Disney’s Most Underrated Movie Is Finally Returning With An Official Sequel In 2026

Disney recently announced that it is releasing a sequel to an animated film that debuted in 2001 and is widely regarded as one of the company's most underrated titles of all time. It is no secret that Disney is one of the top dogs when it comes to animated films. The animation studio has put out some of the most acclaimed films of all time, and it has gone on specific runs across multiple years where there have simply been no misses. One movie from Walt Disney Animation Studios that came out in 2001 flew a bit under the radar, but hardcore fans often talk about how it is the biggest hidden gem in Disney's library.

Disney recently revealed that an official sequel to 2001's Atlantis: The Lost Empire will be released on October 13, 2026 in the form of a graphic novel. As shared in a listing from Papercutz, the graphic novel, which is titled Atlantis: The Lost Empire Vol. 1 - The Curse of Kurok, is being penned by Matthew Manning and illustrated by Christian Colbert.

The Curse of Kurok will be a direct continuation of the Atlantis film, and is likely being released in 2026 to help commemorate the movie's 25th anniversary.

The listing also revealed that the upcoming book will be 80 pages in length and will cost $9.99 USD for the standard paperback version. However, fans will have the opportunity to purchase a hardback copy for $14.99 or a digital PDF of the book for just $5.99.

It is also worth noting that the official listing came with a short synopsis, which lets fans know what they can expect from the Atlantis sequel.

Specifically, the synopsis teases that Milo and Kida (main characters from the original movie) will return and "discover a brand-new monstrous threat below the kingdom of Atlantis." It also details that "Milo and Kida will need to save Atlanteans while also protecting the natural world around them:"

"A brand-new adventure from the world of Disney's 'Atlantis!' When Milo and Kida discover a brand-new monstrous threat below the kingdom of Atlantis, it's going to take all of their bravery and ingenuity to find the secrets below the waves, and how to surpass a strange new challenge. And they'll also need to discover what ancient fables from Atlantis's past are the key to unlocking the safety of their future! When a giant monstrous threat bubbles up from the lost past of Atlantis, Milo and Kida will need to save Atlanteans while also protecting the natural world around them. Sea monsters, high adventure, and more in this bold new OGN!"

Atlantis: The Lost Empire Vol. 1 - The Curse of Kurok is currently available for pre-order.

Is Disney Fully Rebooting Atlantis?

As mentioned, the new Atlantis graphic novel is serving as a direct sequel to the original 2001 film. A sequel was already created for the first movie in 2003 in the form of a direct-to-video movie titled Atlantis: Milo's Return, but it seems as though Disney is completely disregarding that project since the upcoming story is going to play off the original title.

Disney had big plans for Atlantis when it first debuted. In truth, it appeared as though it was going to spark an entire franchise, as the 2003 sequel immediately went into the works and Disney planned on creating an animated TV series called Team Atlantis. The original plans for that show even had it crossing over with the Gargoyles cartoon (which is being rebooted currently).

It is also worth noting that Disneyland in Anaheim, California was going to bring back its Submarine Voyage attraction and theme it around Atlantis.

However, Atlantis wasn't a hit when it was first released. Fans didn't like it, and critics hated it. Therefore, the animated series was canceled before it even aired, and the theme park attraction never opened.

There has been growing interest in Atlantis (alongside other early 2000s Disney movies that were originally criticized, such as Treasure Planet) for years now. Many fans are growing more fond of it as time passes, and it is now considered one of the most criminally underrated movies Disney has ever produced.

Disney has attached a volume number to the upcoming graphic novel, which could indicate that there are plans to release more stories in the coming years. Most likely, they will just be told in more graphic novels, but it is possible that Disney could even create an animated series in the Atlantis universe.