# Disney Rips off Pratchett **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 16, 2007, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171 "2007-03-16T08:10:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/1 "2007-03-16T08:10:09Z")
Well, OK, maybe not quite, but c’mon…this new version of the _[Frog Prince](http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/15/disney.newprincess.ap/index.html)_ set in New Orleans with a strong black princess sounds awfully close to essential plot elements from _Witches Abroad_. If they have a trio of witches in there, Pterry should sue. ---
**Author:** ![bundykala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@bundykala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bundykala)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/2 "2007-03-16T10:07:02Z")
I’d like to see a Disney rendition of Greebo. …actually, come to think of it, I really wouldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/3 "2007-03-16T10:09:01Z")
[QUOTE=MrDibble] If they have a trio of witches in there, Pterry should sue. [/QUOTE] I know it’s not quite what you meant, but Pratchett didn’t exactly invent the concept of [a trio of witches](http://www.william-shakespeare.info/act1-script-text-macbeth.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/4 "2007-03-16T10:16:44Z")
It took them long enough to come up with a “strong black” character, didn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/5 "2007-03-16T10:19:02Z")
Cobra Bubbles doesn’t count as strong, or black? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/6 "2007-03-16T12:22:07Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] I know it’s not quite what you meant, but Pratchett didn’t exactly invent the concept of [a trio of witches](http://www.william-shakespeare.info/act1-script-text-macbeth.htm). [/QUOTE] I know that. I’m just saying that a trio of witches (when there are none in the original story) would increase the circumstantial resemblance. Oh, and could someone report the title to a mod, please? I don’t think I can do that myself. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/7 "2007-03-16T13:09:53Z")
I’ve fixed the typo in the title. But I’m confused. What plot elements do you think were ripped off? the link you gave didn’t list any plot elements at all, it listed a setting (New Orleans) and a character (black princess.) Neither of those were elements in any Pratchett book, so far as I am aware? ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/8 "2007-03-16T13:17:02Z")
The witch is a broad? I got nothin’. ---
**Author:** ![Morelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Morelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morelin)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/9 "2007-03-16T13:23:49Z")
According to Wikipedia, it seems to be based off Russian folklore. I’m not sure how Pratchett fits in there. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/10 "2007-03-16T13:29:08Z")
PTerry shouldn’t even deign to notice if his inferiors in the art of storytelling try to rip him off. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/11 "2007-03-16T13:51:27Z")
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] I’ve fixed the typo in the title. But I’m confused. What plot elements do you think were ripped off? the link you gave didn’t list any plot elements at all, it listed a setting (New Orleans) and a character (black princess.) Neither of those were elements in any Pratchett book, so far as I am aware? [/QUOTE] Thanks for the fix. “Plot elements” may be the wrong word. Maybe “Setting & Character Elements” is closer to what I mean? _Witches Abroad_ (a fairytale romp whose _main_ story (there are lots of sidestories) includes elements of _Cinderella_ and T_he Frog Prince_) is set in **Genua** , which is the Discworld equivalent of New Orleans down to the voudou, gumbo and Carnival. The princess-equivalent character, **Ella** , is describes as black - well, actually, she’s described as biracial, nut-brown skin and blonde hair. She’s also certainly stronger than the original _Frog Prince_ princess, who always struck me as a bit of a daddy’s girl deal-welsher. Have you read _Witches Abroad_? ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/12 "2007-03-16T13:55:29Z")
I don’t think anyone can lay claim to owning the concept of “witches and black people in New Orleans”. Except perhaps the city of New Orleans, which is full of witches and black people. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/13 "2007-03-16T14:06:20Z")
No, you don’t get it - it’s using that _particular fairytale_(which traditionally is \*not \*set in NO and usually has a fairly _vanilla_ princess) with that setting. The inclusion of witches would just be another data point, is all. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/14 "2007-03-16T14:43:50Z")
Oh, my, yes. Somebody appears to be ripping off the idea that Pratchett ripped off from somplace else. My outrage is so vague as to be nonexistent. There’s good reason that White Wolf lost their suit against the makers of _Underworld_. This excuse for a lawsuit is even flimsier than theirs was. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/15 "2007-03-16T14:54:34Z")
[QUOTE=Lightray] Oh, my, yes. Somebody appears to be ripping off the idea that Pratchett ripped off from somplace else. My outrage is so vague as to be nonexistent. [/QUOTE] Exactly. As a satirist, almost everything by Pratchett is “ripped off” (if one can call it that) from somewhere else, though it may be combined in odd ways. I think you would have to have a lot more similarities than just the setting and types of characters to really have a case for “ripping off.” ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/16 "2007-03-16T15:04:41Z")
[QUOTE=Lightray] Oh, my, yes. Somebody appears to be ripping off the idea that Pratchett ripped off from somplace else. My outrage is so vague as to be nonexistent. There’s good reason that White Wolf lost their suit against the makers of _Underworld_. This excuse for a lawsuit is even flimsier than theirs was. [/QUOTE] Just to be clear, the “lawsuit” in question is also nonexistent. It was suggested by the OP, but I haven’t read anything about Pterry himself (or his publishers) suing. ETA: Oh, and as for the movie, since it’s drawn in that horrid retro angular post-Hunchback style, I won’t be seeing it anyway. Ew. Remember when Disney movies were _pretty_? ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/17 "2007-03-16T15:17:31Z")
[QUOTE=Menocchio] I don’t think anyone can lay claim to owning the concept of “witches and black people in New Orleans”. Except perhaps the city of New Orleans, which is full of witches and black people. [/QUOTE] Not anymore. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/18 "2007-03-16T15:48:13Z")
[QUOTE=lisacurl] Not anymore. ☹ [/QUOTE] On the plus side, the frog population’s probably gone up. ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/19 "2007-03-16T16:58:32Z")
[QUOTE=WotNot] On the plus side, the frog population’s probably gone up. [/QUOTE] True… not to mention the insect population for the froggies to feed on. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171/20 "2007-03-16T17:24:21Z")
[QUOTE=bundykala] I’d like to see a Disney rendition of Greebo. ..actually, come to think of it, I really wouldn’t. [/QUOTE] Maybe when he turned human. Hubba hubba. I had to fan myself for a bit. …What was the OP about, again? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disney-rips-off-pratchett/396171.md?page=2)