100 years ago, on October 16, 1923, begins something revolutionary.
When a man named Walter Elias Disney, or better known as Walt Disney, made a contract deal with Margaret Winkler to begin the start of a brand new series.
The Walt Disney Company.
As Walt had an idea that started with a mouse.
And 5 years later, Walt's first cartoon short came out called Steamboat Willie with his original character; named Mickey Mouse.
And little did everyone knew, that it was the start of a new legacy leading to something big.
In the course of the next several years, Walt and his brother Roy, created new shorts and new characters. And giving Mickey new friends, a duck named Donald who is short-tempered, and a dog named Goofy who is clumsy. And even giving Mickey a girlfriend named Minnie Mouse, as well as Donald with Daisy Duck.
And on December 21, 1937, Walt Disney introduced the very first Disney film: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
As World War II was in it's prime, Walt Disney didn't stop as he continued bringing newer films. Like Pinocchio in February 1940, and then in November came Walt's boldest experience yet with Fantasia. And then the release of Dumbo, which tells the story of a baby elephant with big ears allowing him to fly. Which was released on October 23, 1941, less than a month-and-a-half before the infamous date of December 7, 1941, the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
Despite the shock, and America entering the war, Walt and his company continued on. One film released called Bambi in 1942, and many other Disney shorts continued as well with Mickey and his friends. Eventually, World War II ended in 1945 and continued on as usually. And in 1950, it began a new era of Walt's legacy, with one of his most iconic Disney films yet at the time. Starting off with Cinderella, and perhaps creating one of his favorite moments of his career; the transformation scene of Cinderella's dress. And throughout the 1950s, other films followed like Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, and Sleeping Beauty.
The Disney Company continued on into the 1960s, as 101 Dalmatians was made, The Sword in the Stone, and live-action films were made as well. And the release of one of Ruby Kipling's famous stories: The Jungle Book released on 1967.
But sadly, Walt Disney's life came to an end on December 15, 1966.
The Disney Company entered a Dark Ages era as they tried to continued his legacy. Though it was hard without him, they never gave up.
In the 1970s and 80s, Walt Disney Pictures as risen and continued on their work as Walt did creating new films and other shorts. Like with Robin Hood, The Aristocats, The Rescuers, Pete's Dragon, Oliver & Company, The Black Cauldron, The Great Mouse Detective, and perhaps the most iconic Disney at the time: The Little Mermaid.
And with the arrival of computers, the Disney Company start new opportunities of creating films and characters.
Like The Rescuers: Down Under, the first Disney Animated Featured Film to be a sequel. And throughout the 90s, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Mulan, and Tarzan.
And then at the dawn of the new millennium and 21st Century, came Disney's most revolutionary film ever. And putting computer graphics to the test with their 39th animated featured film.
As on May 19, 2000, came the release of Dinosaur.
A film that tells the story of an Iguanodon named Aladar as computer animation graphics were used with live-action characters and live-action background environments to make them as real as possible.
2000 opened the door for new films such as Fantasia 2000 to celebrate 60 years of Fantasia along with Roy E. Disney, Walt's nephew. Along with The Emperor's New Groove.
Other films with computer graphic backgrounds soon followed like Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Treasure Planet. And soon newer animation was improved for films with Chicken Little, and Bolt. And throughout the 2010s, they were taken to a new level with films like Tangled, Wreck-it Ralph, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia and Moana.
Disney has other branch companies as well like Disneytoons and Pixar, all known for sequels and spin-offs and many more. And several films had live-action remakes.
At the start of the new decade, 2020, the world entered a pandemic with COVID-19, which make it hard and difficult of people, especially with the Company and their newer films like Raya and the Last Dragon, Encanto, though levels were beginning to be stable when Strange World came out, Disney continued on it's legacy.
And at the start of 2023, nearly a century has pass since Walt Disney's legacy has begun as different ways were shown to celebrate the event. LEGO for example has created several sets and new minifigures for the occasion.
And in nearly a month time, on November 22, there will be a newcomer for Disney and it's many countless famous characters.
Wish.
Telling the story a century in the making, of a girl named Asha who made a wish on a star.
Author's Note:
This version of Once Upon a Studio will be quite something. And with quite the ending.