Disney+ has announced their first mutant project - the animated series X-Men ‘97, debuting in 2023, which will continue the story that began 30 years earlier. Elsewhere, the live-action The Little Mermaid will be released in 2023, whose prequel animated show first arrived in 1992. In addition to those shows, there are several others that audiences will remember.
From the massively popular Aladdin to the nostalgia-driven Tom and Jerry, it’s remarkable that some animated movies and TV shows are now three decades old. Since this marks a special occasion, it’s best to look back at the properties that delighted viewers back then and should do so in the current day and age as well.
Aladdin
When Aladdin was released, it became the highest-grossing animated film of all time with a global haul of over $500 million. It remains beloved around the world as part of the Disney Renaissance list of films, with Aladdin’s popularity leading to a 2019 live-action remake.
It’s a retelling of the Arabian Nights classic tale with a modern twist through Robin Willaims’ Genie, who is the heart and soul of the movie. Aladdin has aged remarkably well over the last 30 years and is just as entertaining to audiences worldwide today as it was during its original release.
Goof Troop
This is a show that every true Disney animated series fan has seen, as it represented a shift into true storytelling in cartoons. Goof Troop is about Goofy’s relationship with his son Max during the latter’s time in junior high school. It spawned a franchise that led to two film sequels.
Goof Troop skyrocketed the popularity of Goofy away from just being Mickey Mouse’s sidekick friend. The show still carries a lot of nostalgic value for fans who checked out the series during their childhood. Reruns have enabled it to remain relevant and the Disney+ relaunch has brought the show to a new generation.
The Addams Family
There’s a very long history concerning The Addams Family and the 1992 animated series is likely the first time young viewers learned about the family at the time. This show is set from the point of view of the Normanmeyer family that lives nearby the Addamses.
It has a toned-down theme of the macabre, with more focus on slapstick comedy and the Addams family’s eccentricities. The theme song is a classic by now and instantly recognizable to long-time fans, with the series’ standalone episode style making it perfect for binge-watching.
Tom And Jerry: The Movie
While this entry doesn’t rank too high in Tom and Jerry’s best movies, it was a big deal because it was the first time audiences got to see them in a feature film. It had a mixed reception for focusing more on the girl that Tom and Jerry help to reclaim her family fortune than the lead cat and mouse pair.
Still, the hype surrounding the film is hard to overlook and it has a soft spot for many members of the fanbase. With a new Tom and Jerry feature in 2021, it’s incredible to consider the original is already 30-years-old by now.
Sinbad
One of the adaptations of classic literature, the Sinbad movie is another entry from the Arabian Nights tales. The story sees Sinbad and his companion Habeeb arriving at a strange island where they realize they’re in trouble when Sinbad is forced to wed the king’s daughter.
Swashbuckling adventures were few and far between back during Sinbad’s release and its arrival was certainly welcome. While the passage of time has somewhat diminished its staying power, the movie is still notable and its 30-year anniversary proves just how far animation has come.
The Little Mermaid
Disney capitalized on The Little Mermaid’s popularity three years after its release with a prequel TV series. This show is a prequel set before the film’s events and depicts how Ariel’s life was under the sea in the company of her family and friends, although her future husband Prince Eric appears in cameo appearances.
The show was the first of many TV sequels and prequels that Disney commissioned, making it the trendsetter for years to come. It has a wholesome quality with stories showcasing the power of friendship, which should hold true three decades later as well.
X-Men: The Animated Series
It wasn’t too long ago when the announcement of X-Men ‘97 set Twitter reactions alight and the reason for that is the popularity of the original series. The animated show is considered a faithful adaptation of the comics, being the introduction to Marvel for many fans.
With a roster consisting of Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Professor X, and more, it’s hard not to be entertained to this day. The commissioning of X-Men ‘97 goes to show just how significant the animated series is in promoting the Marvel fandom that is now the largest in the world.
Batman: The Animated Series
Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a thing, the DC Animated Universe carved out an entire franchise that brought many superheroes together. Even prior to that, however, it was Batman: The Animated Series that introduced the DCAU with the Caped Crusader’s adventures.
The show has a noir style that makes Gotham City appear as a haven for supervillains, with Batman facing off against these baddies in each episode. It’s incredible that it’s been 30 years since the show took the world by storm and is now even more relevant since it did universe-building before it was mainstream popular.