It’s been over twenty years since Milo Thatch first bumbled his way onto the big screen in search of a submerged empire. Honestly, looking back at Disney’s Lost City of Atlantis—specifically the 2001 film Atlantis: The Lost Empire—it’s kinda wild how much the studio bet on it. They weren't just making a movie. They were trying to build an entire universe before "cinematic universes" were even a thing.
But it flopped. Sorta.
At least, it flopped in the way Disney defines failure, which usually involves not selling enough plastic figurines at McDonald's. If you grew up in the early 2000s, you probably remember the sheer hype. There were McDonald's toys, a massive PlayStation game, and whispers of a theme park attraction that never actually materialized. Disney was pivoting away from the Broadway-style musicals like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. They wanted grit. They wanted Mike Mignola’s sharp, angular art style. They wanted a sci-fi epic that felt more like Indiana Jones than The Little Mermaid.
The Lost City of Atlantis Disney Pushed Too Hard?
The production of the movie was a massive undertaking. Directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, the same guys who gave us the masterpiece that is Beauty and the Beast, decided to scrap the songs entirely. No singing crabs here. Instead, they hired Marc Okrand—the linguist who literally created the Klingon language—to invent a fully functional Atlantean tongue.
That’s some serious dedication to a fictional world.
The story followed Milo, a linguist and cartographer voiced by Michael J. Fox, who joins a crew of mercenaries to find the Shepherd's Journal. It’s a classic pulp adventure. But the audience at the time didn't know what to make of it. Was it for kids? Was it for adults? It was rated PG, which back then meant it was "edgy" for Disney. The film leaned heavily into the mythology of Disney’s Lost City of Atlantis, portraying it not as a magical fairy tale land, but as a decaying civilization kept alive by a sentient, glowing crystal heart.
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The animation was a weird, beautiful hybrid of hand-drawn characters and CGI vehicles. The Ulysses submarine was a beast of a digital model for 2001. However, the competition was brutal. Shrek had just come out and was busy dismantling the very idea of traditional animation. While Disney was trying to be "cool" and "serious," DreamWorks was being funny and cynical. Guess who won the box office?
What Really Happened to the Planned Sequel and Theme Park Ride
Most people don't realize how much Disney actually had planned for this IP. There was a full-blown TV series in development called Team Atlantis. It was supposed to expand the lore, introducing more cryptids and historical mysteries. But because the movie didn't hit those $400 million milestones, the show was axed before it even premiered.
Three finished episodes were eventually stitched together to create that direct-to-video sequel, Milo’s Return. If you’ve seen it, you know it feels disjointed. Now you know why. It was literally three TV episodes in a trench coat.
Then there’s the matter of the theme park.
For a long time, rumors swirled about a massive expansion in Disneyland’s Tomorrowland or even a re-theming of the Submarine Voyage. In fact, some of the early concepts for a Disney’s Lost City of Atlantis attraction were truly ambitious. We’re talking about high-speed underwater simulators. Instead, the Submarine Voyage sat empty for years before eventually being turned into a Finding Nemo ride. It’s a bit of a tragedy for fans of the aesthetic, because the steampunk-meets-Mayan-ruins vibe would have been incredible in 3D space.
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Why the Cult Following is Stronger Than Ever
Go to any comic convention today and you’ll see Milo Thatch and Kida Nedakh cosplayers. The movie has aged like fine wine, mostly because it didn't rely on the pop-culture references that make movies from that era feel dated now. It feels timeless.
The character design is a huge part of that. Kida, voiced by Cree Summer, remains one of the most capable and interesting "princesses" in the Disney canon, even if she’s rarely included in the official lineup. She’s a warrior-leader who is literally thousands of years old. The supporting cast—Vinny the demolitionist, Audrey the mechanic, Mrs. Packard the cynical radio operator—they all had actual personalities. They weren't just sidekicks. They were a team of specialists with their own motivations, mostly greed, which was a refreshing change for a Disney flick.
Real talk: the movie also tackled some surprisingly heavy themes. Colonialism, the ethics of extracting resources from indigenous cultures, and the idea of "discovery" being a form of theft. Rourke, the villain, wasn't a sorcerer or a jealous queen. He was a guy who wanted to get paid. That hits different when you watch it as an adult.
The "Plagiarism" Controversy That Won't Die
You can't talk about Disney’s Lost City of Atlantis without mentioning Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water. When the movie first came out, fans of the 1990 anime series noticed some... striking similarities.
- A young, nerdy protagonist with glasses.
- A mysterious girl from a lost civilization wearing a powerful blue crystal.
- A giant submarine.
- A plot involving the rediscovery of advanced ancient technology.
The directors denied ever seeing Nadia, but the similarities are so specific that the internet has spent twenty years debating it. Honestly, both probably just drew from the same well of Jules Verne inspiration, but the "Disney vs. Anime" debate gave the movie a bit of a notorious reputation in certain circles.
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How to Experience Atlantis Today
Since Disney hasn't announced a live-action remake (yet, though the rumors never stop), fans have to find their fix in other ways. If you’re looking to scratch that itch, there are a few things you can actually do.
First, track down the "Art of Atlantis" book. It’s one of the best production art books ever made. It shows the sheer amount of work Mike Mignola put into the visual language of the film. The way he used shadows and geometric shapes basically defined the look of the movie.
Second, if you’re a gamer, the PlayStation 1 game actually holds up as a decent piece of nostalgia. It’s not a masterpiece, but it lets you explore the environments in a way the movie doesn't.
Third, and this is the deep cut, look for the "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" comic books published by Dark Horse. They give a glimpse into the adventures that Team Atlantis would have gone on if the TV show hadn't been canceled.
Actionable Steps for the Atlantis Enthusiast
If you want to dive deeper into the lore and the history of this "forgotten" Disney era, here is how to spend your weekend.
- Watch the "Common Threads" Documentary: The DVD and Blu-ray releases contain an extensive behind-the-scenes documentary. It’s not your typical promotional fluff; it covers the grueling process of creating the Atlantean language and the friction of moving into digital animation.
- Explore the Disney+ Deleted Scenes: There is a famous "Viking Prologue" that was cut from the beginning of the movie. It’s much darker than the theatrical opening and sets a completely different tone for the film. It's essential viewing for anyone who thinks the movie was too "kiddie."
- Visit the Lore Forums: Communities on Reddit and Tumblr are still active, dissecting the Atlantean alphabet and translating the background text found throughout the movie. You can actually learn to read the Shepherd’s Journal if you’re dedicated enough.
- Support the Original Creators: Follow the artists like Mike Mignola and the animators who worked on the film. Their subsequent work often carries that same "Atlantis" DNA—think Hellboy or The Legend of Korra.
The Disney’s Lost City of Atlantis wasn't a mistake. It was a movie ahead of its time, released in a year where the world was transitioning into a different kind of storytelling. It remains a testament to what happens when Disney takes a genuine risk on a weird, beautiful, and slightly dangerous idea. It didn't need a theme park ride to become a classic; it just needed a generation to grow up and realize how cool it actually was.