14 Things That Prove Even Tiny Details in Animated Movies Have Their Own Meaning
Usually, we think that animated movies are intended mostly for kids, and so we expect the content and animation to be rather simple and plain. But creators of movies take their job quite seriously and pay attention to every little detail. Some Easter eggs or secret winks connect these productions with others and are noticed only by the most attentive viewers.
1. This clever canine detail in Zootopia
Dogs may be out of sight, but wolves are everywhere when you watch the animated film, Zootopia, and there is probably a good reason for that. Since Zootopia is an animal haven without any humans present, it’s probably impossible for wolves to be domesticated into the dogs we have nowadays as pets.
2. Prince Naveen’s symbolic tarot card
When Prince Naveen had his tarot cards read in The Princess and the Frog, a split-second scene was shown with him laying on a lily pad, foreshadowing his transformation.
3. Chef Skinner’s name has a scientific reason behind it.
Chef Skinner from Ratatouille was cleverly named after behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner, who is popular for his experiments with rats.
4. Flounder can be spotted while Maui sings in Moana.
Ariel’s lovable fish friend, Flounder, in The Little Mermaid (1989) can be spotted in another ocean adventure movie. He can be seen swimming with a school of fish while Maui sings “You’re Welcome” in Moana.
5. A charming nod to the writer of the book in Meet the Robinsons
The name of the elementary school where Wilbur went to in Meet the Robinsons was actually a clever twist on the name of William Joyce, author of A Day with Wilbur Robinson, the book which the movie was adapted from.
6. Woody’s Andy wasn’t the same person that signed Buzz’s boot.
In Toy Story 2, we discover that Woody is a very old collector’s doll, coveted by many fans. That shows that it had to have been acquired long before the other toys Andy plays with. In fact, the creators of the saga have made it clear that before being owned by Andy Jr., the intrepid cowboy belonged to Andy Sr.
7. This borrowed equipment from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
While Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse introduced us to a multitude of Spider-Mans, we couldn’t help but notice the Flint Lockwood Diatonic Super Mutating Dynamic Food Replicator, or FLDSMDRF, from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs floating around a scene from the third act. Notably, the film’s producers, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, were also Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’ directors.
8. This island souvenir in Lilo & Stitch
The Polynesian heritage is strong between Lilo & Stitch and Moana, as we can see a familiar hook lingering in the films. Lilo & Stitch’s David can be seen wearing a necklace with a pendant resembling the demigod Maui’s giant hook in Moana.
9. This foxy reference in Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio combines the traditional and Disney-fied fairy tale, and one detail, in particular, is its main antagonist, Count Volpe, a cruel and desolate circus owner. Literally meaning “fox” in Italian, Volpe is also a conglomeration of 2 villains from the Disney version: Honest John the Fox and Stromboli.
10. These blink-and-miss details in Atlantis: The Lost Empire
At the end of Atlantis: The Lost Empire, all the heroes receive a gift from the Atlanteans, crystals from the hidden city. They turn each of their crystals into personalized accessories, like Mrs. Packard’s brooch and Audrey’s choker.
11. Chef Collette has a scar on her forearm
No stone is left unturned in Pixar’s movies. The proof of it is that animators added to this character even a small detail that lots of cooks and chefs have. It is very common for them to have small burns on their forearms. They get them accidentally when putting food on the grills or ovens or when taking it out.
12. The sun in front of him confuses Prince Eric into thinking that Ariel is a brunette.
Many people may have wondered how Prince Eric could have mistaken Ariel for the human version of Ursula when the differences between the two of them are so striking. One has red hair and blue eyes and the other is a brunette with darker eyes. This is because the only image he has of her came from when he saw her on the beach. But then the sun was shining right on him and he was just waking up from an unconscious state. Take a look at the image above and you’ll understand everything.
13. The meaning behind Bruno’s green visions in Encanto
Besides being Bruno’s favorite color, green has another symbolic meaning, especially regarding his visions in Encanto. Emeralds are believed to help magicians predict the future.
14. Gromit’s academic journey in Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
In a shot from Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, a photo frame shows Gromit graduating from a certain Dogwarts University, a play on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the Harry Potter books, with a degree in Engineering for Dogs.