Verbal Diorama - From the Archive - The Emperor's New Groove - Verbal Diorama

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(From the Archive) The Emperor's New Groove

Published on: 1st January, 2026

The Emperor's New Groove, unfortunately lumbered as part of the blame for the beginning of the end of Disney's Renaissance period, is actually three movies in one:

  1. The original movie that was never made, Kingdom of the Sun
  2. The movie we got
  3. And the documentary that Disney does not want you to see, The Sweatbox

In this episode, I'm going to be telling you about all three; plus the alleged DreamWorks plan by ex-Disney chief Jeffrey Katzenberg to beat Disney to release with The Road to El Dorado, the fact The Emperor's New Groove didn't have a script until two weeks after it was released, and how The Emperor's New Groove accurately predicted the tonal change to Hollywood animation in the 2000s.

If anyone asks you how did Disney managed to make The Emperor’s New Groove, you could just refer them to this episode, or you could simply say “well, ya got me, by all accounts, it doesn’t make sense”.

Mentioned in this episode:

From the Archive

There's no new episode this week, so I thought you might be interested in revisiting this slightly older, but no less brilliant episode. Just bear in mind, this episode is several years old, it may not sound quite as polished as newer episodes, and new information may have come to light in recent years with regards to the making of this movie (please see above for the original date of release) Please enjoy this time capsule of an episode. Thanks for listening!



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About the Podcast

Verbal Diorama
The podcast on the history and legacy of movies you know, and movies you don't.
Are you interested in how movies are made? Do you wonder how a film went from conception to completion? If so, Verbal Diorama, hosted by Em, is the award-winning(!) podcast for you!

Movies are tough to make, and Verbal Diorama is here to celebrate the coming together of teams of extraordinary cast and crew, bringing us movies that inspire us, delight us, make us laugh, make us cry and frighten us. This podcast discovers the stories behind the scenes, and proves how amazing it is that movies actually exist!

Welcome to Verbal Diorama. The podcast all about the history and legacy of movies you know, and movies you don't! Subscribe on your favourite podcast app, and enjoy new episodes every week. Winner of the 2024 Ear Worthy Independent Podcast Awards for Best Movie Podcast, and Golden Lobes 2025 Earworm Award nominee!
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About your host

Profile picture for Em .

Em .

Hi! I'm Em. I created Verbal Diorama in 2018, and launched the podcast in February 2019 to rapturous applause and acclaim.... from my cat Jess.

The modus operandi of Verbal Diorama is simple: movies are tough to make! The coming together of a team of people from all walks of life to make something to entertain, delight and educate us for 90+ mins is not an easy task, and yet so many succeed at it. That must be something to celebrate.

I'm here to do just that - to celebrate movies. Their history and legacy, and why they remain so special to so many of us.

Episodes are audibly book ended by Jess. She sadly passed away in March 2022, aged almost 18. She featured in many episodes of the podcast, and that's why you can hear her at the end of every episode. The role of official feline producer is now held by the comparatively quieter Evie and Peggy.

I love podcasts, and listen to many, but never my own.

I unashamedly love The Mummy (1999) and Grease 2. I'm still looking for a cool rider.