The Extended Universe: How Disney Killed the Movies and Took Over the World

by Vicky Osterweil

A sweeping history of Disney’s rise to cultural dominance that pulls all the skeletons from the corporate closet and playfully decodes the hidden political messages in all of your favorite childhood movies.


In The Extended Universe , Vicky Osterweil takes us on a quest to discover the black magic by which Disney has successfully made its image synonymous with not only youthful splendor, but pop culture itself. Their “imagineers” have made it impossible to reflect on the wonders of growing up without immediately thinking of Disney's movies, Disney's amusement parks, and various other bits and bobs of related Disney merchandising. What Osterweil unearths are reactionary political commitments and maleficent legal maneuvers—from fighting to protect the patent on the COVID vaccine, to breaking early efforts at an animator’s union—so cartoonishly evil they would make one of Walt's own animated villains blush.


Along the way, Osterweil braids together Disney's corporate history, an economic accounting of capitalism's dependency on IP, and deeply engaging (and not entirely unsympathetic) analysis of some of Disney's most famous movies, including Snow White , The Lion King (animated and live action!), Black Panther , and more. The result is an entertainingly woven and convincing case that Disney's entire business model has been built upon a ruthless and fanatical defense of intellectual property rights—from Steamboat Willie to Infinity Wars and beyond!

Genres: Nonfiction, Pop Culture

320 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 3, 2026

Reviews

[Kristine]

Oh No, bad new about Mickey & Friends. Does Catch my Interest, so going to find out More.

[rachel x]

"A sweeping history of Disney’s rise to cultural dominance that pulls all the skeletons from the corporate closet and playfully decodes the hidden political messages in all of your favorite childhood movies."

[she_loves_books · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Net Galley!

A well-written and meticulously researched overview of how the Disney Company both responds and reacts to the world we live(d) in. The introduction clarifies key terms and situations that readers will need to understand the text. At first, this seemed clunky, but I was grateful for the intro by chapter 3 due to the advanced vocabulary and jargon. All the instances and explanations are logical, but be warned, this is not a light read.

The numerous interviews and personal experiences keep the large-scale ideas and issues grounded and help readers - who are most likely fans - relatable. Osterweil interviewed a variety of experts and industry buffs to avoid bias or a narrow perspective. The book begins with the company’s origins and goals, reminding us Walt was not the all-American himself and history have always made him out to be, depending on your definition of “American”.

The chapters are each based on a film title and focus on the national, global, political, and/or cultural events that transpired around its creation. Some of these events inspired the films or characters, and some caused a response themselves. There seemed to be a shift to the impact on the film industry in the later chapters as they feature more modern sci-fi and superhero movies. I found the metaphor of ‘Ratatouille’ particularly interesting after learning what the company was going through. The author draws parallels between shifts at Disney with characters and plots in the movie, but I’ll let you read that for yourself! Any fans of Disney, popular culture, or the film industry will find this account engrossing and thought-provoking. Now I want to go back and rewatch a couple of my old favorite movies with a new perspective.

[Krystelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Meticulously researched and well-structured, this book does an admirable job of tackling the mega corporation that Disney has become, but also the vision for the Disney that has been there from the start. Whilst not sunshine and rainbows like the brand may have you believe, it’s a sharp wake-up call to people driven by pure nostalgia.

I found the historical segment of this book particularly fascinating, particularly when it came to the racism and classism that seems to be baked into Disney’s morals. The chapters on ‘Song Of The South’ and the union issues in the early days of Disney were certainly enlightening, and I found myself increasingly disappointed in the world’s chosen ‘family friendly’ brand.

I think the chapters later on that dealt with the modern era would have certainly been harder to write, simply by virtue of putting down history as it is happening. I would have liked a little more detail in some of these (particularly re: copyright and small creators!), but I appreciate that is difficult.

If you are a Disney adult, this book may well scrub off a little of the rose coloured tint on your glasses. If you are not (like me) you will find some interesting facts that are well worth knowing before consuming the endless churn of merchandise and films they seem to put out.

[Clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for this Advance reader copy.

This was addictive. But most of all, worrying, especially when we just learn that Netflix is going to buy Warner Bros, thus stepping further into the erasal of cultural diversity.
Never would I have ever understood it was all because of Intellectual Property without this book. I mean, I had gathered that the problem stemmed from capitalism, but I never had the tools to explain how it manifests into culture.

I recommend that you read it to undestand how much we’re fucked.