Funko Disney SDCC 2019 The Black Cauldron - Taran & Horned King (2-Pack) Exclusive Vinyl Figure

The Black Cauldron: Disney’s darkest adventure

Released in 1985, The Black Cauldron was Disney’s 25th animated feature, based on Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain. Directed by Ted Berman and Richard Rich, it marked a sharp departure from the studio’s usual fairy-tale style, embracing a darker, more gothic fantasy atmosphere.

The story follows Taran, a young pig-keeper who dreams of being a warrior. He embarks on a perilous quest to stop the sinister Horned King from seizing the Black Cauldron, a magical relic with the power to raise an undead army. Along the way, he’s joined by Princess Eilonwy, bard Fflewddur Fflam, the mischievous Gurgi, and the seer pig Hen Wen.

The film is infamous for its terrifying tone: the Horned King, with his skeletal visage and chilling presence, gave nightmares to many kids. In fact, Disney cut several sequences considered too frightening before release.

Visually, it was groundbreaking, using experimental animation techniques, early computer imagery, and complex multiplane effects, making it one of the studio’s most ambitious productions of the era.

Though a commercial failure at the time, The Black Cauldron has since gained cult status. Today, it’s remembered as Disney’s boldest foray into dark fantasy — closer to Tolkien or sword-and-sorcery epics than to traditional Disney fairy tales.