Who didn’t want a love interest in the same vein as those in Disney movies when growing up? These films always brought a magical element to the story, with all the quick solutions and happy endings. Disney films always carried a particular formula, but this formula would be bent to reflect a change in setting, and the main couples were often the best part of it.
Now that Disney has expanded to franchises far and wide from its initial animated movies, it also comprises series within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Surprisingly enough, the MCU characters also have traces of the Disney formula injected within them. Newer films have focused on live-action re-imaginings of animated films, and while these are still of the highest quality, they do appear to be in the same vein as the original animation in terms of delivery. Sometimes, the Disney pairings help the story in a movie, but other times, they're ill-fitting and hurt the story.
Updated on January 12th, 2023 by Amanda Bruce: The days of the classic Disney couple are largely over. In classic Disney movies, couples consisted of damsels in distress and a prince to come and save them. While plenty of kids and adults alike enjoy the love stories of Disney’s movies, projects like Brave that don’t feature a love interest, or Frozen, which allowed for Anna and Kristoff to play an equal role in the adventure, or even the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which weaves love stories into the background, have become more welcomed by audiences.
Couples That Hurt Disney Movies
Sersi and Ikaris (Eternals)
Sersi and Ikaris together should have felt like an epic love story. The audience saw them fall for one another as the Eternals came to Earth. Unfortunately, the audience didn’t actually see their relationship progress. They’re told that the two of them spent thousands of years together before going their separate ways, but that thousands of years of impact isn’t felt in their relationship.
Instead, that weight is felt in the familial relationships in the group, in Gilgamesh taking care of Thena, in Sprite resenting that she doesn’t age, and in Druig watching the worst of humanity play out over and over again. All of those made for more emotional touchstones in the movie than the relationship between Sersi and Ikaris.
Pocahontas And John Smith (Pocahontas)
Not only was this coupling historically inaccurate, but it also didn’t get the treatment it deserved in the film either. In Pocahontas, she and John Smith fall in love with each other at random, and she seems to be pretty okay being physically close to a man who is essentially a stranger, considering her modest upbringing.
The two don’t end up together in the movie and in Pocahontas II she doesn’t even contemplate about how John Smith would feel after she moves on to another man.
Pocahontas And John Rolfe (Pocahontas)
Speaking of the other man, that would be John Rolfe. Historically speaking, this is the person Pocahontas should have been with from the start, although the real-life passing of Pocahontas was omitted for obvious reasons. The reason why they weren’t good together was that the film was awful.
Anyone could tell Pocahontas II was simply setting up the events for these two to fall in love and there was absolutely no subtlety in its attempts to do so. This couple also was too generic to be memorable in any way other than how boring it was.
Bruce Banner And Natasha Romanoff (Avengers: Age Of Ultron)
While some fans could argue that Bruce Banner and Natasha Romanoff as a couple could have made a lot of sense because of how well their personalities meshed, compatibility wasn’t the issue when Joss Whedon’s Avengers: Age Of Ultron paired them up. The real issue was that the two had little screen time together other than Natasha recruiting him for the Avengers in the first place, and plenty of fans were blindsided by the decision.
It also hurt Natasha’s storyline when she compared the two of their “monstrous” attributes. There was a big difference for the audience between Bruce turning into a monster that was fueled by his own rage and Natasha being forced into an experimental assassin program as a child that made long-term decisions about her body for her. It was hard for the audience to get past that, and since the rest of the MCU didn’t make a return to the pairing during Natasha’s time in it, the relationship didn’t seem like a particularly well-thought-out plot point.
Scamp And Angel (Lady And The Tramp II)
Almost every direct-to-video film of Disney’s earlier smash hits had the original protagonists’ children as the main characters, and a lot of the time these children were grating and parents would want to turn off the movie. In the same way, Scamp was a totally boring character whose story was hardly worth watching, and he ended up having a thing for another dog called Angel.
As one would expect, the family ended up adopting Angel too, in the end, to give the film a happy ending, but most of the audience was just glad this forgettable couple would go back to obscurity.
Phillip And Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)
This has to go in the hurt pile because of how utterly generic it is. Although fans could forgive them for being so one-dimensional, considering that the film was released at a time when what modern audiences consider generic was something revolutionary, this coupling hasn’t aged so well.
Ralph Breaks the Internet even had a scene where Disney Princesses poked fun at tired tropes; all of which were seen in the coupling of Aurora and Phillip. The two don't know one another at all, but fall in love when Phillip saves Aurora because magic says they're meant to be. In fact, many audience members even consider the fairies that shelter Aurora to be the better classic heroes of the story.
Ariel And Prince Eric (The Little Mermaid)
Although The Little Mermaid was a fine film that can be watched to this day – the film was released over thirty years ago in 1989 – the character of Prince Eric leaves a lot to be desired.
The guy was so gullible it got extremely frustrating. He easily believed Ursula to be a human even though she was clearly something sinister, and also fell for Ariel despite her random appearance in his life. Ariel, too, disregarded all her childhood life and family to be together with a man she fell in love with at first sight.
Cinderella And Prince Charming (Cinderella)
Cinderella and Prince Charming are a pretty generic serving from Disney, and one that seems even more ridiculous than Ariel/Eric and Aurora/Phillip. Cinderella’s whole story was about how she was oppressed by her stepmother and then ran out in a magical carriage to meet the Prince. However, it was hard to believe that the Prince didn’t even recognize her after the night had ended.
The fact that he was prepared to wed any woman whose foot fit the glass slipper just went to show he didn’t really love Cinderella, just the idea of her.
Kenai And Nita (Brother Bear 2)
Brother Bear had a sweet story where the bond of family was shown. Its ultimate message was touching as well when Kenai turned into a bear permanently to take care of an orphaned cub, all the while promising his real brother he loved him.
Brother Bear 2 threw in a lame love story plot that showed Kenai was in love with a human, who ended up becoming a bear like him, so they could be together. It was a ludicrous plot that is more amusing than it is charming.
Mowgli And Kitty (The Jungle Book)
If fans thought Disney making live-action versions of its cartoons was a recent trend, then they’re severely mistaken. In the 1990s, The Jungle Book was released in live-action, featuring a grown-up Mowgli.
His love interest was a woman (Lena Headey before Game of Thrones fame) from the city who visited the jungle. It didn’t work because no one wants to see an adult Mowgli, least of all a Mowgli who falls in love with someone else. Plus, a live-action Jungle Book just didn’t seem right at the time.
Belle And The Prince (Beauty And The Beast)
Beauty and the Beast managed to avoid the generic coupling that Disney was known for and delivered a unique love story, but its ending saw the Beast turn into his human form and this was when the generic aspect returned.
Not only did he have the same look every other prince had, but he also had none of the edge that had made the Beast seem different. Had this character been there throughout the film, no one would have been interested in Beauty and the Beast. The Prince is no longer a man who has learned from his mistakes, but a generic prince filling a role. With Belle as one of Disney's most relatable characters, giving her a generic prince felt like a letdown for the audience.
Rapunzel And Flynn (Tangled)
Audiences might love Tangled in the same way they love Frozen, but its couple fell prey to quite a few Disney tropes that modern audiences have grown tired of. Although Tangled was a million times superior to Frozen, it did invoke a trope the latter made fun of. This was the trope where a boy and girl fall in love within a day.
Rapunzel forgot any affection for her adopted mother and was head over heels in love with a guy she’d met only hours ago. She trusted him completely when she hadn't even been around any other human beings that she remembered outside of Mother Gothel.
Chicken Little And Abby (Chicken Little)
This couple was terrible because the main character is often so full of himself that the audience can struggle to find the sympathy for him that the film requires.
That being said, the focus of the movie isn't the journey to romance, so it's more likely that people are going to remember how much they disliked certain characters or even the movie overall instead of the main couple. Abby is just generally a forgettable character too.
Judy And Nick (Zootopia)
Zootopia was a phenomenally exciting movie and it was made even more amazing due to the chemistry of the lead characters Judy and Nick. The fact they were of different species only made the audience love their dynamic even further.
The reason why it ultimately hurt Disney is that the fandom insists there is a romantic connection between them. This only detracts from their friendship and thinking of them as purely a romantic couple lessens their professional bond also. Not every pairing in a Disney movie has to be romantic; there are many different types of relationships, and they are just as important to represent.
Giselle And Edward (Enchanted)
This couple was deliberately constructed in a way that the audience would consider them an awful pairing. Enchanted showed in its beginning how generically Edward and Giselle had chosen to marry each other, despite meeting the same day.
It was only after Giselle arrived in New York City that she realized being your own person is more satisfying than just being the wife to a prince. Still, there are some hilarious moments where Edward couldn’t adjust to life as a real person while Giselle awkwardly tried to show him around.
Edward And Nancy (Enchanted)
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
These two had the perfect fairytale ending that Enchanted was poking fun at the whole movie. It was a sweet sentiment that showed there’s nothing wrong with wanting a happy ending that doesn’t include life’s challenges.
However, this isn’t a great couple because the two had absolutely no connection until the very final scene. Nancy, too, was a bland character who could just as easily have been set up to be the villain had the film wanted to go in that direction. Marrying them off for the sake of another happy ending felt forced, though their characters are explored further in Disenchanted.
Couples That Saved Disney Movies
Anna And Kristoff (Frozen II)
The good aspect of Anna and Kristoff’s relationship in the first Frozen movie is that they go on a journey together. Anna might be a little naive at the start, and Kristoff might be a little judgmental, but the two grow to have a genuine friendship first while they track down her sister. Their relationship, however, isn’t fleshed out until the second movie, and it’s done in a way that bends the more traditional Disney couple rules.
The relationship isn’t solely fleshed out from Anna’s point of view. Instead, the audience gets to understand that Kristoff might have some insecurities about them because of Anna’s desire to be independent. He still loves her and is ready for her to be her own person though, and the storyline doesn’t suffer because of it. Instead, the conflict adds to the story and makes them one of the strongest couples in modern Disney stories.
Aladdin and Jasmine (Aladdin)
Whether examining the animated version or the live-action version of Disney’s Aladdin, there’s one thing that’s true here: Jasmine wouldn’t be swayed by the attention of a prince, but by the truth. That’s what made the two of them so great. It didn’t take long for Jasmine to know that something was off with the new prince that wanted to marry her, and she made sure that he knew that.
Aladdin and Jasmine want similar things in their life - to not be judged because of their background and to have a say in their own futures. That’s what bonds them in both versions of the story. It helped that Jasmine wasn’t the typical damsel in distress that Disney had a penchant for in the classics as well. Instead, she took an active role in protecting her kingdom, helping Aladdin do the same. It made the two of them feel like equals, entering into a relationship with their eyes open.
Nani and David (Lilo And Stitch)
When Lilo And Stitch began, Nani and David were not a couple. It was clear that he had feelings for Nani, but as a young woman who suddenly had the responsibility of parenting her little sister (and her new alien dog), Nani wasn’t ready to add a relationship to her plate.
David didn’t pressure her or continue to pursue her as a Disney prince might have. Instead, he simply offered his help whenever she needed it, taking a step back to give her the space to deal with the stress in her life. David, like Kristoff, is actually one of the most supportive love interests in a Disney animated project.
Pepper Potts And Tony Stark (MCU)
This is the only couple that has remained together starting from Iron Man in 2008 to Avengers: Endgame in 2019. Of course, they had a falling out in Captain America: Civil War and reconciled in Spider-Man: Homecoming, but that was for legitimate reasons.
The will they-won’t they relationship they had until Iron Man 2 kept the audience interested in what would happen between these two. MCU fans even got to see the two in action together as a real superhero couple when Pepper donned the Rescue suit. It’s a shame the audience didn't get to see more of their domestic life outside of the superhero fray, but they can be happy that these two loved each other until the end.
Simba And Nala (The Lion King)
Unlike all other Disney couples, this one was hardly the film's focus – which is why it ranks among the best Disney couples. Simba and Nala only started out as playmates when they were young and the romantic aspect came in when they had been separated for years and saw each other as adults. It made sense why there was an attraction.
Someone a person has a deep friendship with in their youth has a good chance of appearing attractive when met again in adulthood. But Simba and Nala were great because their love story was only a smaller piece of the larger picture.
Tarzan And Jane (Tarzan)
Now, this was a good couple in 1999. Around this time, the age-old romantic plot was changed in order to bring more depth to the characters. And so, Tarzan and Jane fell in love because Tarzan was greatly appreciative of how she found him and taught him the best parts of being human.
Jane fell in love with Tarzan because she realized living in the modern world didn’t hold any value when she could have everything in the wilderness. They appreciated one another's best traits.
Mulan And Shang (Mulan)
Ah yes, perhaps the most modern couple found in a Disney film and one where refreshingly the audience doesn’t get the idea that the female really couldn’t do without the male. Mulan was a revolutionary film that gave viewers a heroine with a personality that showed the female character doesn't always have to be a damsel in distress.
The best part was that this film avoided the tired trope of the final kiss in Disney movies and left things ambiguous as to whether Mulan even thought of Shang romantically.
Roger And Anita (101 Dalmations)
Viewers could count either the animated version or the live-action version of Roger and Anita from 101 Dalmatians for this point. The audience does get to know them slightly better in the live-action version with Jeff Daniels and Joely Richardson.
In both projects, however, Roger is a stand-up guy and Anita is unflinchingly kind. They are united in their desire to do the right thing and to take care of an unreal amount of animals. The defining point for their characters was when they rejected a 7,500 GBP offer from Cruella to give away their litter of puppies.
Copper And Tod (The Fox And The Hound)
No, these two weren’t a romantic couple actual couple; and no, this is not an implication of any undertones to their friendship. But the two characters had such beautiful chemistry with one another in their childhood days that viewers could consider them a platonic couple. It made it all the sadder how it wasn’t meant to be.
Unlike every other Disney film, The Fox and the Hound had a sad ending where the two never patched up and were separated. It did tell children that childhood friends won’t always remain with them into adulthood. It's a beautiful movie, but tear-inducing for kids and adults alike.
Belle And The Beast (Beauty And The Beast)
Returning to Beauty and the Beast, but this time from the opposite point of view. This is because of how well the message of falling in love with a person’s personality hit home as opposed to Disney’s usual method of bringing together purely good-looking people.
Belle changing the Beast's savage ways was also a treat to watch, with their love story slowly unraveling, making for a touching tale. The audience might have preferred him in his beastly form instead of the curse-broken Prince.
Hercules And Meg (Hercules)
In the same manner as Simba and Nala, the relationship between Hercules and Meg wasn’t the focus of their film, which made their coupling all the more endearing. Unlike The Lion King, however, Hercules’ ending had the climax deal with how the main couple got together.
Hercules would choose Meg over becoming the ruler of Olympus, signifying how grandeur doesn’t equal happiness. It was also a nice change that showed a female partner being older than the male one in Disney films, something not seen often in these movies.
Giselle And Robert (Enchanted)
Finally, Enchanted is revisited once more to bring the best couple from that film. People would love some magic in their lives, and Giselle did just that for Robert, who had grown to be extremely cynical due to the harsh reality of the world.
It was a perfect blend of reality meeting fantasy as Giselle grew out of being an immature fairytale character and Robert became open to miracles in the world. Add in the fact that they became a happy family and fans may have the best ending they could think of.