Long before she was technically part of Disney’s catalog, Anastasia was already a princess in the eyes of many moviegoers.
Released in 1997 and starring Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Christopher Lloyd, and Angela Lansbury, Anastasia tells the story of a young woman with no memory of her past who may—or may not—be the lost Grand Duchess of Russia.
Blending romance, adventure and a sweeping musical score, the film quickly became a standout of late-’90s animation, thanks in part to songs like "Journey to the Past" and its fairy-tale-meets-history premise.
But unlike characters like Ariel or Belle, Anastasia wasn’t created by Disney.
The film was produced by Don Bluth and his longtime collaborator Gary Goldman under the banner of 20th Century Fox Animation. At the time, Bluth was known as one of Disney’s biggest animation rivals, having left the studio years earlier and built a career creating films that directly competed with Disney’s releases.
For decades, Anastasia existed outside the Disney umbrella—until 2019, when The Walt Disney Company acquired 21st Century Fox. With that deal, Anastasia suddenly became, at least on paper, a Disney-owned character.
And that’s where things get complicated.
Despite now owning the film, Disney has largely left Anastasia untouched. She hasn’t been added to the official Disney Princess lineup, hasn’t appeared in major crossovers and hasn’t been reintroduced to a new generation in the way other acquired properties sometimes are.
Part of the hesitation may come from the film’s origins. Bluth, who famously built his career outside of Disney, has spoken in the past about wanting to create something that stood apart from the studio’s formula as something that could rival it. That legacy still shapes how the film is viewed today.
There’s also the question of tone. While Anastasia has all the hallmarks of a Disney-style fairy tale, it draws loosely from real historical events, giving it a slightly different edge than the traditional princess narrative.
All of this has left the character Anastasia in a kind of pop culture limbo: widely recognized, often grouped with Disney heroines in spirit, but not officially part of the brand.
And that’s where the conversation continues.
Some fans see her as a natural fit for the Disney Princess lineup, pointing to her story, songs and enduring popularity. Others feel she belongs to a different era of animation—one defined by competition with Disney, not inclusion within it.
"It would be an insult to Don Bluth," one Redditor pointed out. "This was not made by Disney, and it deserves to hold on tight to its identity and unique pedigree."
"Don Bluth himself said he doesn’t want this, so let’s honor his wishes and drop it!" another said.
In 2022, Bluth said Disney would take care of his story "very well" in an interview with The Los Angeles Times. "Now, if they start marketing her as just another Disney princess, I should probably frown a little, but I think it’s in good hands right now," he elaborated.
"I would scream if they did," another Redditor said of the motion. "In a bad way. Leave her alone. She is singular."
And so for now, Anastasia remains something rare: a "princess" who exists just outside the castle gates.
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