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When adapting a story, it makes sense to alter details here and there, particularly if you want it suitable for children. Some stories need more editing than others, but once you know the depths of how different Disney stories are to their original counterparts, you start to wonder what’s even left of the real tale.
We will always remember a story from its most iconic rendition, or at least for the one we witnessed first. In both cases, the answer to that question tends to be ‘the Disney version,’ but we need to remember there was an original out there, with an intention. These are the stories Disney changed the most, and not always for the better.
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Hercules
Disney’s Hercules turns the Greek hero into a lovable underdog battling Hades. In mythology, Hades isn’t the main villain, Hercules isn’t Zeus and Hera’s estranged son, and many of his most famous stories are far darker.
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The Little Mermaid
Disney gave Ariel a happy ending and a prince. In Hans Christian Andersen’s original tale, the Little Mermaid suffers heartbreak, fails to win the prince, and ultimately dissolves into sea foam.
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Mulan
Disney’s version adds dragons, villains, and a romance subplot. The ancient Chinese poem focuses more on Mulan’s military service and loyalty, with no Mushu, no Shan Yu, and far less fantasy.
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The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Disney transformed The Hunchback of Notre-Dame into a family-friendly adventure. Victor Hugo’s original story ends in tragedy, with major characters dead and little of the film’s optimism.
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Pocahontas
The real Pocahontas was around eleven years old when she met English settlers. Disney aged her up, invented a romance with John Smith, and dramatically altered historical events.
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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Disney softened many of the grim elements from the Brothers Grimm version. The original queen faces a much harsher punishment, and several details are considerably more disturbing.
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Cinderella
Disney’s Cinderella is based partly on Charles Perrault’s version, but other classic tellings are much darker. In the Grimm story, stepsisters mutilate their feet and suffer gruesome consequences for their actions.
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Sleeping Beauty
The original tale behind Sleeping Beauty contains elements Disney wisely omitted. Earlier versions include betrayal, attempted murder, and situations far darker than the romantic fairy tale presented in the animated film.
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Pinocchio
Disney’s Pinocchio learns valuable lessons before earning a happy ending. In Carlo Collodi’s original novel, the wooden boy is far more troublesome, and the story contains considerably harsher consequences throughout.
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Tangled
Disney’s Rapunzel enjoys a relatively lighthearted adventure. In earlier versions of the fairy tale, Rapunzel becomes pregnant after meeting the prince, and the story takes a significantly darker turn.
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Beauty and the Beast
Disney’s adaptation streamlines a complicated French fairy tale. Earlier versions contain additional siblings, extended family drama, and magical backstory elements that were removed to focus on the central romance.
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Tarzan
Disney’s Tarzan focuses on family, adventure, and self-discovery. Edgar Rice Burroughs’s original novel is much more violent, with Tarzan displaying a ruthless survival instinct and participating in far deadlier conflicts.
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Alice in Wonderland
Disney combined elements from both of Lewis Carroll’s Alice novels while simplifying much of the wordplay and satire. The result is memorable but considerably different from the source material’s literary complexity.
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The Fox and the Hound
Disney’s film emphasizes friendship and reconciliation. Daniel P. Mannix’s novel is significantly darker, featuring a much bleaker tone and ending that differs dramatically from the one audiences remember.
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