Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is a sentimental animation from Dreamworks treasured for its ionate narrative of the Kigel mustang named Spirit, but it took more than a decade past the movie's 2002 release for a sequel to be considered. The nostalgic and heartfelt film is composed in the Old West where Spirit is born to run free in a herd of wild horses until the unforeseen day of his capture at the hands of the US cavalry. Spirit's captivity and ensuing attempts to be free once more carry the majority of the movie's plot direction but also tugs heavily on the heartstrings of its audiences.
Remarkably, the first follow-up to Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron did not occur until the 2017 animated series Spirit Riding Free. Little Creek's capture by the colonel is inspired by the true history of suppression in the American Indian Wars was an important step for animated movies. Considering Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron's sentimentality and impactful subject matter, it's truly amazing that another Spirit rendition would not come about for so long.
Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron Failed At The Box Office (Despite Reviews)
During the time of the film's original box office run, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron was recognized for its stunning visuals and its beautifully written story to such an extent that it amassed several wins and nominations for cinema accolades that year. Many of Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron's distinctive features, including the movie's dialogue and character rivalry, represent why it's one of Dreamwork's best-animated films to date. However, the promising response from audiences and critics failed to produce waves within Spirit's performance at the box office, and the film grossed well below its $80 million budget in the US and only made $122.6 million worldwide.
What Happens In The Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron Follow-ups?
Although Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron fell short at the box office in 2002, themes of the movie resonated with modern audiences so much that they were reproduced for the sake of Spirit spinoffs and follow-ups. Spirit Riding Free, the second release in the franchise, is directly influenced by the themes and characters of its predecessor. The Spirit Riding Free series follows a young girl, Fortuna "Lucky" Esperanza Navarro Prescott, who meets the son of Spirit and Rain from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron and is set on freeing him from the captivity of villainous horse wranglers.
Overcoming challenging conditions is an integral lesson in Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron and Spirit Riding Free, and together, the movie and series form the basis for similar narratives in the journey of self-determination in franchise follow-ups like the computer-animated adventure sequel Spirit Untamed (2021) and the subsequent series Spirit Riding Free: Pony Tales (2019), Spirit Riding Free: Riding Academy (2020), and Spirit & Friends (2020). In spite of the gap in time between the original movie and modern renditions of Spirit, Dreamworks has opened the door for many more avenues in which Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron's legacy can endure.
