12 Greatest Ever Disney Trailers

11. The Princess And The Frog - Teaser

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Any discussion of former Disney Animation CCO John Lasseter has been overshadowed by the sexual harassment scandals which eventually led to his resignation, but for all his toxic behaviour, it is impossible to ignore Lasseter’s success in kickstarting Disney Animation's revival period.

When he took over at Disney in 2005, he promised to combine the innovations he made at Pixar with the old-fashioned approach of the traditional Disney fairy tale. The opening teaser for The Princess and the Frog, Disney's first traditionally animated film in five years, was an excellent statement of intent. In the style of Pixar's signature teasers, it took the form of a short comedic sequence introducing us to the protagonists and their conflict whilst keeping the story a secret.

The hand drawn style allowed for a more colourful and expressive approach, and this was fully demonstrated as Tiana tried to get out of kissing the titular frog on the lips. Even with this comedy, the animated backdrops had a genuine sense of mystery and magic.

In addition, Randy Newman sang an early version of “Down In New Orleans" which set the tone really effectively. The Princess and the Frog did not succeed in making hand-drawn animation commercially viable again, but it did demonstrate that the classic Disney fairy tale could be adapted to the age of Pixar, and this teaser is the clearest demonstration of the new approach that would eventually lead to Tangled and Frozen.

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Raphael Howard hasn't written a bio just yet, but if they had... it would appear here.