A TikTok Theory May Explain The Twisted Origins Of Disney Villain Dr. Facilier
Dr. Facilier (voiced by Keith David) from 2009's "The Princess and the Frog" is presented as a mysterious figure. His dark connections to the underworld and skilled abilities in black magic make him a formidable opponent for Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) and Naveen (Bruno Campos). But the skills that make Facilier such a charismatic bad guy may have originated from one of the film's protagonists, according to a theory going around on TikTok.
@bovklas Actually not joking hear me out on this one 😭He also looks like them #drfacilier #juju #mamaodie #hearmeout #whatif? #princessandthefrog #theory #drfaciliersparents #mamaodiedrfacilierandjuju #getmeoutofmyflopera #tatiapetorva #viralvideo #viraltiktok #fyp
TikTok user @bovklas shared an intriguing concept regarding Facilier's origins. At one point in the film, Facilier refers to himself as a royal on his mother's side. Another character in the movie with a similarly dignified title is the blind priestess Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis), who is known as the Voodoo Queen of the Bayou. The user also notes Odie's loyal snake and husband, Juju. During Facilier's performance of "Friends on the Other Side," there is a moment when his shadow turns into a snake and his eyes similarly resemble that of Juju's, in specific. With this evidence, the theory states that Facilier is the child of both Mama Odie and Juju.
The post, which has garnered over 1 million likes, evoked strong reactions from longtime fans of the Disney flick. User @yasmyn called it, " ... the coolest theory ever. definitely true," while @Sassysio wrote, "I've watched this movie for my whole life and this is definitely the best theory about the movie." Others went even deeper with the concept, such as the top-voted comment by @fr.itz_desia, who questioned, "What if the shadow man turned his dad into a snake?" With such a strong theory and passionate responses to boot, is there any chance of these questions getting answered?
Could Facilier benefit from an origin movie?
The many mysteries behind Dr. Facilier have only added to his intrigue, as it's clear that there's more to the animated antagonist than could fit into the runtime of "The Princess and the Frog." As a result, many believe that he deserves a spin-off movie.
Disney is no stranger to giving its famous villains more time to shine. Movies such as 2014's "Maleficent" and 2021's "Cruella" gave new depth to these iconic characters that their original films were unable to provide. Diving deep into Facilier's origins, particularly his relationship with the Shadow Man and Mama Odie, would make for an engrossing story. Fans are eager to see how devious the doctor can get, such as Redditor u/letemfight who suggested, "A Dr. Facilier origin story that plays like a voodoo 'Uncut Gems' would be amazing." Keeping Facilier's evil ways intact could solve the overly sympathetic take that Disney's past villain-origin movies have suffered from.
But u/Yotato5 thinks another aspect is equally important. "It'd be nice if they could bring in Keith David for some part of it 'cause his voice is part of what makes Dr. Facilier so cool," they stated. It seems David wouldn't shut down the opportunity. On X (formerly known as Twitter), the celebrated performer commented on a live-action "The Princess and the Frog" remake rumored to be in the works, stating, "I'm not sure if this is true, but I do know that Disney has not asked me to reprise the role of Dr. Facilier!" Safe to say, David has no shortage of friends (on the other side) who'd be thrilled to see him make a comeback.