Disney’s Big Hero 6 was a fresh break away from how superhero stories were told. Inspired by Marvel Comics, the superhero-adjacent animated feature honored the traditions of comic book movies without feeling like it had to adhere to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s structure — and it released 11 years ago today.
Big Hero 6 follows Hiro Himada (Ryan Potter) as he copes with the death of his brother, Tadashi (Daniel Henney), and teams up with his friends to transform them into a super team. Gifted with a knack for robotics, Hiro takes on the vibrant city of San Fransokyo under the careful protection of Baymax, a truly adorable healthcare companion robot. Together, Hiro and his team must protect the city from harm as Big Hero 6. A recipient of critical and commercial success, Big Hero 6 was first released on Nov. 7, 2014.
Prior to the animated adaptation, helmed by Walt Disney Pictures, Marvel Comics published a series of Big Hero 6 comics from 2008 to 2009. The short-lived comic series ran as a five-issue miniseries, though tells a bit of a different story than what Big Hero 6’s animated counterpart decided to explore narratively. “When the Japanese government wanted a team of state-sanctioned superheroes at their disposal, a top-secret consortium of politicians and business entities known as the Giri was formed to recruit and train potential superhuman operatives for Big Hero 6,” the comic book series’ overview reads.
The summary continues to break down Big Hero 6’s original plot. “Government scientists next identified smart boy genius Hiro Takachiho as a potential operative. Unimpressed with the Silver Samurai, Hiro declined joining the team until his mother was kidnapped by the Everwraith, the astral embodiment of all those killed in the 1945 nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Joined by Baymax, a synthetic bodyguard capable of synth-forming into a dragon which was created by Hiro using the brain engrams of his dead father, Hiro reluctantly joined forces with Big Hero 6 to prevent Everwraith from slaughtering millions in downtown Tokyo,” according to Fandom. The original storyline feels a bit darker, and in hindsight, Disney’s creative liberty taken on Marvel’s ideas transforms the title into something more welcoming to all, serving Disney’s family-friendly objectives.
WIll There Be A Big Hero 6 Sequel?
Big Hero 6 assembledImage by Disney
In an interview with Screen Rant, producer Roy Conli detailed what exactly it would take for a Big Hero 6 sequel to finally happen. “It’s interesting because it is really up to [director Don Hall] whether he wants to make a sequel to that. It was Don’s concept and idea. I always secretly urge him to do it, but we’ll see. He loves working on new property. So we’ll see what happens.”
While it’s been over a decade since Big Hero 6 took to the silver screen, no confirmation about a potential sequel has been given. However, in a roundabout way, Disney offered the incredibly sweet spinoff series Baymax! to supplement the disappointing lack of Big Hero 6 content from Disney and Marvel. The limited Disney+ series launched on the streaming platform in 2022, and follows Baymax (Scott Adsit) as he sets out across San Fransokyo to help others in need.
Big Hero 6 and Baymax! are both streaming on Disney+.
An armored Hiro is riding on top of an armored Baymax as they fly above the city on the poster for Big Hero 6.Image via Walt Disney Animation Studios.
- Release Date
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October 24, 2014
- Runtime
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1h 42m
