1940
The premise of this project is one I already talked about here, but I've spent months doing research and thinking it out, and now I think I have a TL. (It's incomplete, so I'm hoping people will make suggestions as I go.)
In this TL, WW2 did not affect American animation studios like Disney as much as it did IOTL, so not only are Disney's early films more successful, but other animation studios like Fleischer, Warner Brothers, MGM, Universal, and Terrytoons are able to make their own animated features to compete with Disney. (And don't give me Frank and Ollie's bullshit claim that only Disney could create convincing animation. If that were true, the Looney Tunes cartoons wouldn't be as beloved as they are today.) If no one can think of a good reason why the war wouldn't affect these films as badly, then maybe we can move this to Alien Space Bats.
So, let's get started.
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1940
Disney's Pinocchio is an even greater success than Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Fantasia isn't as successful, however, and gets mixed reviews from critics. With that said, the film makes enough dough to encourage Walt to rotate out a new segment and add a new one with every rerelease. Disney also announces plans for the upcoming films Bambi, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan.
The success of Disney's films has caused other animation studios to announce their own plans for their own animated features. After making a good amount of money off of Gulliver's Travels despite that film's production troubles, Fleischer announces their next films: Mr. Bug Goes to Town, set for a 1941 release, and an animated Superman film, to be released in 1943.
Meanwhile, at Universal, Walter Lantz announces an animated film adaptation of Aladdin starring famed comic duo Abbott and Costello. Paul Terry at Terrytoons announces an animated film adaptation of King Lear starring his classic character Farmer Al Falfa in the titular role.
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In case you guys are wondering, Dumbo has been butterflied away because the reason that film was made IOTL was to recoup the losses of Pinocchio and Fantasia. And no Dumbo means no Disney animators strike, so UPA has been butterflied away, and animators like John Hubley, Art Babbit, and Bill Tytla will stay at Disney.
In this TL, WW2 did not affect American animation studios like Disney as much as it did IOTL, so not only are Disney's early films more successful, but other animation studios like Fleischer, Warner Brothers, MGM, Universal, and Terrytoons are able to make their own animated features to compete with Disney. (And don't give me Frank and Ollie's bullshit claim that only Disney could create convincing animation. If that were true, the Looney Tunes cartoons wouldn't be as beloved as they are today.) If no one can think of a good reason why the war wouldn't affect these films as badly, then maybe we can move this to Alien Space Bats.
So, let's get started.
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1940
Disney's Pinocchio is an even greater success than Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Fantasia isn't as successful, however, and gets mixed reviews from critics. With that said, the film makes enough dough to encourage Walt to rotate out a new segment and add a new one with every rerelease. Disney also announces plans for the upcoming films Bambi, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan.
The success of Disney's films has caused other animation studios to announce their own plans for their own animated features. After making a good amount of money off of Gulliver's Travels despite that film's production troubles, Fleischer announces their next films: Mr. Bug Goes to Town, set for a 1941 release, and an animated Superman film, to be released in 1943.
Meanwhile, at Universal, Walter Lantz announces an animated film adaptation of Aladdin starring famed comic duo Abbott and Costello. Paul Terry at Terrytoons announces an animated film adaptation of King Lear starring his classic character Farmer Al Falfa in the titular role.
----
In case you guys are wondering, Dumbo has been butterflied away because the reason that film was made IOTL was to recoup the losses of Pinocchio and Fantasia. And no Dumbo means no Disney animators strike, so UPA has been butterflied away, and animators like John Hubley, Art Babbit, and Bill Tytla will stay at Disney.