Usually on Monday’s our TMSM Mythbuster’s is created using a full on explosion of time consuming, thought provoking, hair pulling research. This week though, after the the events of this weekend, and the mood of the Disney-verse, I felt we needed to lighten things up this evening. Also, I happen to love how actual Disney execs take time to debunk Disney myths!
Disney Execs Just Busted Every Disney Movie Myth You Ever Loved in One Interview. By Noelle Devoe for Seventeen Magazine
Disney stans everywhere know that with every Disney movie that comes out, a whole new world of theories emerge connecting each movie and their characters together. When it comes to Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and Hercules , all movies helmed by Ron Clements and John Musker, there are plenty of urban myths that fans have been debating for years. But in celebration of the latet release of Aladdin, the Diamond Edition, Clements and Musker sat down with E! Online to confirm, but mostly deny, the biggest Disney myths surround their movies!
Myth: ”Aladdin” is set in Agrabah, a post-apocalyptic future.
This myth couldn’t be further from the truth. Actually, Clements and Musker hadn’t even heard of this one! According to Musker, Aladdin had originally been set in Baghdad, Iraq, but then the Gulf War happened, and the creators thought it was in poor taste to keep the setting there. “So, I took letters and did a jumbled anagram and came up with Agrabah,” Musker explained. “We came up with a few alternates. But no, we never thought it was post-apocalyptic, futuristic or in some other time.”
Myth: The shooting star Hercules sees while singing “Go the Distance” is Aladdin and Jasmine on their magic carpet ride.
Even though both movies were made by Clements and Musker, and the shooting star was purple, the creators say they don’t think it was Aladdin and Jasmine on their romantic “A Whole New World” magic carpet ride. “Pegasus is sort of watching over Hercules until he joins with him,” revealed Clements. “The shooting star, we were thinking, is Pegasus. Though no one, I guess, can ever know for sure…”
Myth: The sunken ship Ariel explores in ”The Little Mermaid” is the ship wreck that killed Anna and Elsa’s parents.
Seeing as Clements and Musker had nothing to do with Frozen, they couldn’t say with any certainty that this myth was true. “We don’t really know on our end with Frozen,” Clements said, “and I’ve never really asked [Chris Buck, the director of Frozen].” While Musker admitted the theory was super interesting, he thinks it’s all ultimately “fan fiction.” Even though some might be bummed that this myth turns out to not be true, it only further goes to show that Elsa and Anna’s parents never died and actually ended up in the jungle where they gave birth to their brother, Tarzan! OBVS.
Aut Input: The fact the Frozen gals are of a Slovic descent, and Tarzan’s parents were British royalty, and the number of masts on the ships used in that graphic, are really great “Captain Observo Master of the Obvious” tell tale clues this is a busted myth too!
Fact: The peddler at the beginning of “Aladdin” is the Genie.
Actually, this myth turns out to be true! “ That was the whole intention, originally,” Clements revealed. “We even had that at the end of the movie, where he would reveal himself to be the Genie, and of course Robin did the voice of the peddler.” Sadly, the plot point got lost during creative changes to the movie. ” Just through story changes and some editing, we lost the reveal at the end. So, that’s an urban legend that actually is true.”
REJOICE Disney stans! At least one of your beloved myths is true!
If you have missed any of our other TMSM Mythbuster articles and would like to catch up on what Disney Urban Myths are Busted, Plausible and Confirmed feel free to catch up by visiting our MythBuster’s archive.
Michele also contributes theme park news for Fox 35 Orlando 11pm news and on the radio on WDBO.
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