was mostly seen in the films of Hayao Miyazaki up to that point. It even had Robin Williams voicing a character 7 months before Aladdin came out.
Angels In The Outfield (1994)
1994's Angels in the Outfield was directed by William Dear. It was a remake of the 1951 movie of the same name, though the characters and the team were changed for the 90s film. In the movie, after his dad tells him that they'll be a family again when the Angels win the pennant, young foster child Roger prays for the last-place Angels to start winning.
The film is a classic among Disney fans and baseball fans alike. It also has an all-star cast, led by a very young Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The supporting cast includes actors who were big at the time, like Christopher Lloyd, Danny Glover, Brenda Fricker, and Tony Danza. It also includes actors who would become better-known years later, like Adrien Brody, Neal McDonough, Matthew McConaughey, and Dermot Mulroney.
The Jungle Book (1994)
1994's The Jungle Book was Disney's first live-action adaptation of one of their animated classics. Directed by Stephen Sommers, the movie was known for not staying true to the original book or the animated movie, but it was well-received all the same. The biggest differences are that Mowgli is an adult for the majority of the film, and the animals don't talk.
Fans of the film find it exciting, and there's also a very strong cast to go with it. The film features Jason Scott Lee, Lena Headey, Sam Neill, John Cleese, and Cary Elwes. Almost 30 years after its release, the film still ranks among the top 10 Disney live-action remakes.
Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie (2005)
There are 13 animated Winnie the Pooh films, and nine of those films are on Disney Plus. Of the ones missing, one is a partial compilation of episodes of The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and two are based on the CG series My Friends Tigger & Pooh. But the one big animated Pooh movie missing is Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Adventure.
Pooh and his friends are some of the most loved and popular of Disney characters, and fans would surely like to see a little more complete set on the streaming service. This was also notably the last performance of Piglet by John Fiedler, who had originated the role in 1966.
Bridge To Terabithia (2007)
Bridge to Terabithia is based on the book by Katherine Paterson. The film received strong reviews and has an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film also swept its nominations at the 2008 Young Artist Awards.
The story of two children who make up their own fantasy world is known by many, especially since many people read it in school. It's a glaring omission from the streaming service that will hopefully soon be remedied.
Cinderella (2015)
2015's Cinderella is one of Disney's modern live-action adaptations. The movie was well-received by fans and critics alike, with many highlighting the performances of Cate Blanchett and Lily James. Kenneth Branagh directed the adaptation, bringing a mix of both a classic and fresh feel, which set the template for many elements in Disney's future live-action adaptations.
This film was on Disney Plus for quite a while, but it was recently removed. When it will return hasn't been confirmed, but it seems likely it won't be gone forever.
Tomorrowland (2015)
Brad Bird's sci-fi film Tomorrowland is based on the themed land of the same name from Disney Parks. The film didn't perform well at the box office, but its premise and visual effects were applauded.
A film based on such an important part of Disney history certainly belongs on Disney Plus. As with Big and Cinderella, no timetable has been set for the film's return, but it's likely the streaming rights will return to Disney before too long. And it's among the films to watch for viewers missing the Disney Parks.
The BFG (2016)
Steven Spielberg's first Disney film was The BFG, based on the book by Roald Dahl. It was another Disney film that didn't do well at the box office but was still well-received by critics. Many cited Mark Rylance's performance that was mixed in with CGI as a positive.
A moment in film history as monumental as Spielberg's first team-up with Disney deserves to be on Disney's streaming service. The film has its fans, and they would certainly appreciate being able to find the Big Friendly Giant himself on Disney Plus.