A tale of acceptance or a catchy musical? The Disney franchises “Descendants” and “Zombies” are both. Despite being different franchises, the films have some similarities, such as their themes and soundtracks.
One of the main similarities between the films is their shared theme: “Never judge a book by its cover.” Both projects discuss the importance of being accepting and getting to know people for who they truly are, however, they illustrate these ideas differently. In “Descendants,” characters Audrey and Chad believe that the villain kids (VKs) in Auradon are bad people because their parents are notoriously evil. In “Zombies,” the antagonist, Bucky, doesn’t want zombies in Seabrook High School because they don’t fit in amongst the rest of the students and have been depicted as monsters. Although the characters judge people for different reasons, throughout both series, they begin to realize that differences can be beneficial and that there is more to people than meets the eye.
Another similarity lies in their soundtracks. “Descendants 2” and “Zombies 2” both have songs that describe how to fit in with the main characters. “Descendants 2” has the song “Chillin Like A Villain,” where the VKs teach Ben how to act in the Isle of the Lost. “Zombies 2” has the song, “Like the Zombies Do,” where Zed shows the werewolves how to act in Seabrook. Both songs introduce the characters into a new and unfamiliar world, teaching them how to fit in amongst everyone.
While the issues discussed in the films and the soundtracks are similar, “Descendants” and “Zombies” differ in how they introduce new characters. In “Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires,” Addison stated in one of the songs that she and Zed were passing the torch down to the newest characters, Nova and Victor, making them the new faces of the series. The film ended with a cliffhanger leading to the beginning of a new film led by vampires and daywalkers rather than zombies and humans. The “Descendants” franchise had a more abrupt switch in cast members with their latest film “Descendants: The Rise of Red,” starting with Red as the main character without a true introduction. Although Uma, a main character from the previous movies was in the film, she did not pass the torch to Red like Addison did in “Zombies 4”. This lack of a proper transition between characters and storylines was due to many of the cast members being unavailable and one of the actors, Cameron Boyce, passing away in 2019.
Both “Descendants” and “Zombies” have interesting plots and similar themes that appeal to preteens, however, they have different storylines that illustrate the common message. Despite their differences, both franchises have been wildly successful and have secured legacies as iconic Disney projects.
