If you grew up in the late nineties, you probably remember the exact moment you saw a spunky, amnesiac girl spinning in a desolate Russian palace. You might even swear she’s a Disney Princess. Honestly, you aren't alone in that, but the history behind the film's release is way messier than a simple "Once Upon a December."
So, when did Anastasia come out?
The short answer: the animated movie hit theaters on November 21, 1997.
But there is a much longer, weirder story involving a 1950s Oscar winner, a 2020 live-action "remake" that barely anyone saw, and a massive corporate merger that changed everything.
The 1997 Debut: A Post-Disney Power Move
When Anastasia arrived in late 1997, it was a massive deal because it wasn't a Disney movie. It was produced by Fox Animation Studios, a short-lived venture by 20th Century Fox to take a bite out of the House of Mouse’s lunch.
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Don Bluth and Gary Goldman—two guys who actually left Disney years prior because they wanted to do things differently—directed it. They had a $53 million budget and a star-studded cast including Meg Ryan and John Cusack. It premiered first in New York City on November 14, 1997, before the wide U.S. release on November 21.
Disney actually got pretty nervous. They re-released The Little Mermaid and put out Flubber at the exact same time to try and crush Fox’s box office numbers. It sort of worked, but Anastasia still managed to pull in around $140 million worldwide. Not bad for a girl who lost her memory.
The Home Video Wave
If you didn’t see it in theaters, you definitely saw it on VHS. The movie came out for home rental and purchase in the spring of 1998. That was back when we had to rewind tapes or face a fine from Blockbuster. It sold over 14 million units, which is basically how it became a "cult classic" for Millennials and Gen Z.
Wait, Was There an Earlier Version?
Actually, yeah. The 1997 cartoon wasn't the first time Hollywood tried to solve the Romanov mystery.
- 1956: A live-action Anastasia starring Ingrid Bergman came out on December 13. Bergman actually won an Oscar for it. It was a lot more grounded and didn't have a talking bat or a zombie sorcerer.
- 1986: There was a TV miniseries called Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna. It focused heavily on Anna Anderson, the real-life woman who claimed to be the Grand Duchess for decades.
When Did the Anastasia Musical Come Out?
Fast forward a couple of decades, and the story moved to the stage. This version ditched Rasputin (thankfully, or maybe not, depending on your love for "In the Dark of the Night") and replaced him with a Soviet officer named Gleb.
The stage musical premiered at the Hartford Stage on May 27, 2016. It was such a hit that it moved to Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre, opening on April 24, 2017. Christy Altomare played Anya, and honestly, her rendition of "Journey to the Past" is just as chilling as the original.
The Live-Action Confusion of 2020
Here’s where it gets kinda confusing. In April 2020, a movie titled Anastasia: Once Upon a Time was released on digital platforms.
A lot of people thought this was the "official" Disney live-action remake. It wasn't. It was an independent film where Anastasia travels through a portal to the year 1989. Yeah, it was as weird as it sounds. Brandon Routh (from Superman Returns) was the Tsar, and Jo Koy played Lenin. It didn't have the songs, and it didn't have the Fox/Disney backing.
Is Anastasia a Disney Movie Now?
Technically, yes. This is why everyone is confused about when did Anastasia come out in the "Disney family."
In 2019, Disney bought 20th Century Fox. Since then, the 1997 movie has been sitting on Disney+, leading kids today to assume she was always a Disney Princess. She isn't part of the "official" lineup (yet), but the Mouse definitely owns her now.
How to Watch It Today
If you’re looking to scratch that nostalgia itch or show it to your kids, here is the current status:
- Disney+: The 1997 animated version is currently streaming there in most regions.
- Digital Purchase: You can buy the 4K or HD versions on Amazon or Apple TV.
- Physical Media: There was a 20th Anniversary Blu-ray released in 2017 that has some pretty cool behind-the-scenes stuff about the animation process.
The best way to dive back in is to ignore the historical inaccuracies—because, let's be real, the real history is way too depressing—and just enjoy the 1990s hand-drawn animation. It’s a lost art.
To get the full experience, check out the original 1997 soundtrack on Spotify. It features Aaliyah’s version of "Journey to the Past," which is a total time capsule. After that, look up the 1956 Ingrid Bergman film if you want to see how the "imposter" story was handled before it got the musical treatment.