Disney vs DreamWorks: Which is Better?
Will it be the mouse or the green ogre? Welcome to WatchMojo and in this installment of Versus, we’re pitting Disney against DreamWorks.
Transcript
00:00 "It's showtime!"
00:02 Welcome to WatchMojo, and in this installment of Versus, we're pitting Disney against DreamWorks.
00:11 Both of these studios have had their ups and downs, their controversies and timeless classics,
00:16 but which of America's animation titans comes out on top?
00:19 Find out our answer in this deep dive into the company's offerings, 2D, CGI and everything in between.
00:26 [Music]
00:32 As a note, Pixar will be included in Disney's filmography for this comparison,
00:36 as the two companies have been linked since Pixar's first feature-length film.
00:40 Round One - Characters
00:43 "There's the famous pixie Tinkerbell.
00:46 On the stage, she could be seen only as a moving light.
00:50 Now at last she had a chance to show her personality."
00:53 A good animated family film is nothing without its characters, and Disney has some of the best.
00:59 From Mickey Mouse to Elsa, the studio has created a wide array of iconic creatures,
01:04 heroes and princesses that have stood the test of time,
01:07 connecting with generations of kids and adults alike.
01:09 [Music]
01:20 Earlier characters, like the Fab Five, appealed to the masses with their charming simplicity,
01:25 while modern Disney offerings have opted for a more personal approach,
01:28 creating increasingly relatable characters with moving emotional journeys.
01:32 [Music]
01:44 Setting the company apart,
01:45 Disney has also managed to keep their creations alive in the public imagination
01:49 with character-focused crossovers like the series House of Mouse
01:52 and their 100th anniversary special Once Upon a Studio.
01:55 DreamWorks has only been in the animation game a little over a quarter of its competitor's
02:01 century-long history, but that hasn't stopped the studio from making plenty of memorable
02:05 and layered characters.
02:07 "Layers! Onions have layers. Oogers have layers. Onions have layers? You get it, we both have layers."
02:16 The studio's penchant for building franchises allows audiences to really get to know their
02:20 film's protagonists. On occasion, DreamWorks has even faithfully adapted characters from
02:26 modern children's novels, bringing pre-existing favorites to the big screen for the first time ever.
02:31 [Music]
02:39 Original or otherwise, DreamWorks characters are often the perfect mix of funny and heartfelt,
02:44 and can offer lighthearted and fun alternatives to their competition's more weighty dramas.
02:49 "I like to move it, move it. I like to move it, move it. Yeah, I like to move it!"
02:55 As much as we love Shrek, Toothless, and Poe, we have to hand this one to Disney.
03:00 "Upset? I'm not upset. Why, why, why, what makes you think I'm upset?"
03:03 While both studios certainly have characters that have connected with audiences on an
03:07 emotional level, DreamWorks' tendency to favor comedy over drama has ultimately led
03:12 to less long-lasting connections.
03:14 Winner, Disney.
03:15 Round 2, Box Office Success
03:18 It's no secret that Disney is one of the biggest entertainment enterprises of all time,
03:23 and their animated films are no small part of that success.
03:26 "I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing, that it was all started by a monster."
03:31 Although the studio definitely saw declines in profit during certain eras,
03:35 innovative animation techniques and anthology package films helped keep them afloat into
03:39 the modern era. Now, over half of the company's box office successes are from its past 10 years,
03:45 with 2019's Frozen 2 even breaking into the all-time worldwide box office at number 13.
03:52 This, of course, is without adjusting for inflation.
04:05 When considering the rise in ticket costs since 1937, the highest-grossing animated
04:10 film would actually be Disney's first, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
04:14 When it comes to profits, DreamWorks got off to a bit of a rocky start.
04:26 Their first two films, Ants and the Prince of Egypt,
04:29 were praised by critics but considered box office failures.
04:32 "The enemy was destroyed, but I'm afraid it was a disaster for our troops as well."
04:37 "Well, that's terrible. Terrible."
04:41 The road to El Dorado failed on both fronts. Thankfully, their collaboration with Aardman
04:46 Animations titled Chicken Run would go on to become their first big success story,
04:50 earning the title of highest-grossing stop-motion film, a title it still maintains to this day.
04:56 "Lift off, fly, don't fear to die."
04:59 "Just go with the flow, pal. Let it go."
05:02 Solidifying their status as a studio to watch, they would follow up this hit with the beginning
05:10 of what is now their most well-known and profitable franchise, Shrek.
05:14 Its sequel would become DreamWorks' highest-grossing film.
05:17 "Hit it!"
05:18 "I'm a hero!"
05:24 "Alright, big fella, let's crash this party."
05:27 Numbers don't lie. In spite of a few low points, this profits-based round objectively goes to
05:33 Disney, whose films earn more on average than their competitors. Winner, Disney.
05:38 Round 3. Sequel and Franchise Quality
05:42 In 1990, Disney released its first animated sequel, The Rescuers Down Under.
05:48 "Pshh."
05:48 It received generally favorable reviews. Shortly after,
05:58 Disney Toon Studios became a hub for churning out Disney sequels, with most released direct-to-video.
06:04 Generally favoring quantity over quality, the craftsmanship of these films rarely measured up
06:09 to their predecessors, and some animators even speculated that they were deliberately
06:14 oversaturating the market with mediocre 2D animation in order to usher in a solely CG future.
06:20 "They've done the unacceptable, which is turn out a bad movie and put the Disney name on it."
06:26 Nonetheless, CG films would later become Disney's saving grace when it came to continuing their
06:31 films, with Frozen 2 and Pixar's Toy Story franchise proving that the company could do sequels right.
06:36 "Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
06:37 "Oh, will you look at us! We're on complete set!"
06:41 "Now it's on to the museum!"
06:43 DreamWorks Animation was not always a franchise studio, but after their unprecedented success
06:49 with Shrek 2, multi-film world-building became their signature.
06:53 "It's so good to be home!"
06:55 "You and me and..."
07:00 Movies like Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon were all created with sequels
07:06 in mind, allowing the original filmmakers to lay a foundation for future installments within the
07:11 first film. Sometimes these expansive stories even went beyond what was released, with the studio's
07:16 co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg hinting at a yet unseen six-film arc for Kung Fu Panda in 2010.
07:23 While any type of sequel could be good, these pre-planned follow-ups felt like they had real
07:28 purpose, and often received positive feedback from critics as a result.
07:32 "Son? Oh my gosh, it is you! Well, don't just stand there, give your old man a hug!"
07:39 Some DreamWorks sequels are even considered to be better than their predecessors.
07:43 Disney and Pixar are great at introducing audiences to new worlds and characters,
07:48 but they have too often faltered when trying to bring them back for new generations in sequels,
07:53 spin-offs, and midquels. By contrast, DreamWorks' decades-long dedication to sequel storytelling
07:59 makes them the clear winner of this round. Winner, DreamWorks.
08:02 Round 4, Reputation
08:05 When thinking about Disney, most associate the company with a sense of childlike joy,
08:10 tied to the nostalgia they feel for the company's films and theme parks.
08:14 But let's take off those rose-tinted glasses for a moment.
08:16 "No, no, please, no more nonsense."
08:21 While the studio's longevity may be a point for it in other arguments, it also means they have
08:26 a filmography full of dated and sometimes deeply offensive or problematic depictions.
08:35 Classics like Dumbo, Lady and the Tramp, and Peter Pan now carry content warnings
08:40 when watched on Disney+, while other films and scenes remain entirely buried.
08:44 While it's true Disney has gotten better about representation in recent decades,
08:48 are the Mouse House's efforts really good enough?
08:51 Let's face it, DreamWorks isn't perfect either.
09:03 "Snap your fin, right on the- snap it! You're not snapping it!"
09:05 "Oscar!"
09:06 "Oh, hey, don't sweat it, Sykes. A lot of white fish can't do it."
09:09 While Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron, and The Prince of Egypt were largely praised for
09:13 their representation of people of color, the road to El Dorado was met with criticism for
09:17 the over-sexualization of its female lead. That said, the studio's steps towards positive
09:23 representation of all kinds has been admirable.
09:25 "Madagascar has set quite a high bar and quite a high standard as far as animation and sign language."
09:30 "We see deaf and hearing characters collaborate and communicate."
09:35 Twenty years after Pixar's Toy Story, DreamWorks' Holmes surprisingly earned the distinction of
09:40 being the first CGI film with an African-American lead. The fact that she was a modern girl kids
09:46 could relate to was not insignificant. "She is so amazing. She saved up everything she had
09:53 so we could move and things would be better for us."
09:55 Meanwhile, the How to Train Your Dragon franchise not only featured a gay character,
10:00 but also two protagonists with disabilities learning to thrive together.
10:04 DreamWorks has not been without controversy, but Disney's long, troubled history with
10:09 marginalized communities has undeniably adversely affected its reputation in recent years.
10:14 It also helps that DreamWorks has a different name than its parent company,
10:18 separating the animation studio from CEO decisions. This round is theirs.
10:23 Winner, DreamWorks.
10:25 Round 5. Relatability for Adults
10:29 Disney may make films for a young demographic, but that doesn't mean they're just for kids.
10:34 "I'm sorry." "Shh, you don't have to apologize.
10:39 I'm your mother."
10:43 Disney has always strived to make films that appeal to all ages, and as such, mature themes
10:48 are common in some of their best works. The slower-paced The Fox and the Hound depicts
10:53 the heart-wrenching crumbling of a doomed friendship, while Lilo and Stitch features
10:57 an unconventional family structure subjected to scrutiny by child protective services.
11:01 "Please, don't do this." "You know I have no choice."
11:05 "No, you're not taking her! I'm the only one who understands her. You take that away,
11:10 she won't stand a chance!"
11:11 Devoid of much narrative focus, experimental films like Fantasia push the limits of what
11:16 a children's film can look and sound like. Add in the studio's occasional adult jokes
11:21 and its tendency to give parental figures the spotlight, and its fervent adult fans
11:25 should come as no surprise. "Come stop your crying, it'll be all right.
11:31 Just take my hand, hold it tight."
11:36 The Prince of Egypt was DreamWorks' second feature, so they are certainly no stranger
11:41 to delving into mature subject matters.
11:52 The 2022 Puss in Boots film was even praised for its frank depiction of a panic attack.
11:57 Nonetheless, the studio is more strongly associated with its kid-friendly comedies
12:02 that contain overt adult humor. "My tenders."
12:08 Unlike Disney, whose jokes for an older crowd are typically more subtle,
12:12 DreamWorks rarely plays it safe. And their fans love them for it.
12:17 Between Boss Baby's bottle cocktail and Marty's almost-swears in Madagascar,
12:21 DreamWorks offers plenty of gags specifically aimed at the adults in their audience.
12:25 While both studios have films that adults can both relate to and appreciate on a different
12:36 level than younger fans, Disney's tendency to tackle complex subject matter in a way that
12:40 is approachable for children is admirable. This round goes to them. Winner, Disney.
12:50 When looking through Disney's vast filmography, you will find that the majority of their features
12:54 are based on pre-existing works. The fairy tales are pretty obvious in this regard,
12:59 but some may be surprised to learn that films like Bambi, The Rescuers, and even Meet the
13:04 Robinsons are also adaptations. The studio often takes a lot of liberties with these works,
13:14 sanitizing the reality of stories like The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Little Mermaid.
13:18 Even Hercules makes the gods out to be far more likable than their mythology suggests.
13:23 This has gotten Disney into trouble when they adapt real-life stories such as Pocahontas.
13:34 Their decision to make the movie into a love story is still baffling, to say the least.
13:48 Not wanting to simply mirror the sensibilities of Disney, Dreamworks strayed away from conventional
13:53 fairy tales and primarily looked to modern literature to inspire their works.
13:57 The exception, of course, being The Prince of Egypt, which adapts the Book of Exodus.
14:07 Shrek and How to Train Your Dragon take a few liberties with their source materials,
14:11 particularly in their sequel films, but movies like The Bad Guys and Captain Underpants serve
14:15 as more straightforward adaptations. Because their sources are both easily accessible children's
14:31 novels, it made sense to translate them more literally, as the studio's target demographic
14:36 might already be familiar with the characters and story. Thankfully for Dreamworks, these careful
14:41 considerations have led to them facing fewer criticisms for their adapted works.
14:45 If you ever want to see your work immortalized in animation, Dreamworks seems like a far better
14:55 option than Disney. While the changes Disney makes to the source material of their films
15:00 work in their favor more often than not, the times they haven't worked have been... not good.
15:05 For playing it safer with other people's stories, Dreamworks undeniably wins this round.
15:11 Winner, Dreamworks.
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15:31 Round 7. Animation Innovation
15:36 In regards to animation innovation, Disney presents a bit of an unfair fight.
15:41 The studio is, after all, credited with making the first feature-length cell-animated film,
15:46 and helped Pixar in their development of the first entirely computer-animated feature film.
15:51 Without these releases, animation as we know it today might look a lot different.
16:02 But Disney didn't stop there.
16:04 "Lady and the Tramp started out as being full screen, but the popularity of
16:09 Cinemascope had taken place, and Walt said, "Hey, we gotta make this in Cinemascope."
16:14 Throughout their history, they have developed the multi-plane camera,
16:18 Xerography, and a post-production digital program known as CAPS,
16:21 which made scenes like the Lion King's Wildebeest stampede possible.
16:25 Films like Elemental continue to push boundaries in animation,
16:29 challenging animators to create a whole new kind of character look and feel.
16:33 "We shine like forever, as forever."
16:39 Dreamworks may not have been able to make as big of a mark on the animation industry
16:45 as Disney in their two decades of existence,
16:47 but they've still made some considerable contributions.
16:50 "Being able to manipulate the characters in their costumes and in their environments
16:53 takes the guesswork out of the equation. It's fun to be in the software,
16:57 and I'm not limited by technology, I'm limited by my own imagination."
17:01 Shrek is by far their most revolutionary film.
17:04 Not only did it inspire the Best Animated Feature category at the Academy Awards,
17:08 but it also laid the groundwork for all of the CGI films that would come after it.
17:13 "You're an ogre."
17:15 "Oh, you were expecting Prince Charming."
17:19 The most recent entry in its franchise was similarly innovative.
17:23 Stylistically, Puss in Boots The Last Wish was a shocking departure
17:27 from the film series' previous style, but it worked.
17:30 "Who is your favorite fearless hero? Who is your favorite fearless hero?"
17:38 Its painterly effects and expressive animation worked perfectly for its action-packed story.
17:43 Dreamworks' contributions to animation cannot be dismissed,
17:46 but for the time being, Disney comes out on top in this category.
17:50 "Okay, fine. I don't have time for this."
17:52 Only time will tell if this will remain the case,
17:55 as Dreamworks continues to experiment with style and story.
17:59 Winner - Disney
18:00 "Wait, what?"
18:01 Dreamworks put up a good fight, but Disney ultimately takes the prize for us.
18:06 Their contributions to the animation medium and culture as a whole are just too great to ignore.
18:11 "You hesitated."
18:12 "No, I didn't."
18:13 Do you agree with our winner?
18:15 What's your favorite film from either studio? Let us know in the comments below.
18:19 "To be a true hero, kid, is a dying art. Like painting a masterpiece, it's a work of heart."
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