Walt Disney Pictures (studio)/On-screen Logos

## Walt Disney Productions

### 1937–2023

During this time, Walt Disney didn't use a specific logo or an opening sequence like its main competitors, only the text "Walt Disney Presents" was shown at the beginning (or at the ending) of their films written in different designs that would match with the style of them.

### 1948–1979

Used in some live-action films from 1948 to 1953 as well as films in the *True Life Adventures* series from that time.

### 1951-1959

Used only in Disney cartoons from the 1950's.

### 1980

Used on the *Mickey Mouse Disco* companion compilation short.

## Walt Disney Pictures

In late 1983, Walt Disney Productions renamed its live-action division to Walt Disney Pictures.

### 1983

In 1983, when Walt Disney Pictures was first launched, the new label had no logo, so plain text was used instead. This was only used in *Never Cry Wolf* (1983), the first film under the renamed label. The official logo was introduced in 1985; note that Disney did not release any films in 1984.

### 1985–1990

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In 1985, one year before the rename of Walt Disney Productions to The Walt Disney Company, the film division introduced its famous "castle" logo (which has become one of the most iconic pieces of iconography for the company). It made its debut in *Return to Oz*; however, the logo was silent in that film; and the famous fanfare, composed by John Debney, would be added in the next film, *The Black Cauldron*, which was released in that same year. This version of the logo was used until 1990, last appearing on-screen on pre-1997 prints of *The Little Mermaid* in 1989. This logo was animated at Disney's in-house animation unit.

### 1990–2002

1985 Version

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In 1990, the color palette of the logo was usually changed, opting for Cyan/Teal shades instead of Blue. Also, the curved line is shortened to the tip of the W in "WALT", and the text now is transparent. This became the most memorable version of the logo since it was used in all of the classic animated Disney movies from the 1990s and the early 2000s.

However in 1989, when Disney switched their animation from xerography (which was first fully used in the 1960 short *Goliath II* before the release of the following year's *One Hundred and One Dalmatians*, which was the first full-length Disney animated film to use the process. The last animation production from WDP to use this process was 1990 short *The Prince and the Pauper*) to digital ink-and-paint animation via CAPS (Computer Animation Production System, which was first fully used in 1990s *The Rescuers Down Under*), this logo (along with Disney-produced animated programs made for TV) still used traditional cel animation, even though three computerized variants were introduced in 1995, 2000 and 2001. Even after 1995, this logo still used production cels painted by hand throughout the late 1990s and into the mid-2000s. Disney last used the production cels for this logo in a theatrical trailer for the 2005 movie *Chicken Little*. The hand-painted cels for this logo looked pretty outdated and cheap by this time.

### 1991-2002

Starting in 1991, Disney introduced another plain text version logo for general audience content but "Non-Disney style" films. However, this version was only used on *The Rocketeer* (1991) before it was remodified in 1993.

### 1993–1998

In 1993, beginning with *The Three Musketeers*, the 1991 plain text logo was remodified. This version logo stopped its usage in 1998, and the opening logo for "non-Disney style" films was replaced by the "Flashlight" logo 2 years later.

### 1995–2007 (Pixar)

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As Disney is responsible for the marketing and distribution of all Pixar films, Pixar created a custom-made logo by using the RenderMan software for use for all of their films up until 2004. Randy Newman, well-known composer of the *Toy Story* films, as well as *A Bug's Life*, the *Monsters, Inc.*-related films and Walt Disney Animation Studios' *The Princess and the Frog*, composed and conducted a majestic fanfare which then transitions to the *Toy Story* soundtrack just as the logo fades into the wallpaper of Andy's room. The current Pixar Animation Studios logo took its place on current prints of *Toy Story*.

Newman then composed a different version of the fanfare, this time a quicker, shortened version which was first used in *A Bug's Life* to pre-2012 prints of *Finding Nemo*.

In 2006, Newman used the new 2006 Disney logo in celebration of Disney's acquisition of Pixar as well as Pixar's 20th anniversary solely for *Cars*. This was done to match the duration of the closing logo. *Monsters, Inc.*, *The Incredibles* and *Ratatouille* (the last film to use this logo) were the only films to use music from their original soundtrack during the opening logos instead of Newman's fanfare.

To date, the current prints of the first two *Toy Story* films, *Monsters, Inc.*, *Finding Nemo* and *Cars* had this logo plastered with the current logo (2006 for the first two *Toy Story* films, 2011 for *Monsters, Inc.*, *Finding Nemo* and *Cars*) while all prints of *A Bug's Life* and the original prints of *The Incredibles*, *Monsters, Inc.* and *Cars* preserved this logo.

### 2000–2006

The Secret Lab

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On certain films released from 2000 until 2006 (such as live-action films and certain mainline animated titles), a 'Flashlight' logo was used, in which the "WALT DISNEY PICTURES" text appears first. The light flare goes over the glowing arc, lighting up the castle until the end of it and then the logo fades afterwards. This logo debuted in *Dinosaur* and replaced the previous plain text logo for non-Disney-style films. It made the last appearance in *The Wild.*

### 2002–2006

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In 2002, along with the 7-flag variant, the normal variant was also given a digitally remastered update with a new color palette similar to the 7-flag variant, and the "Walt Disney" text now in solid white rather than transparent.

### 2002–2006 (Walt Disney Television Animation/DisneyToon Studios)

Combo Version

1985 Version

1990 Version

1985-1990 Version

1991 Version

1992 Version

1994 Version

1985-2006 Version

Final Version

Widescreen Version

Full-Screen Version

Disney Variant

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In 2002, Walt Disney Pictures updated the 1990 logo along with the Walt Disney Television Animation logo using CAPS. The updated logo had smoother animation and the readdition of the seventh flag at the lower-right spire of the castle. This logo officially debuted on *Return to Never Land* (although the 2001 variant used on *Atlantis: The Lost Empire* also had 7 flags, it is still a variant of the normal logo) and last appeared on *The Fox and the Hound 2*. It was primarily used on films produced by Disney Television Animation (formerly Walt Disney Television Animation and previously under the Disney MovieToons banner for *DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp* and Disney Video Premieres for all DTV sequels released internationally) and DisneyToon Studios until 2006, but it was also used as a variant for the theatrical release of *Atlantis: The Lost Empire* and *The Shaggy Dog*. It was also spotted on the 2008 Special Edition DVD release of *The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea*.

### 2006-2022

#### 2006–2011

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Wētā FX (animation production, using Pixar's RenderMan and the Nuke softwares)

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In 2006, Walt Disney Pictures started using a new intro with a new CGI animation with a castle combining the features of the Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella Castles, commissioned by then-Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook and Oren Aviv, designed by Mike Gabriel and Baker Bloodworth, plus created by yU+co. and animated at Peter Jackson's Wētā FX of New Zealand using Pixar's RenderMan and the Nuke software, taking nearly a year to complete. The logo's final rendering was done by Cameron Smith and Cyrese Parrish. This also features a different-sounding fanfare, which is a piano/string piece that builds up into a majestic rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star" from *Pinocchio*, composed by Mark Mancina, orchestrated by David Metzger and overseen by then-Walt Disney Music president Chris Montan. It was a clear change from the old blue and white intro with its stylized castle and 2D animation, and this logo contains elements from various movies made by the studio.

This vanity card was first used on *Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest,* which was released on June 24, 2006, and was used on Pixar films beginning with the release of *WALL-E* on June 27, 2008, and ending with *Cars 2*, released on June 24, 2011. With a lifespan of 16 years, it is the longest-lived logo of the studio.

While the logo shown in all of Disney's movies released in 3D and other selected movies such as *Aladdin* (2019), the text "WALT DISNEY" (and "PICTURES" fades in) (later "DISNEY") will zoom in as if it comes out of the screen while the viewer watches with 3D glasses on.

### 2007-2024 (Home entertainment variant)

In 2007, after the rebrand of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, the logo minus "WALT" and "PICTURES" was introduced. A shorter version of the logo was not used until 2009. This logo is currently being used on the openings of DVD and Blu-ray releases before showing the Disney's FastPlay logo or showing previews/trailers, and the 2009 short version with the last part of the "There is only one Disney" music is still used on its VCD releases as of now.

### 2011–2022

Starting with the release of *The Muppets* in 2011, the home media logo began appearing in theatrical animated and live-action films. Also, the logo has been updated with a clearer and more colorful model around 2020, and the text is slightly larger. This logo has also been used in Pixar films beginning with *Brave* and with *Lightyear* so far. It was last used in season 2 of *Launchpad* on Disney+, to move on with the next logo below.

### 2022–present

#### 2022-2023 (100th anniversary logo)

##### 2022

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November 23, 2022 (theatrical debut with Strange World)
December 28, 2022 (Disney+ debut with Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl)

On September 09, 2022, The Walt Disney Company debuted a new on-screen logo for the namesake studio and company's 100th anniversary at the Disney Studios & Animation and Pixar panel at the 2022 D23 Expo, featuring the castle's new enhanced look combined with various elements from films made by the studio. It was first seen on teaser trailers for *The Little Mermaid* (2023) and Pixar's *Elemental* as well as the trailers of Disney+ original movies *Hocus Pocus 2* and *Disenchanted* on YouTube (trailers on Disney+ use the previous logo, as well as the films themselves), the Day 1 of the limited time D23 Expo livestream recap on Disney+, officially made its theatrical premiere with *Strange World* on November 23, 2022 and made its Disney+ debut with *Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl*. It was also shown in Pixar films beginning with the aforementioned *Elemental*, releasing on June 16, 2023.

The logo starts identically to the previous logo, with two stars in the night sky above the clouds. The second star to the right (referencing Neverland from *Peter Pan*) glimmers and jumps out on the reflection of the river. The shot follows the star (which is meant to represent Tinker Bell, according to the D23 website) as it flies across the river, past an incoming train (a reference to Casey Jr. from *Dumbo*) and a small town, through the forest and up the waterfall. The pan-up/zoom shot through the forest and waterfall at the beginning is a homage to *Beauty and the Beast*, which opens with a similar shot. On top of the waterfall is the back view of the castle from the previous logo, now completely coated in metallic platinum. As it appears, three fireworks shaped like the head of Mickey Mouse (the studio's original character from the cartoon shorts and the company's mascot) are shown, while two more are also shown when the camera pans across the castle. This references the Hidden Mickeys, and in total, there are five Mickey-shaped fireworks overall. The star flies across the castle, filling it with light and its usual colors (this time, based on the castle's 2020/2021 repainting at Magic Kingdom during Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary and also homaging a scene from the aforementioned *Beauty and the Beast* where the enchantment on the Beast's castle is broken) until the camera settles into its usual position with a new sunset background and river. The Matterhorn from *Third Man on the Mountain* (and the Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction from Disneyland) and Pride Rock from *The Lion King* sit on the horizon, as well as the lanterns from *Tangled* in the river and Will O' the Wisps from *Brave* on the grass. The magical arc that usually flies from right to left above the castle is now wider, colored blue (Disney+'s main color), and flies left to right, a subtle reference to several arc appearances since 2005, including the 2005 Hong Kong Disneyland logo, the 2006 Walt Disney Pictures print logo and most recently, the animated Disney+ logo. This variant with the "100 YEARS OF WONDER" tagline is only seen in the mentioned *Strange World*, *Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl* and the international release of *Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny* (North American releases have the version without the tagline), albeit in a short version.

This was animated by Lucasfilm's Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), which also made the 1997-present DreamWorks Pictures logo, in collaboration with Disney Studios Content. It features a new, longer, and re-orchestrated rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star", this time composed by Christophe Beck, who also did the scores for *Frozen* and its sequel, 20th Century Studios/Blue Sky Studios' *The Peanuts Movie* and *Free Guy*, as well as Marvel Studios' *Ant-Man* films and *WandaVision*, orchestrated by Tim Davies and recorded in the Fox Studios Lot. It is currently in tandem with the previous logo until the former is fully retired in June 2023. This logo was also used in the intro of *The Wonderful World of Disney* on ABC minus the text forming.

### 2023

It is the same logo, but the "100 YEARS OF WONDER" tagline is removed. This version first appeared on trailers showcased at the D23 Expo, including *The Little Mermaid*, *Disenchanted*, and *Hocus Pocus 2*, then later seen on the North American trailer of *Elemental*, while the version of this logo with the text is used on international trailers of the said film. It was later seen on movies released throughout 2023, beginning with the release of *Chang Can Dunk* on March 10, 2023, on Disney+, making it the first Disney+ original film to use that logo, as well as other films following it. It is also used in *Peter Pan & Wendy*, also on Disney+, which makes it the first Disney live-action remake to use it.

### 2024–present

A post-100th anniversary logo will be used in early 2024. It is the same logo, but the "100" is removed and the "Disney" text is set in glass, along with the removal of the platinum castle transformation, a slightly modified camera, and an updated Pride Rock.