Top 30 Mind Blowing Disney Conspiracy Theories

#30: Hercules Killed Scar

Hercules (1997) & The Lion King (1994)

This son of Zeus has slain multiple beasts in his life. When you take down as many creatures as Hercules has, people are bound to notice. In one specific scene, viewers found something interesting. Hercules was spotted wearing the head and fur of a lion that looks exactly like Scar. Is this a fun easter egg, or did Hercules kill him? While Scars fate was sealed at the end of The Lion King, maybe Hades resurrected him, or perhaps he survived the hyena attack. Scars inclusion in the movie couldve also made him its version of the Nemean Lion. This was an animal Hercules killed as part of his twelve labors. Either way, the idea of Hercules and Scar crossing paths is super interesting.

#29: Kuzco Witnesses a Murder

The Emperors New Groove (2000)

While harming a fly or two isnt seen as a huge act of violence in society, what if you were actually committing manslaughter? This could be a real possibility for this movie. When Kuzco (now a llama) is navigating through a dangerous jungle, he spots a fly getting eaten. As disturbing as that is, the fly might notve been an ordinary one. Since it was able to speak and since Kuzco understood it, many believe the fly was originally a human being. In fact, every other talking animal we see was once a human. So yeah, this fly mightve been a person once, which means we essentially witnessed a murder. Does this make the fly-eating spider a man-eater too? Our moneys on yes.

#28: Olaf Secretly Wants to Melt

Frozen (2013)

Despite being a sentient snowman, Olaf loves the summer. Though theres nothing wrong with some fun in the sun, youd think that Olaf and hot weather wouldnt mix. Surely hed melt, right? Even regular people can get hurt by the sun if they dont have proper protection. So, a snowman would have it ten times worse. But maybe Olaf secretly wants to melt. Perhaps being brought to life also triggered some existential dread within him. While Olaf is later enchanted to be able to experience summer, you could argue that this theory makes that happy ending a sad one. Because now he cant melt away like he wanted, which forces him to live forever in his sadness. Yeah this is a pretty dark theory.

#27: The Hunchback Hallucinated His Gargoyle Friends

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

Since we know that Quasimodo is a social outcast who spends much of his time in the bell tower away from other people, the sentient gargoyles he talks to might not be so sentient after all. Sorry for being such a downer, but maybe this particular theory has some legs. In the first film, the gargoyles never talk to anyone else, although one takes Frollo to Hell. Spending so much time by yourself away from other people can have many negative side effects. Its pretty dark, but theres a very real possibility that the gargoyles were hallucinations that Quasimodo made up to cope with his severe loneliness. Wow, its depressing stuff like this that just makes you want to tell him everything will be okay.

#26: Chip Is Beasts Secret Son

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Though were introduced to the teapot Mrs. Potts and her teacup son Chip, there are some weird things about this mother-son duo. She couldnt have given birth to him when she was a teapot. When she and Chip are turned back into humans, we see that shes too old to be his biological mom anyway. Perhaps Chip is an illegitimate son of the Beast. Some fans even go further and suggest that Chips mother is the Enchantress! Maybe before Beast was turned into a monster, he was seduced by her. Later, he wouldve taken Chip away, which would anger Enchantress enough to curse everyone, thus turning Chip and Mrs. Potts into teacups. Oof maybe Beast needs to go on Maury to sort this out.

#25: The Sunken Ship Ariel Found Belonged to the King & Queen of Arendelle

Frozen (2013) & The Little Mermaid (1989)

The ship the royal family of Arendelle died on has been a talking point for a very long time. Its been speculated that its the sunken ship from The Little Mermaid. While there isnt a whole lot to go off of, some details line up nicely. For example, it makes a lot of sense that the ship would eventually find its way to the bottom of the ocean. While both ships dont exactly look the same, we can assume that the ship naturally deteriorated over time. Even though Frozen 2 poked a lot of holes in this theory, namely by showing the real location of the ship, it still makes for some interesting headcanon!

#24: Calhoun Killed Her Husband

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Love has never been easy, and unfortunately, Sergeant Calhoun found this out the hard way. The grizzled soldier hailing from the Heros Duty game lost her fiancé in a vicious Cy-bug attack. But what if things were much more tragic? We know that her would-be husband Brad got eaten by a Cy-bug on their wedding day. However, if someone is eaten by a Cy-bug, then they become a Cy-bug. Since we know that Calhoun had to spend her big day slaying these beasts, theres a very good chance she had to kill her own husband, too. Losing your significant other on your wedding day is one thing, but having to destroy them is a whole other level of traumatic! Poor Calhoun.

#23: Sisu & Mushu Are Part of the Same Universe

Mulan (1998) & Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

These two characters could be more connected than you think. Last Dragon establishes that nearly all dragons were turned into stone. Well, guess what happens in Mulan? Mushu is forced to wake up the Great Stone Dragon. Is it just a coincidence that both movies have stone dragons? Maybe this detail suggests that Mushu and Sisu are connected somehow. Its not like theyre family, but both movies having dragons who turned into stone has exciting implications. It suggests that Mulan and Raya and the Last Dragon could be a shared continuity. This theory doesnt just propose a fun link between two dragons, it suggests the existence of a whole new cinematic universe. What should we call it? The Dragonverse?

#22: Gaston Killed Bambis Mom

Beauty and the Beast (1991) & Bambi (1942)

If you wanted more of a reason to hate Gastons guts, then this theory is perfect for you! Remember the death of Bambis mother? The incredibly tragic ending for the deer might be even worse. Thats because this theory claims that it was Gaston who shot her. The identity of the hunter is never revealed, and we also know that Gaston has a knack for hunting. We even see several animal heads mounted up in his tavern. Is the head of Bambis late mother up there, too? Things just kind of line up greatly. It makes the death of Bambis mom even more depressing, and it turns Gaston even more evil. He was already despicable, but now hes even scummier than we thought.

#21: Peter Is Taking the Kids to the Afterlife

Peter Pan (1953)

Peter Pan guiding the Lost Boys to Neverland has always been seen as a whimsical adventure, but we should see it for what it really is: a journey to the afterlife. In this theory, the Lost Boys maintain their youth because theyve died. It also proposes that Peter might not be a simple magical boy because hes really the angel of death. Hes basically the Grim Reaper, carrying the boys away from the land of the living. Further variations of the theory go even darker and claim that Peter makes sure the boys stay young by killing any of them who age. Never having to grow up when youre a kid might sound super fun, but this theory makes that idea a lot more sinister.

#20: The Passengers Are Cannibals & They Dont Even Know It

WALL-E (2008)

When it comes down to it, WALL-E is arguably one of Pixars most important films. Its a story about two robots falling in love and trying to get Earth back on track along the way. But what if this warm and fuzzy movie wasnt as wholesome as we thought? One theory suggests that the passengers aboard the Axiom are fed an extremely unconventional diet. So what are they eating? Potentially human corpses! We never actually see whats in the slop the humans are slurping down. Plus, we never learn how the ship deals with passengers who have passed on. Is it all that crazy to think that the dearly departed have been converted into a food supply? Well let you decide!

#19: The Prince Is Actually Death

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

The man of Snow Whites dreams may not be all that hes cracked up to be. One theory suggests that the Prince is actually a representation of Deathand that Snow White actually dies when she eats the poisonous apple. This would mean the Princes kiss wakes her up so he can then transfer her over to the afterlife. And when shes saying goodbye to the seven dwarves, she leaves into the sunset on a white horse that the Prince guides. This could be interpreted as a biblical allusion to Death. Its a bleak take on this film, but the pieces certainly fall into place nicely. Who knows, maybe Snow White and the Grim Reaper will make a very happy couple.

#18: A Whole Movie Was Made to Distract from a Walt Disney Conspiracy Theory

Frozen (2013)

What if this whole movie was actually a strategic ploy to remove attention from Walt Disney? Some genuinely believe that Frozen was a scheme made to hide the conspiracy theory that Walt Disney had his head cryogenically stored. Its not implausible that the company would want that rumor about their founder to be forgotten. With a film called Frozen, if people looked up Disney and frozen on the internet, theyd be directed to the movie instead. However, creating an entire movie just to mess around with some SEO feels a bit far-fetched. Well give some credit though. This theory does something few crazy theories do, and thats join forces with another to form one giant ludicrous theory. Its like some serious theoryception.

#17: A Future After Humankind Has Been Wiped Out

Zootopia (2016)

Ever wonder why this world is only run by animals? Dont get us wrong, the idea of a society populated by fully-functioning sentient animals is really cool. However, thats bound to make you wonder if humans have ever existed in this universe. One theory suggests that they did, but that things went bad. Zootopia might actually take place in the far future where all of humanity has gone extinct. Following this extinction, animals developed consciousness and eventually formed the world we see in the movie. Its possible that humans were never meant to exist in this movies world. But if you want to imagine they did, this theory offers a unique way of doing so.

#16: Moana Dies in the Storm

Moana (2016)

A troubling storm in the start of this movie might have spelled out doom for our protagonist. A popular theory floats the possibility that Moana died during that one huge thunderstorm. Despite dying, her spirit still embarks on the journey to find Te Fitis heart. When she successfully does this, Te Fiti rewards Moana by resurrecting her. The possibility of her kicking the bucket early on is definitely a bit grim for a kids movie. Well, in the sequel film, she does meet her end - though it happens in the final climax. Luckily though, she's saved by her ancestors. Maybe Disney finally leaned into a conspiracy theory, but regardless, Moana is one badass wayfinder.

#15: Alice Is Having a Bad Trip

Alice in Wonderland (1951)

Wonderland is a very trippy place. And ever since this story came out, fans have gone down the rabbit hole to unearth the deeper meanings about what was going on with Alice. Many widely believe that Alices descent into Wonderland is actually a story about taking illicit drugsmore specifically, that Alice was on one bad LSD trip the entire time. Think about it, she eats mushrooms and chugs down suspicious-looking potions. Thats going to raise some red flags! She also sees highly questionable oddities and travels across an impossible land. Suddenly Alice in Wonderland became an icon for the counterculture. Its even the basis behind the song White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane. Needless to say, this theory has picked up a lot of steam.

#14: High School Musical Is Part of the Purge Universe

High School Musical franchise (2006-11)

Why would High School Musical be in the same world as The Purge? Well, thats because High School Musical clearly exists in a world without rules. Isnt it legitimately perplexing how the characters can just disrupt their school with reckless abandon? Or how about the shady happenings down at Lava Springs? Theres basically tons of crimes being committed with no consequences. That sounds an awful lot like the premise for The Purge, where all crime is legal for a specific period of time. Does an ultraviolent world of anarchy exist outside of the doors of East High? Its possible! Look, theres definitely some leaps in logic youll have to take in order to make this work, but its undeniably an entertaining theory regardless!

#13: A Post-Apocalyptic Future

Aladdin (1992)

This might not be the fairy tale we all think it is. Theres a line in the movie where Genie points out Aladdins outdated fashion styleand another moment where he says he was stuck in the magic lamp for over 10,000 years. This means Aladdin could take place in the very far futureone where the world has been turned into a giant desert from nuclear war. The flying carpet isnt magic; its the last remnant of hoverboard technology. Iago isnt an enchanted talking bird; hes the result of genetic experimentation. The biggest breadcrumb actually comes from the SEGA tie-in game where players can find what clearly resembles a bomb. This suddenly makes the movie a lot less magical and a lot more terrifying!

#12: Ariel & Hercules Are Related

The Little Mermaid (1989) & Hercules (1997)

It isnt crazy to think that Ariel has a familial connection to Hercules. Shes King Tritons daughterand if you know your Greek myths, then you know that Triton is the son of Poseidon. Poseidons brother happens to be Zeus, who is Hercules father. That makes Ariel and Hercules second cousins. What makes this theory so interesting is that its pretty much canon even if they dont say it. Nobodys put them through a 23andMe test but we really dont need to. Young Triton even shows up in the Hercules tie-in prequel show! While he looks different, its not hard to imagine that he develops a glow-up by the time he appears in The Little Mermaid. Either way, this is one stacked family tree!

#11: Nemo Is Dead

Finding Nemo (2003)

At the start of this movie, Nemos father traumatically witnesses his wife and children get murdered by a gigantic barracuda. His whole family is wiped out except for young Nemo. Butwhat if Nemo died too? Maybe in his immense anguish, Marlins mind tricked him. Maybe it made him think Nemo was still alive, when he actually wasnt. That means that the entire plot of the movie is basically just happening in his head as he tries to grapple with his trauma. This drastically changes the entire concept of what Finding Nemo is. Its no longer an adventure to rescue his son, but a journey through the stages of grief. This movie is pretty dark already, but this theory makes it even more gut-wrenching!

#10: Mother Gothel Is the Evil Queen

Tangled (2010) & Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs contains one of the most iconic Disney villains in the Evil Queen. And if this theory holds any water, she might just show up in Tangled as well. The theory posits that both stories take place in Southern Germany and that the events of Tangled occurred over two hundred years after Snow White. Gothel also supposedly faked her death at the end of Snow White and lived for centuries thanks to the golden flower, eventually leading to the story of Tangled. Furthermore, both characters are vain and obsessed with physical beauty, both wear a similar-style dress, Gothels dagger resembles the Evil Queens dagger decor, and their old-age appearances are strikingly similar. Coincidence?

#9: Bing Bong Is a Monster

Inside Out (2015) & Monsters, Inc. (2001)

Inside Out really knows how to get the tears flowing, like having imaginary friend Bing Bong fade from Rileys memory in the Memory Dump; it breaks our hearts just talking about it. The famous Pixar Universe Theory posits that every Pixar film takes place within the same universe, and that applies here. According to this surprisingly tantalizing theory, Bing Bong was a monster from Monsters, Incorporated who used to make Riley laugh. And for those who dont remember, the ending of Monsters, Inc. saw the titular creatures switching from scares to laughter in order to produce more energy. Following this logic, its possible that Riley based her imaginary friend off of the monster who used to visit her every night!

#8: Captain Hook Took Ariels Mothers Life

Peter Pan (1953) & The Little Mermaid franchise (1989-2008)

Its quite common for Disney protagonists to be minus a parent or two. Ariel, for instance, is without her mother, as Queen Athena died after meeting a violent band of pirates. This was the event that fueled King Tritons hatred of the human race. A rather tragic theory posits that the pirates responsible for Athenas death were none other than Captain Hook and his mischievous crew. It is however possible that Hook captured Athena and took her to Neverland, as a mermaid bearing a strong physical resemblance to Athena and Ariel can be seen lounging on a rock. If this is true, it gives us even more reason to hate the one-handed coward.

#7: The CIA

Lilo & Stitch (2002)

Continuing the Disney tradition of orphaned protagonists are Lilo and Nani from Lilo & Stitch. Ving Rhames voices Cobra Bubbles, an ex-CIA agent turned social worker in Hawaii, who also has connections to Roswell. However, the theory postulates that Cobra is not actually a social worker but that he has continued life in the CIA. In fact, he supposedly once worked with Lilo and Nanis parents, also CIA agents, and hes there to look after their kids following their deaths. Its likely that he made some sort of promise to the girls parents before they died, and he used the facade of a social worker to get close to them.

#6: Andys Mom Is Emily

Toy Story 2 (1999)

One of the most popular theories in the entire Disney canon regards a new character introduced in Toy Story 2. And maybe an old character, as well. In the movies saddest sequence, Jessie talks about her old owner, Emily. While the two remained close throughout Emilys childhood, Emily eventually outgrew Jessie and gave her up. Though it would be a major happenstance, its possible that Emily is actually Andys mom. Shed be the right age, and we never learn her first name. Not only that, but Andy can be seen sporting a Jessie-style hat in the first movie. Could this be a hand-me-down accessory that was once owned by his mother? An accessory she received alongside her Cowgirl Jessie doll? Hmm...

#5: Humanitys Extinction

Cars (2006)

This movie is arguably a lesser Pixar effort, but it contains what is also arguably the darkest theory in the canon. Viewers probably noticed a lack of humans in Cars. Was it simply a creative decision to focus on anthropomorphic vehicles, or is there something more sinister hiding under the surface? According to a theory posited by art department coordinator Jay Ward, the cars simply killed all the humans. In his mind, the cars took on the personalities of their last drivers and proceeded to wipe out humanity in a mass extinction event. We know Disney and Pixar movies contain some dark material, but this is something else!

#4: Anna & Elsas Parents

Frozen (2013) & Tarzan (1999)

It seems like Tarzan might be connected to many classic Disney films. For example, some people theorize that Jane Porter could be a distant descendant of Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Furthermore, it was previously theorized that Tarzan and Anna and Elsa from Frozen were secretly related. As everyone knows, Anna and Elsas parents died in a shipwreck. But perhaps they survived, washed up on shore, established a small settlement in the jungle, and gave birth to a baby boy. They were then killed by a leopard and the baby was raised by gorillas. Is Tarzan the long lost brother of Anna and Elsa? Okay, almost certainly not, as Frozen II further disproved it. But its still fun to consider!

#3: WALL-E Is Satan

WALL-E (2008)

Theres nothing like taking a harmless kids movie and turning it into a metaphor about the Devil. This theory states that WALL-E follows a similar structure as the Book of Genesis. The spaceships housing the remnants of humanity represent Paradise, without problems like war or hunger. WALL-Es seedling is the forbidden fruit, and by metaphorically consuming it, the Captain loses his blissful ignorance, abandons Paradise, and returns to the ravaged Earth. The best part of all? WALL-E offers the seedling to EVE, prompting the eventual destruction of Paradise. In this case, WALL-E is the Serpent in the Garden of Eden who gives the forbidden fruit to Eve. Ergo, Satan.

#2: Boo Is the Witch

Monsters, Inc. (2001) & Brave (2012)

The aforementioned Pixar Shared Universe strikes again with a particularly loopy theory. It states that Boo was permanently scarred by her experiences in Monsters, Inc. and developed a fascination with the doors mechanics. Hoping to master the art of dimension-hopping, Boo traveled to the will-o-the-wisp, believing it to be the source of all magic. By utilizing its power, she created magic doors that can hop between times and dimensions. She keeps a carving of Sulley in her hut, and she inadvertently created Mordu while attempting to replicate her old monster friend. In fact, Boo is the instigator of the entire Shared Universe theory, as the numerous Pixar Easter eggs are actually objects left behind by a dimension-hopping Boo. Overall, its a very sad theory.

#1: This Movie Is Based on a True Story

Chicken Little (2005)

Believe it or not, theres plenty of empirical evidence that suggests that Chicken Little is an accurate depiction of the forgotten fallen-sky incident. Were just kiddingbut did you believe us for a second there? Now on to the real thing

#1: Carl Actually Died

Up (2009)

As if Up couldnt get any sadder, this theory posits that Carl Fredricksen was actually dead for most of the movie. According to its proponents, the elderly Carl passed away from a combination of grief and shock after learning that he needed to vacate his home. Russell is the guardian angel sent to transition a reluctant Carl to the afterlife, and it took the form of a young boy to honor Carl and Ellies lost child. Carls house represents his tether to the real world, and Paradise Falls is his own personal Heaven. Russell subsequently gets his wings (or, in this case, his merit badges), and Carl accepts death when his house lands in Paradise Falls. And you thought the last one was sad.

Are there any other head-scratching Disney theories we forgot? Report your findings down in the comments!