20 Forgotten Disney Princesses That The Studio Tried To Keep Under Wraps

It doesn't take a hardcore fan to recognize Cinderella, Snow White, or Ariel. These princesses are everywhere, though not every Disney creation is so beloved. There are quite a few key characters — some from iconic movies — who were scrapped at the last minute and buried in the Disney vault. In some cases, it took years for these lost princesses to emerge from the shadows. Who knows how different Disney's collection would've been if these female protagonists had made it on the silver screen?

20. Clarice — Beauty And The Beast

An early cut of Disney’s classic Beauty And The Beast featured a little sister for the main protagonist Belle. Her name is Clarice, and she lives in fear of their Aunt Marguerite. But neither character made it into the fairytale’s adaptation. You see, screenwriter Linda Woolverton didn’t feel the pair served the storyline.

Focus on Belle

Belle was considered a non-conformist and a bit of a loner around the little French village where her family lived. In turn, Woolverton felt that having a doting little sister detracted from the central character’s intended disposition. Because Claire became a distraction from the main plot, animators ended up leaving her on the cutting room floor.

19. Priscilla Gore — The Ghost Bride

Not all fairytales have a happy ending. Fewer still have a gruesome beginning. For instance, one story tells of Priscilla Gore, who believes her husband Bartholomew is an affluent captain, sailing the open seas. But while he is away on a voyage, she accesses a bounty chest that suggests Mr. Gore is a pirate. Then, when she confronts him about his duplicity, he murders her.

Too gruesome

Priscilla Gore’s story, then, was perhaps too gruesome for a cinematic adaptation. Even so, it became the premise for the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, where one version gives the last laugh to the slain wife. You see, after her murder, Priscilla returns to haunt her husband and slowly drives him mad. Then, when he can take no more, the pirate takes his own life.