When Disney started developing The Lion King in 1988, it soon became clear that faith in the project was limited. Most of the studios animators eventually opted to work on Pocahontas instead, believing it to be the more promising endeavor. Executives and artists alike were convinced that the Jamestown story, which seemed traditional by comparison Pocahontas, after all, is a princess romance with an established protagonist would be a guaranteed smash. But the one about the Shakespearean cats? They werent so sure.

When production began in 1991, Pocahontas was the companys A-movie, and The Lion King its B-movie. Jeffrey Katzenberg, who ran Disney at the time, said if the movie made $50 million , hed get down on his knees, because that would constitute a big success.

Must be tough to be so wrong.