Ron Clements and John Musker

Ron Clements and John Musker were just up-and-coming animators when they first got the chance to direct The Little Mermaid. That decision worked out pretty great for Disney. Now, after Beauty and the Beast, which was the product of a different team, the studio was more than willing to give these two proven powerhouses the reigns to Aladdin.

For their part, Clements and Musker wanted to work on Aladdin because they felt it could be different from other Disney movies in the past. It was fast paced and more contemporary. It would pack in jokes and pop culture references, all while building on the amazing song and story style that Clements and Musker had perfected with The Little Mermaid. It was a new challenge, and they were ready for it.

We'd say they succeeded. Aladdin would go on to become the top-grossing movie of 1992. It also won an Annie Award for Best Animated Feature, a Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film, and a Los Angeles Critics Award for Best Animation. Bam.

Ron Clements and John Musker, by the way, would go on to direct Hercules, Treasure Planet, The Princess and the Frog, and Moana.

Hey, if it ain't broke, just keep on directing it.