Disney is one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, so it's no wonder that it has cultivated one of the largest fandoms in popular culture. And if there's one thing fans of any form of visual media like to do, it's concocting legions of theories concerning their favorite movies, characters, and settings.
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While a large portion of these theories is just conjecture and imagination, there are many that contain several nuggets of truth and fact. Some have even gone on to be proven correct by the Disney filmmakers themselves. But for every fun and silly theory that proves inconsequential, there's one that completely turns the movie on its head.
Why We Don’t Talk About Bruno
In retrospect, it is a bit strange that the catchphrase from Pixar's Luca echoes the one most frequently used in Disney's Encanto. The phrase "We don't talk about Bruno" has an eerily similar ring to "Silenzio, Bruno!" and SuperCarlinBrothers goes into detail about a very interesting theory on how the two are connected.
The theory states that Alberto from Luca is actually Bruno's illegitimate son. As strange and preposterous as it might sound, SuperCarlinBrothers lay out the evidence surrounding this theory, and the facts match up surprisingly well. With Encanto fans demanding justice for Bruno, they may be interested to take a dive into this theory which suggests in the decade Bruno supposedly "disappeared" he might have just left the house after all, with Casita and the rats covering for him.
The Guardians Are In A Board Game
This theory is 100% false, but anyone who's ever played a round of Dungeons and Dragons will know just how chaotic a campaign can be. Experienced Dungeon Masters will also be the first to compare their team of adventurers to a certain group of misfits who save the galaxy on a regular basis.
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Tumblr user bluandorange has a headcanon that the events of the first Guardians of the Galaxy film are actually a D&D campaign being played by members of the Avengers. It's entirely as ludicrous as it sounds, and there's little hard evidence to back up the theory, but tabletop players will find that it makes more sense than many casual fans probably realize.
Buzz Works For Weyland-Yutani
While one isn't technically released yet, a small detail connects two seemingly unrelated movies - the upcoming Lightyear and the classic Alien. Redneck Disney Guy has a very interesting observation that, while obviously just an easter egg or coincidence, the similarities are too close not to ignore. Star Command just might overlap with another famous futuristic entity.
The emblem seen on Buzz's shirt might be meant to look like the three tri-colored buttons on his toy form, but it also looks surprisingly similar to the W for Weyland-Utani in Ridley Scott's franchise. Alien is a franchise full of unexpected moments, but a cross-over with Buzz lightyear may be a step too far. Realistically, Buzz and his crew won't encounter any Xenomorphs in their adventures, but it certainly would bring a new edge to the upcoming movie if they did.
Mulan And Raya Share A Universe
Raya and the Last Dragon isn't the only Disney film to explore East Asian culture before it was Mulan. While defeating the Huns and uniting the kingdoms of Kumandra are two seemingly unrelated quests, their settings do share more than a few things in common - especially when it comes to the dragons.
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u/Freddyshankerr lists a four-point dissection that compares Mulan's world to Raya's, including a note concerning the Great Stone Dragon and Mushu being of the same genus as Sisu and her clan. The theory is not without its merits and would put a new spin on both movies.
Yen Sid Created The Magic Beans
Mickey as the Sorcerer's Apprentice is an image many Disney fans highly associate with the character, but animated mice don't just become wizards overnight. This theory supposes that it was Yen Sid that first set Mickey's magical fate in motion.
Reddit user, u/Dignavros, has an interesting theory that connects Mickey's take on Jack and the Beanstalk with the famous Fantasia segment. The beanstalk incident was a test adventure to prove Mickey was worthy of learning the mystic arts. Taking down Willie the Giant and saving the land of Happy Valley is certainly one way to get a wizard's attention.
Hades Caused The Fall Of Atlantis
Atlantis was supposedly a legendary city that blended cultures, technology, and different clans of people, and it's a location that's been featured in classic mythology for centuries. But perhaps the citizens of the sunken kingdom had a little divine, or rather infernal, assistance with their technological greatness that lead to their downfall.
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u/MATTHEW-HUNTER proposes a theory that it was Hades that helped trigger the chain of events that led to the traumatic sinking of Atlantis. Jealous of his fellow gods getting their own cities as tribute, Hades introduced the Atlanteans to their advanced technologies that resulted in their city being lost to the depths of the ocean. It certainly sounds like something the slick-talking Lord of the Dead would do.
Woody Is One Of A Kind
SuperCarlinBrothers presents another theory in the Pixar universe, this time concerning everyone's favorite Sherrif. It might not be canonical, but it's a story that fills the many plotholes left behind in Pixar's Toy Story series, namely the origin of how Woody came to be owned by Andy.
The theory and logic behind it are insanely rich, involving the creation of the Pixar brain trust and the development of Woody. More importantly, it answers several burning questions about the world these toys live in. Diving into this theory is more than worth any Disney fan's time.
Scar Is The One True King
Anyone interested in fan theories is likely to know the name "MatPat," and for very good reason. Host of channels like The Game Theorists and The Film Theorists, he presented a more naturalist approach to Scar and Mufasa's place in the Great Circle of Life.
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While Scar is easily one of Disney's best and most beloved villains, he was designed with the intent that fans would identify him as the antagonist instantly. With Scar's dark and hollow features, it's easy to assume Mufasa is the one for the throne. According to biology and MatPat's theory, however, dark-furred lions have proven to be more desirable to females, even having longer life spans. So it seems Scar was more cut out for the job than first thought.
Carl Imagines Everything
Up is one of Pixar's most emotional animated projects. But if Carl's odyssey to bring his house to Paradise Falls wasn't heart-wrenching enough, this theory from SuperCarlinBros really pushes things over the edge.
The theory suggests that the adventures with Russel, Kevin, Doug, and the encounter with his hero Charles Muntz were all an imagining of a grief-stricken old man still coping with the loss of both his wife and his home. The full video provides a complete psychological dive into how Carl is feeling and even goes as far as to describe the symbolism in his fantasy.
Dozens Of Bluey Theories
Fans may be surprised to learn just how many theories there are about a children's show from Australia. Bluey is remarkably just as popular with audiences in the States as it is with those in Australia, but while Bluey, Bingo, and the rest of their friends have their suburban adventures, there's practically a soap opera going on behind the scenes.
Aussie Girl Margie presents a great selection of fan theories about Bluey and the gang. Master criminals, secret fortunes, ghosts, and scandalous affairs are just a few of the many theories circling the internet, all with varying degrees of evidence to back up the claims.
NEXT: The 10 Best Disney Shared Universe Fan Theories, Ranked
Zach Gass is a writer from East Tennessee with a love for all things Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel. When not writing for Screen Rant, Zach is an active member of his community theatre, enjoys a variety of authors including Neil Gaiman, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkein, and is a proud and active retro-gamer.
