Figment is Great But Giving Him a Movie or Series Feels Questionable

Near the end of Disney’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders today, one of the final questions for Bob Iger was about Figment and specifically whether the company might consider using the character in other parts of the business, such as creating a movie about the character. Iger’s response, in which he said he would be asking Disney’s creative teams to “consider making some form of series or short form videos of Figment" was noteworthy. It wasn’t exactly a promise of something more with the character, but it was certainly the strong implication it might happen. But should it happen? Why can’t Figment continue to be best served remaining as the theme park – and theme park merchandise – specific character he’s known as?

I’m a big Figment fan. I have plenty of pins, t-shirts and more featuring the purple dragon, including a Funko Pop – the one where he’s Chef Figment, tied to EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, in case you were wondering. He’s an innately appealing character who’s got such an engaging, inviting design, whether rocking that yellow shirt or not, and the personality he’s expressed in Journey Into Imagination, in every incarnation, has been entertaining and amusing, even if the attraction isn’t in exactly its most beloved form at the moment. Tony Baxter and all those in Disney Imagineering who contributed to his creation should be commended for simply getting it right with Figment, to the point that the love for him has continued for so long.

But when you look at the history of adapting Disney theme park elements to film, it’s decidedly mixed. For every Pirates of the Caribbean there’s a Haunted Mansion or Country Bears… or another Haunted Mansion. Even with the terrific story elements and character potential the original attractions offer, it doesn’t always make for an easy fit into a long term narrative. And simply taking the concept of Figment, the character, and expanding upon him is almost more precarious and at odds with aspects of the character.

Yes, it’s true, there have been some solid comic books about Figment that have given him much more lore than EPCOT has, but any movie or series would likely be starting from scratch and if you look at Journey into Imagination – in all its forms – Figment himself is more about providing an embodiment of imagination, along with the mischievous energy he brings, than being part of a complex narrative. And that’s appropriate because he’s literally helping to represent imagination as a concept, not just one specific story. There’s something great about the character’s adventures being something we just get a glimpse of or can imagine for ourselves rather than being told all the specifics, because it lets us use our own, you guessed it, imagination.

At one point, Seth Rogen was going to produce a Figment movie that one expects would have been pretty irreverent in tone - perhaps in line with the Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie directed by The Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer. And hey, that might have been a good approach! Having a character who could be described as a figment of imagination used in some form of meta comedy feels like it has potential if handled correctly. But with that project probably dead at this point – Iger would likely have mentioned it otherwise today if it were still in development – it once more circles me back to thinking maybe that’s for the best and Figment should remain a happy, beloved EPCOT-specific character for guests to continue to enjoy in the setting that begat him.

And look, isn't there something cool about the fact that as many people as there are that love Figment – enough, granted, to occasionally create five to six hour lines for popcorn buckets and meet and greets – he still could be described as a cult or niche character? Sure, those of us who are really into Disney and Disney Parks know exactly who he is, but think about people in your life who generally just love to go to Disneyland once in a while. I’m guessing many if not most don’t know who Figment is. But if you see someone rocking a Figment shirt, you know “Oh, that’s my people!" Yes, the fanbase of characters like Figment or Orange Bird has grown through the years, but there’s still something special about them that sets them apart from the mainstream Disney animated characters.

All of which isn’t to say they shouldn’t be thinking about doing more with Figment in other ways. Because at the end of the day, Figment and Journey into Imagination are forever tied together and it’s a credit to Figment that he’s stayed so popular, even as the current version of that attraction is so often criticized. So instead of a Figment series, how about we finally get another revamp to Journey into Imagination that can both offer new elements and restore elements from the past that made the ride so great originally? And yes, obviously, that includes bringing Dreamfinder back. Because Figment doesn’t need to go to Hollywood, but he could still use his old pal!

In the meantime, all of this is reminding me that I really need to get that new Figment Pez dispenser…

More on EPCOT: