In honor of Zootopia 2, I’m do a list of my top favorite Disney Reptiles plus one technical amphibian because it was too cute not to include.
These rules or strictly speaking guidelines that are not to strict. I had wanted this ranked list to only in closed non-magical, non anamorphic reptiles but that went out the window pretty quickly. SO really the only rule is no dragons (sorry Mushu.) Though that gives me another idea for another list for another day and maybe more animal types because I happen to love animals of all kinds.
Also because not including Pixar as it’s “the other” studio BUT there will a Pixar honorable mention to two.
On the one hand it’s hard to judge a movie based on less a minute long teaser trailer. On that other much larger hand the Live action teaser trailer so the so-called Live Action remake of Moana actually really does a great job showcasing this movie. It’s a mostly photo-realistic CG shot-for-short remake devoid of any amount of soul and purely exists to make for money.
First issue, What is an “I want” song? Because it’s not a clear as a villain song. There seems to be a few guidelines like the protagonist or secondary protagonist sings about wanting something. Some of rankings I sampled listed songs that I wouldn’t personally consider an “I Want” songs but they do so they were counted. Like “Let it Go” do you think it counts? Also Love as a want, or is that a love song?
For this survey, I analyzed 30 different lists ranking Disney “I want” songs there is a big however though. I couldn’t find 30 lists of dedicated “I Want” songs. So generic ranking of Disney songs were used only considering songs that “fit” into the “I want” type. So if a song I personally don’t consider an “I Want” was ranked on one of those dedicated “I Want” list it was counted for this survey for those generic ranking of Disney songs. So for example if “Let it Go” was on a ranked list that that solely “I Want” list it was in the consideration pool. And let’s say, on a generic best Disney songs list it ranked 15th overall but was the third “I want” song from the top, it would ranked third for the sample.
Also reprises are tricky. One song I counted with the its reprise. Also there a bias towards older songs because of ages of some of these lists. This really impacts two songs.
Also I DID NOT add my own personal rankings to this list. What I did do was weighted mean. So if a song appeared on all 30 lists at 9th ranking it won’t rank as high as one that was on 80% but was consistency ranked in the top three. I also considered how many times a song ranked in each position. Again, I’m not a statistician, I just like doing these more objective lists and will mostly likely do more.
There was also a very clear winner early on which appeared on but two lists and was ranked #1 eighteen times. Try and Guess if you can. (Seriously, for real life, it’s not that hard)
So which of the Disney “I want” song made the cut? Did “Out There” make it? Is this just a list of Frozen songs*?
Without further Adieu, Here is the Statically Definitive Ranking of the Ten Best Disney I Want songs
At the risk of coming across as elitist, I don’t love Pandora jewelry. However I get the appeal they offer the experience of fine jewelry at accessible price points. And I probably would wear these for rings for fun (well except for one).
So I’m a little late to the party as these Rings came out a while ago but I thought as someone who likes Disney (to a degree) and did at one point Jewelry/metalworking, I thought I would offer up my very own tepid take and maybe some design musings…..
These are in order of my personal tastes and other thoughts
Rapunzel’s design is gold with pink cubic zirconias. The setting emulates the the shape of her tiara. This one is my favorite of the collection. I think it’s a good design that encapsulates Rapunzel well enough 8.5/10
Tiana’s ring is silver with green and white stones. I think the setting is a lily pad which makes sense if it is. However this should be gold. 8/10
As an isolated ring design I really like Jasmine’s BUT as design for Princess Jasmine it misses the mark. The ring is silver with a starry motif and in my opinion the ring references “A Whole New World” or “Arabian Nights” rather than Jasmine. If was Jasmine inspired ring design it would be gold with a teal blue crystals. I do like the idea of Pandora being inspired by the songs, that would unique idea but they are selling this as Jasmine so it’s bring it down. 7.5/10 for the design (4/10 for a Jasmine Ring)
What is up with Pandora picking the wrong metal? Belle’s rose ring should be gold. It’s pretty and it looks better on a human than in isolation. It’s quite on the nose for Beauty and the Beast but it stylized enough rose to get over that. 7.5/10
This carriage design seems to be a default one for Cinderella and while this ring is very pretty again it should be a different metal. I think that they went with gold to shake it up since Cinderella inspired jewelry is silver but that the is the character. I will say I like flowing winding abstract wheel intercrossing the band, it’s a nice touch. This would be ranked high if was in silver though. 7/10
Ariel’s ring design silver with a treated white freshwater pearl set in open worked shell with iridescent teal crystals. While the design is conceptually good I would pass on this ring because pearls have mohs hardness of 2.5 which is very soft, diamonds are 10. This means they can be damaged very easily by bumping into something or even perfumes or sunscreen. This design would work fine for a pendant or earrings. So while it’s pretty, Pandora should have opted for another stone. But also this one doesn’t feel very Ariel aside from the sea motif and she wears a shell bra. 6.5 for design XX for wearability.
Snow White’s design is silver with red and pink bow. The design is inspired but her hair bow but the pink crystal throws it off and makes it read more Minnie Mouse. I do like the bow design, I think it’s the colors throwing me off. A blue, yellow or even black center stone would have been better. Black would have been very interesting and unexpected but it would be for her coloration, silver for her skin, red lips and black her hair. But as it is it’s a little too juvenile for my taste. 4/10
Design Musings
So now for some musing what would Esmeralda’s design be? I could see a FEW design directions.
Idea one would be inspired by her red dancing dress. So gold with a red stone and her tiara design could be used for the setting.
Idea Two would gold with a emerald color stones. For a motif I think they should consult Romani communities. Doing a very basic image search coins and charka wheel come up but without knowing specifics into the meanings of those I wouldn’t firmly recommend a deign motif but consulting the Romani communities or having a Jewelry designer who is a member would be a great opinion. However I can’t really see Pandora doing this.
Idea three a design inspired by Esmeralda’s celestial purple scarf. It would be gold, obviously, with a purple stones with a crescent moon setting and maybe more crystal surround the setting.
Which one of the Pandora ring designs is your favorite? And you wear an Esmeralda inspired ring? And do you have any design ideas for Esmeralda?
Menken seems to be the only person left talking about this project. In a nutshell Menken said “wouldn’t bet against it happening at some point.” he went on to say “I wish it was [still happening]. I think it’s a property that’s challenged – we won’t call it a problem” Menken continued saying “It gets a little complicated because it’s Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame and let’s face it, it’s a meaty material. It deals with very heavy and profound themes, but Disney they walk a line.”
He went on to say, “The challenge is how can we deal with those themes of the inner obsession that Frollo has both as a man of the church and also obsession with this gy***. How do we deal with this sense of discrimination against the gy**** – Romani people? How do we deal with the revulsion that people feel towards this hunchback? If we’re going to soft pedal that then what’s the point? It’s hard, it is hard. But again, hope springs eternal.”
Josh Gad
For some context, this project was first announced in 2019 with Josh Gad taking the helm and David Henry Hwang writing the screenplay.
In 2023 after that viral fancast made the rounds Josh Gad said “The script is one of the bestI have read and hopefully the powers that be will see this love and let us make the live action adaptation the original animated film deserves.” He ends by saying “Regardless of what stage this project is in, we are just happy to see is still alive – even if it is in the form of a promising script at this point.”
This ultimately tracks with what Menken is alluding to in this interview and what he has said a previous interview “I have no idea. It’s a tough one, because the Hunchback movie, Hunchback story involves a lot of real, real issues that are important issues and should be explored to be discussed. And there has to be an agreement about how we deal with those issues. You know, do we do a Hunchback without ‘Hellfire?’ I don’t think so … So it sits in this limbo right now, but the Hercules movie is apparently underway and I got some inklings of what’s going on, but just some, and I’ve been more involved with the Broadway show off of Hercules, which is coming, and it’s really exciting.” (https://screenrant.com/hunchback-notre-dame-remake-update-alan-menken-response/)
Quasimodo and Esmeralda on the pillory
Disney only wants to address “heavy themes” like racism in covert way, like mermaids and their dynamics with humans, and religions like Catholicism are off the table, so it stands to reason that the executives are interfering with the project. And since it sounds like the creatives involved are not motivated by money, they are not comprising on softening their vision for the project and because Disney is worried about alienating families, thus not making money, the creatives are at odds with executives who are risk adverse.
The idea that Hunchback failing to make money or being unpopular is not enough of a reason that Disney would for-go a remake as and these remakes are to capsize on nostalgia. Case in point, Hercules made less at the Box-office than Hunchback and it’s getting the treatment (Hunchback made $325 million to Hercules’ $252.7 million.) But Hercules is lighter in themes and is easily to sell merch in a theme park. Disney doesn’t want to risk not making money to make a more thematic live action version of Hunchback. The current leadership simply won’t do it even if they could gain award accolades which is a gamble. Meanwhile the creatives are stuck as they can’t shop the project to different studios and it would unfair to for the creatives like Menken to start from starch with new unrelated Hunchback movie project since people love the songs and the score too much.
Quasimodo declares Sanctuary for Esmeralda
So no new news, basically it might happen someday just not soon. However given the quality of the remakes I think that Disney’s Hunchback dodged a bullet. Maybe Hunchback could have been one the “good ones” that offered a new perceptive and expanded off the original animated movie instead of hollow lackluster shot-for-shot remake.
Ps- I do think that given how the story has evolved in the cultural landscape over time that it would be a very good time for a new version to come out for a new generation.
This costume is very simple as it’s just white short sleeves dress with a brown rope belt. However like most things in life the devil is in the details. For instance you can add tears and burn marks to make it all your own.
Phoebus and Esmeralda, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney)
Her costume is a white dress that is super simple, undecorated with short sleeve. No frills & very minimal. You could already have something like it in your own closet but if you don’t;
Esmeralda white dress does have tears in it. Mostly around the neck, the hem, and at the shoulder and knee. However I think you can be creative as your wish with the amount you add and how much distressing you do to the dress. There are loads of distressing tutorials online and youtube.
If you opt to do burn marks be safe! Materials like cotton can burn and leave marks but synthetic fibers (i.e. polyester) will just melt. I recommend just going for the look of burns rather than actually putting a flame to it. Don’t be like Frollo; Fire isn’t the solution and can lead to serious injury. Do not risk your health and wellness for a costume.
Djali, Esmeralda, and Phoebus, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney)
Since this dress isn’t as iconic as Esmeralda’s other costumes, you can be a little more creative in whatever details you choose to add so have fun with it but try to avoid flames.
Disney’s Esmeralda’s costume is a great Halloween costume idea. This is because it is super recognizable and made up for easy to get pieces, some of which you may already have in your closet.
But Disney’s Esmeralda has another costume, well technically she has three but no one going to wear her white prisoner costume plus who would recognize that one? I’m talking about her Red Festival of Fool look. Which also highly memorable.
Esmeralda’s Dance Disney Hunchback of Notre Dame
This one is a little hard to DIY. You might be to be a little more crafty with either sewing and/or with a hot glue gun. Never doubt a hot gun glue, they are great in a pinch. But let’s see what one can buy readily for this costume.
What you’ll need for this Costume:
Since you’re going to need Sheer purple fabric for the flutter sleeves and gold trim, let’s start with those.
The Sleeves
Between you and me, the purple of the sleeves is more of a magenta and you can just use a scarf instead of getting fabric. Also this means you can have a finished edge if you use the hem. Also note if you’re going for it Esmeralda’s sleeves have slit up the center.
Esmeralda’s trim in the movie is flat but you can go in other directions since there are a lot of gold trim option out there (pun always intended). So one option is more screen accurate and the other is a little more fun.
Wrapped around her hips, Esmeralda wears a long sheer purple. If you’re feeling enterprising you can make one, basically just make a long rectangle. If you feeling less enterprising get a sarong.
2nd option for this is if your feeling like going an extra mile you could paint stars, moon and suns on it and create the scarf she leaves with Frollo.
Most of the jewelry she wears are from her other costume so you can click here for options for her hoop earring, cuff, bracelets and anklet however the tiara is a bit trickier.
One option would be to get a plain gold headband and wear it across your forehead. You could also fashion it from the gold trim and some Velcro or a hook and eye. You could use try some epoxy sculpt to make a more screen accurate tiara.
However if you’re as hung up on being accurate you could also just get red and gold tiara to get the impression of the look. A Tiara like this one.
Tiara option #4: Didder Gold Tiaras for Women, Red Rhinestones Tiaras and Crowns for Women Elegant Princess Crown with Combs Tiaras for Girls Wedding Crowns for Brides Women’s Headbands Prom Birthday Party
Quasimodo singing, Out There, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Disney
According to a few news outlets the report is that Bob Iger is canceling the Live-Action Remake of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Now as of now take this with a grain of salt but given all the issues surrounding Disney with their latest releases, the current attitudes towards live-action remakes, and Iger’s feelings towards the original 1996 movie this news seems very likely.
Given the news back in May of this year from Alan Menken about the project being in limbo and that there had been little to no news about the production, this news is not a surprise.
The sources allude that things could change but this project isn’t a priority to Iger (who also said that “writers and actors going on strike are not being “realistic” with their expectations.”)
Could Gad go rouge and do a Hunchback version himself? I don’t know but it’s an intriguing thought. He has producing credits with Mandeville Films but that doesn’t mean he has any power or pull. Plus Mandeville Films has a partnership with Universal, which technically has Quasimodo in the “Universal Monster” category, which was a movie franchise that was canceled.
If Gad wanted to a version he more than likely could but it wouldn’t be the Disney version and it would take a while to develop. And after 4+ years of developing the Disney live-action project he may not even want to.
So yet another new movie version of Hunchback that is seemingly not to be made.
Esmeralda & Djali sulk
What do you think would you welcome a Gad Hunchback version that was not a Disney Live-Action Remake?
