The live-action Little Mermaid remake was released on May 26.

The live-action Little Mermaid remake was released in May 2023.

The live-action Little Mermaid remake is scheduled to be released on May 26, 2023.

The live-action Little Mermaid remake is scheduled to be released on May 26.

The live-action Little Mermaid remake is scheduled to be released on May 26, 2023.

"The live-action Pinocchio remake is expected to be released on September 8, 2022."

The public reaction to live-action remakes of Disney classics has been mixed, with some facing backlash due to insensitive storylines or casting choices, highlighting the challenges of adapting timeless stories for modern audiences.

The public reaction to live action remakes is mixed, with some people being open to changes and others wanting the characters to look exactly like the originals. Some viewers appreciate the efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, while others are upset by the changes to the original stories and characters.

The public reaction to live action remakes is mixed, with some critics praising the performances while others feeling that the remakes cannot escape the legacy of the original animated classics.

The public reaction to live action remakes of Disney classics is mixed, with some praising the new adaptations and others feeling that they do not live up to the originals.

The public reaction to live-action remakes is mixed, with some audiences feeling that the incorporation of 'political correctness' and alternative story arrangements has led to a loss of the original charm of the classic animated films.

The original Moana film earned nearly US$683 million at global box offices.

The Disney live-action remake mentioned in the document is "Aladdin", which starred Will Smith as the Genie and Mena Massoud as Aladdin.

The Disney live-action remake mentioned in the document is "Aladdin".

The live-action Disney remake mentioned in the document is 'Aladdin', which was released in 2019 and was a smashing success.

"The Disney live-action remake mentioned in the document is Aladdin."

The Disney live-action remake mentioned in the document is 'Beauty and the Beast', specifically the 2017 remake.

Peter Dinklage criticizes the live-action remake of Snow White for being progressive in casting but still telling a 'backwards story' about seven dwarfs living in a cave.

The Little Mermaid remake has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 66%, indicating mixed reviews from critics.

The Little Mermaid remake has a 67% Rotten Tomatoes rating, indicating mostly positive reviews.

Disney's next animated movie Wish is scheduled to be released on November 22, 2023.

The live-action remake of Disney's Hercules is being produced by the Russo brothers, with Guy Ritchie as the director.

The live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has generated backlash due to the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel, with some people objecting to her skin color being different from the original character.

The live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has generated backlash due to the casting of a black actress, Halle, as Ariel, who was originally white in the cartoon.

The live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has received mixed reviews, with praise for Halle Bailey's performance but criticism that the film struggles to escape its animated legacy, indicating that some Disney live-action remakes have generated backlash.

"The Little Mermaid live-action remake has received mixed reviews, with some critics praising the performances while others feel it is a disappointing remake that does not live up to the original."

"The Little Mermaid live-action remake has generated backlash, specifically racist backlash, despite its positive impact on representation and box office earnings."

The Little Mermaid live-action remake sparked controversy over its storyline due to the casting of a black actress, Halle, as Ariel, who was originally white in the cartoon.

The live-action remake of 'The Little Mermaid' (2023) sparked controversy over its storyline due to the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel, which led to racist backlash.

The live-action remake of 'The Little Mermaid' sparked controversy over its storyline after the announcement of the actress for the main role.

The 2023 live-action remake of The Little Mermaid sparked controversy over its storyline, particularly with regards to the character of Eric and his worthiness of Ariel's love.

"The 2023 live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has made changes to the original story, potentially sparking controversy among fans."

Disney's financial profits in live-action remakes are driven by nostalgia, as the company has found success in reworking their classic animated films with live actors, and is currently developing multiple new remakes.

"Recent Disney live-action remakes, such as the upcoming Snow White remake, have faced backlash and criticism from audiences, including racist insults and criticism from actors like Peter Dinklage."

"Disney's live-action remakes have been met with controversy and criticism from audiences, who feel that the incorporation of 'political correctness' and changes to the original stories and characters have detracted from the films' quality and authenticity."

Recent Disney live-action remakes have been criticized for prioritizing political correctness over the original story and character depth, receiving negative reactions from audiences.

"Recent Disney live-action remakes have been received poorly by audiences, with most remakes having a bad reputation, except for Aladdin. The remakes have been criticized for not focusing on key story elements and character development."

"Critics have given the Little Mermaid live-action remake a mixed review, praising some updates such as the addition of Queen Salina, but panning others like Eric's song 'Wild Uncharted Waters'."

The live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid" received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for Halle Bailey's performance and the film's energetic production, but criticism for lacking artistic inspiration compared to the original.

The Little Mermaid live-action remake received mixed reviews from critics and audiences, with some appreciating the diversity of the cast and others being dissatisfied with the CGI and changes to the original characters.

The live-action remake of The Little Mermaid received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for Halle Bailey's performance as Ariel, but criticism that the film struggles to escape its animated legacy.

"Critics have mixed reactions to the Little Mermaid live-action remake, praising performances but finding it to be an unoriginal remake."

The live-action Little Mermaid remake was released on May 26.

Title:

Content: It’s possible that being an only child was one reason I was not exposed to the phenomenon of Disney princess worship during my youth. On the other hand, the lack of a coordinated merchandising effort during the 1970s probably had much more to do with the fact that the company’s princess lineup wasn’t yet emerging as a cultural trend.

In that decade, Disney focused most of its marketing on the so-called “Sensational Six” core characters, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, Donald Duck, and Daisy Duck; along with product tie-ins to the 1977’s “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.”

Of course, Disney had only made three princess movies up to that time. Those included 1937’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” 1950’s “Cinderella,” and 1959’s “Sleeping Beauty.” Following the introduction of Aurora in 1959, Disney would make moviegoers wait 30 years for the next princess to arrive in a film that would herald the start of the Disney Renaissance.

And that film was 1989’s “The Little Mermaid.”

Written and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, the 28th Disney animated feature film was very loosely based on the 1837 Danish fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. It boasted a string of memorable songs that brought imbued the production with Broadway panache. Alan Menken wrote the score, and collaborated with Howard Ashman on the songs. The film scored three Academy Award nominations, winning two for Best Original Score and Best Original Song for “Under the Sea.”

The animated film featured the voices of Jodi Benson, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Pat Carroll, Samuel E. Wright, Jason Marin, Kenneth Mars, and Buddy Hackett.

Buoyed by the success of “The Little Mermaid,” the Disney Renaissance ran from the late 1980s to the late 1990s and unleashed a series of critically and commercially successful animated films. Of the 10 films considered part of this period, five were Disney princess films. By 2000, the list of Disney princess included Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, and Mulan. Andy Mooney, a former Nike executive who had been named president of Walt Disney Company's Disney Consumer Products division, saw an opportunity. He pitched the Disney Princess franchise line — and a generation of children became entranced consumers.

More than 20 years have gone by since the end of the Disney Renaissance and the official launch of Disney’s Princess Line. These days, Walt Disney Pictures is focused on making live-action adaptations of its animated films. The latest of these is “The Little Mermaid,” directed by Rob Marshall from a screenplay written by David Magee. The film was released theatrically on May 26.

When evaluating a remake, adaptation, or reinterpretation of a classic film, one must consider not only the quality of the new film, but also how it compares to the original. It’s not enough to ask if the film entertaining and well executed. One must also determine what makes the remake valuable in its own right.

“The Little Mermaid” is set in the 1830s in the Caribbean. Ariel (Halle Bailey), youngest child of King Triton (Javier Bardem), lives in an underwater kingdom. Disney wisely mentions in its synopsis of the film that Ariel is 18 years old — not 16, as she was in the animated version.

Unlike her older sisters, Ariel is defiant and rebellious. She is captivated by a world beyond her reach, defying her father’s orders to study humans and collect their possessions from shipwrecks. She is often joined in this endeavor by her aquatic companions Flounder and Sebastian (voiced by Jacob Tremblay and Daveed Diggs, respectively); as well as by the birdbrained Scuttle (voiced by Awkwafina), a seabird whose understanding of human culture is amusingly erroneous.

When a sailing ship she has been watching is destroyed in a storm, she rescues Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King). When Triton learns Ariel interacted with the surface world, he goes on an overprotective father rampage, destroying her collection of bric-a-bracs, baubles, and curios while reiterating his mandate that she should not indulge her inclination to learn, explore, or meet new people. Ironically, Prince Eric’s adoptive mother, Queen Salina (Noma Dumezweni) places similar constraints upon him because she is fearful of the outside world and of losing her son.

Desperate to be reunited with Prince Eric — who she is in love with despite the fact that the two haven’t even actually met at this point — Ariel turns to Triton’s evil sister Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), a scheming sea witch who sees this as an opportunity to oust Triton and take power over all the world’s oceans. Ursula strikes a deal with Ariel, giving her legs in exchange for her voice. There’s a catch: If Ariel fails to receive true love’s kiss from Eric before the end of three days, she will become Ursula’s property. To make sure Ariel fails, Ursula also causes her to forget about needing to score that kiss.

That’s just the setup. If it seems a bit drawn out, imagine how it feels watching it on the screen. With a runtime of 2 hours and 15 minutes — 53 minutes longer than the 1989 animated version — it sometimes feels like we’re treading water. One wonders if, in a post-pandemic world filled with ADHD brains, kids can manage to maintain focus on this narrative that meanders its way from scene to scene without a sense of urgency. Sebastian and Flounder know that there is a looming deadline, but in this version of the story, Ariel has been robbed of that knowledge. In the animated version, she at least had a specific objective. She actively worked toward that goal. In this version, she is a starry-eyed young woman crushing on someone she barely knows, drifting dreamily between infatuation and limerence.

Because it is both a retelling of a classic fairy tale and a redesign of a beloved Disney property, the film suffers from a pronounced scarcity of creativity and originality. There are updates to the story, changes in individual characters, and a few additional songs. Some of these facelifts work, such as the addition of Queen Salina. Some of these addendum fall flat, such as Eric’s song “Wild Uncharted Waters,” written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda’s song “The Scuttlebutt,” performed by Awkwafina and Diggs, is a more palatable add-on, despite that fact that it is jarringly different tonally from other music in the film.

All the film’s flaws and miscalculations can be forgiven by its most impressive saving grace: Bailey’s performance is as remarkable as it is enchanting. Bailey stands out again and again in the murky, sketchy CGI undersea sequences, glowing with charisma and agency. She brings the magic that is noticeably lacking in elsewhere in the film, balancing the nostalgia of childhood memories with a contemporary attitude. She carries this film on her shoulders, filling it with a sense of wonder and awe that will inspire children to seek out unexplored horizons and work toward achieving their dreams.

Mind you: I’d prefer Ariel did not have to literally transform — for a man — to be deemed successful. This version somewhat mitigates that theme. Personal transformation is fine when prompted by a desire to become a better person, while self-change enacted strictly to please an individual or a group is unwise and unhealthy.

The film also features recurring examples — both subtle and palpable — that show gender equity, diversity, and inclusivity are beneficial to society. These are the very same principled concepts extremist legislators and ultraconservative judicial officials currently vilify as “woke,” as if being socially aware, compassionate, and empathetic has somehow become objectionable. If you ascribe to that mindset, you should probably skip this movie.

The bottom line is “The Little Mermaid” may not be as artistically inspired as the animated version, but a standout performance by Bailey keeps the film afloat. It frequently captures the kinetic energy of a Broadway stage production, delighting audiences both with signature songs and newly added sequences that enhance the story and the characters. It is consistently entertaining, with sporadic moments of dazzling brilliance.

If you don’t trust an old curmudgeon to properly evaluate a Disney Princess film, I’ll share a few points my 16-year-old daughter made.

According to B.C. Zumpe, the film’s CGI could have been better. She particularly enjoyed a scene in which Ariel and Eric are dancing in a village near his castle, while a Caribbean band plays.

“Some people want all the characters to look exactly like the originals,” she said. “It wouldn’t be fair if Disney excluded Halle just because of her skin color. They chose her for her voice and her spirit. Even if you’re only upset because she looks different from the Ariel you grew up with, you can’t expect them to keep everything the way you want it.”

My daughter also felt that Awkwafina did a good job in voicing Scuttle. She appreciated how the film promoted the idea that it is good to interact with other cultures and be open to new ideas.

She’s a good kid.

Photo courtesy of DISNEY

Halle Bailey stars as Ariel and Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric in “The Little Mermaid.”

Photo courtesy of DISNEY

Melissa McCarthy stars as Ursula in “The Little Mermaid.”

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

The live-action Little Mermaid remake was released in May 2023.

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How Disney's The Little Mermaid Live-Action Remake Is Changing the Narrative

Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has made a significant impact by surpassing the original's box office earnings, offering representation to young girls of color, and standing firm against racist backlash.

BNN Correspondents
New Update

In a world where representation matters more than ever, Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has set a new benchmark. The film, which grossed over $550 million in global ticket sales, has surpassed the original's box office earnings, making a significant financial and cultural impact. Beyond merely being entertaining, the film has become a beacon of hope for young girls of color, seeing themselves represented in a fantasy world for the first time.

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Reimagining Inclusion in Fantasy

The casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel sparked controversy even before filming began. Detractors used AI to alter her features to resemble a white woman, reflecting a narrow view of what a mermaid, or a princess, should look like. Despite the racist backlash, Disney stood firm, challenging the status quo and reimagining inclusion in fantasy. The film's success underscores the necessity of diversity in storytelling, proving that audiences are hungry for fresh perspectives and narratives that resonate with their own experiences.

Standing Firm Against Racism

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The release of the first teaser at D23 Expo was met with enthusiasm and anticipation. The beautiful shots of Halle Bailey's Ariel in the ocean, accompanied by the iconic Part of Your World, were a powerful assertion of Disney's commitment to diversity. The film, directed by Rob Marshall and released in May 2023, also features Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Awkwafina as Scuttle, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, and Noma Dumezweni in an undisclosed role. Each casting choice was a testament to the company's determination to stand against racist attacks and uphold the importance of representation.

Attending to Details for Authentic Representation

With its Reimagine Tomorrow initiative, Disney is leading the way in promoting diversity and inclusion across its productions. By paying meticulous attention to details, the company ensures authentic and inclusive representation both on-screen and off-screen. The success of The Little Mermaid underlines the significance of these efforts, and the film serves as a potent reminder that stories have the power to inspire change.

In conclusion, the journey of The Little Mermaid offers valuable lessons for leadership and the power of storytelling. It highlights the importance of standing firm against critics, especially in the face of racism. It also emphasizes the necessity to reimagine inclusion in fantasy and the significance of paying attention to details for authentic representation. These lessons are not just applicable to film-making, but are relevant in all fields where leaders have the opportunity to challenge hate and inspire change through their work.

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How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

The live-action Little Mermaid remake is scheduled to be released on May 26, 2023.

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Back to the old: 9 Disney game remakes that are in development right now
As practice shows, nostalgia sells well.
At the moment, Disney is developing a lot of animated remakes, including with live actors.
This is not surprising given the success of the recent rework of their classic animated films.
It seems that Disney will continue to explore the genre and offer unique interpretations of favorite projects.
Peter Pan and Wendy
Release date: 2022
The remake of the new “Peter Pan ” was directed by David Lowry, who previously worked on the film adaptation of“ Pete and his dragon ” in 2016.
It is reported that the shooting of the project has already been completed, but the exact date has not yet been announced.
It is known that the basis of the film “Peter Pan and Wendy ” is the original story about a boy who did not want to become an adult, and the magical country of Neverland.
The exact date of the premiere of the project has not yet been announced, but is expected in the second half of 2022.
Pinocchio
Release date: September 8, 2022
The animated film “Pinocchio ” with live action was shot by Robert Zemeckis according to his own script in collaboration with Chris Weitz.
The Wooden Boy was originally voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth.
Its creator, Gepetto, was played by Tom Hanks.
Also in the remake took part Cynthia Erivo, Luke Evans and others.
The premiere of the fantasy musical is scheduled for September 8, 2022.
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Little Mermaid
Release date: May 26, 2023
About the rethinking of the “Little Mermaid ” rumors have been around for a long time, and after the announcement of the actress for the main role, dark-skinned Holly Bailey, fierce disputes began.
Nevertheless, the film adaptation decided to finish and announced the premiere date - May 26, 2023.
The plot will tell the original story of a mermaid who fell in love with an earthly prince and asked the witch for legs to please him.
The beloved underwater princess in the film adaptation was played by actor John Hauer-King.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Release date: 2023
The exact date of the premiere of the remake of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" has not yet been announced.
The story is taken from the fairy tale of the Brothers Grimm, and adapted by screenwriter Greta Gerwig.
The project is directed by Mark Webb.
The role of the beauty of Snow White will be played by Rachel Zegler, and the evil witch will be embodied on the screen by the vander woman Gal Gadot.
The premiere is expected presumably in 2023.
Hercules
Release date: not announced
The director of the film adaptation of “Hercules ” will be the author of“ Gentlemen ” Guy Ritchie.
He will direct a full-length film with live actors based on the 1997 cartoon.
The script was adapted by the author of “Shan-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ” Dave Callham.
The cast of the film about the adventures of Hercules on Olympus has not yet been officially announced.
It is reported that the musical accompaniment of the picture will work Alan Mencken, the author of the compositions “The Little Mermaid ”,“ Aladdin ” and other cartoons.
Bambi
Release date: not announced
The film "Bambi" about a deer who is forced to learn to live independently in the forest after the death of his mother, will be created using computer technology.
The story is taken from the eponymous film adaptation of 1942.
Previously, similar technologies were used in the remake of The Lion King by John Favreau.
Genève Robertson-Dworet and Lindsay Beer will be scripted, and the director will be announced later.
The date of the premiere is not yet known.
Hunchback
Release date: not announced
Work began on a reimagining of the cartoon "Hunchback of Notre Dame" in 1996.
The story, taken as the basis of the original and remake, was written by Victor Hugo in the novel “Notre Dame de Paris ”.
The remake will be playable, but the cast has not yet been announced.
Also, the director ’ s chair is not yet occupied, and David Henry Hwang is already working on the script.
The date of the premiere has not yet been announced.
The Sword in the Stone
Release date: December 13, 2024
The 1963 film adaptation based on the legends of King Arthur will also receive a new adaptation.
Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo.
The start of production of the new “Sword in the Stone ” started back in 2018, but due to financial problems it had to be suspended.
It is reported that due to the small budget of the picture, the project will be released exclusively for the Disney + streaming service.
There is no information yet about the actors who will take part in the film adaptation.
The project will be released on December 13, 2024.
Robin Hood
Release date: not announced
"Robin Hood" will get a hybrid version with live actors for the Disney + platform.
In development is a remake of the animated classic of 1976 with director Carlos Lopez Estrada at the head.
CGI technologies will be used in the project.
About the casting, the potential release date and other details are not yet known.
The script will be written by Kari Granlund, who previously worked on the remake of Lady and the Tramps.
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How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

The live-action Little Mermaid remake is scheduled to be released on May 26.

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The Little Mermaid live-action remake actually fixed the right character

The biggest story changes aren’t for Halle Bailey as Ariel

Whenever a new Disney live-action remake of an animated classic comes out, there’s always a hullabaloo about what, if anything, changed from the source material. Specifically, fans question whether the latest remake updates anything to take modern standards into account, or a creator boasts that it does — whether it’s giving LeFou an “exclusively gay moment” in 2017’s Beauty and the Beast or canning the Siamese cat song in 2019’s Lady and the Tramp.

For whatever reason, though, most of the filmmakers behind these projects seem determined to also “fix” the stories’ main heroines — usually losing what made them so appealing in the first place. The most nefarious case in point is Beauty and the Beast’s Belle, a character beloved by young bookworms everywhere. Making her a book-lover wasn’t enough for the 2017 remake, which also turned her into an inventor for some reason — and then did absolutely nothing with that plot point.

But in the case of the new Little Mermaid, director Rob Marshall and screenwriter David Magee actually picked the right character to update.

That isn’t Ariel, who for the most part keeps pretty much the same personality she had in the original, though she certainly gets more moments to flesh it out. Ariel is a beloved heroine, and Marshall and Magee understand what made her so appealing in the original animated Disney film. She’s curious, passionate, and idealistic, and the 1989 movie takes great care to highlight those things, while also embracing her faults, like her absent-mindedness and stubbornness. Halle Bailey’s stellar performance as Ariel in the live-action version bolsters all of those points. Even with some added moments, her Ariel is pretty much recognizable. She isn’t the one who needed to undergo a modern makeover, after all.

The character who really needed a change was Eric.

The original animated Eric is a hero of his era. He meets the minimum requirements to be a Disney Prince, in that he’s handsome and brave, and not much else. In the 1989 film, Ariel sees him on a ship, playing with his dog, and immediately falls in love with him. That’s pretty true to the original Hans Christian Andersen story — not to mention the Disney fairy-tale movies that came before — but in 2023, we need more evidence that this is a man worthy of Ariel’s time, and worthy of her giving up everything to try and be with him.

The 2023 live-action version of Eric, played by Jonah Hauer-King, isn’t just a hunk. He feels restless in his palace, and he wants to explore the world beyond his island nation, but he feels trapped by his mother’s rules. That’s a direct parallel to Ariel’s story, so it makes sense that she would relate to him. Her bargain with Ursula (Melissa McCarthy) is more about her desire to escape her father’s controlling rules about her being in love. (Ariel’s “Daddy, I love him!” line doesn’t make the cut in this version.) There’s a sense of comfort in knowing that there is at least one person on land who would understand her choice to leave the ocean. In Eric, she sees more of a kindred spirit than a soulmate.

The new Little Mermaid also gives Ariel and Eric more time to get to know each other. Instead of the dinner scene where Ariel bungles basic social interaction, now Ariel and Eric bond over Eric’s vast collection of trinkets he found on his adventures. As it turns out, they’re both total nerds when it comes to their interests, and they’re both just squirming to talk about what they love with someone. Ariel still can’t talk because of Ursula, but she’s still an active participant in the interaction, showing Eric a thing or two about his treasures from the sea, and eagerly poring over his maps. All their interactions are fueled by an awkward yet adorable attraction that just makes their romance all the more believable, and worth rooting for.

There are some superfluous changes to the live-action movie that don’t really add anything meaningful. For instance, Ariel’s sisters are rulers of their own seas, not Triton’s decorative choral singers, but they still don’t contribute much to the plot. Ursula has added motives, but that doesn’t come up beyond her introduction. Scuttle the seagull (voiced by Awkwafina) raps for a bit, because sure, why not? If you think too hard about some of the more consequential world-building changes in 2023’s The Little Mermaid, the movie begins to unravel.

But what makes The Little Mermaid isn’t whether the fish look good, or what exactly fuels Triton and Ursula’s feud. It all comes back to Ariel and her journey, which is fueled by the central romance between her and Eric. Just because Ariel falls in love doesn’t mean she’s not a strong and beloved protagonist, and just because Eric is a handsome and dashing prince doesn’t mean he lacks the substance behind that charming smile. By updating their romance, the 2023 Little Mermaid makes the love story more satisfying — and resonant for a new generation.

The Little Mermaid swims into theaters on May 26.

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How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

The live-action Little Mermaid remake is scheduled to be released on May 26, 2023.

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Following Aladdin, Guy Ritchie Has Scored Another Live-Action Disney Remake

After all the commercial success Disney live-action movies have racked up, it wasn’t a question of if there’d be a next one, it was when. And the House of Mouse has just lined up an exciting new remake from the director of 2019's Aladdin, Guy Ritchie. It looks like the filmmaker is on board to go the distance and helm the live-action Hercules

Back in 2020, it was announced that Disney was developing a live-action Hercules project, with Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo attached. Per a Deadline report, the Russo brothers are set to produce the movie, and Guy Ritchie will take the reins on adapting the Greek mythological tale Disney originally tackled in 1997.

Disney is reportedly in the process of finalizing the script for the Hercules remake after Dave Callaham, writer behind Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Wonder Woman 1984 and The Expendables, wrote the movie’s first draft. The rest of the details are thin on the upcoming Disney movie otherwise, but previously Joe Russo said he and Anthony have a “strong emotional connection” to the original movie and want to “build it out” beyond the vision of the animated classic.

Guy Ritchie initially become known for his contemporary comedic crime films like Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, but he has also branched out to blockbuster action films like 2009’s Sherlock Holmes, 2015’s The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Aladdin with Disney. His first live-action film with Disney was a massive success, nabbing over $1 billion in box office revenue. The movie received mixed reviews from critics, but moviegoers enjoyed the movie overall, with the movie receiving an A CinemaScore.

Disney's original Hercules was written by Ron Clements and John Musker, who had previously written The Little Mermaid and Aladdin for Disney. The animated musical included original music from Alan Menken, who wrote a lot of the music for Disney movies in the ‘90s. Hercules is, of course, a loose adaptation of Greek mythology featuring the son of Zeus, who becomes a hero on Earth.

1997's Hercules memorably featured musical muses, who narrate the story through song. Ahead of the live-action movie finding Guy Ritchie, a number of talents have placed their name in the running to be a muse including Jennifer Hudson, Amber Riley and Lizzo. Previously when word of the live-action Hercules remake first was announced, fans also got passionate about making sure Danny DeVito reprises the role of Phil

As the live-action Hercules finds momentum behind the scenes, there are a number of other Disney remakes coming our way before we see “Zero To Hero” in live action. Before the end of the year, Pinocchio and Peter Pan & Wendy are expected to join other Disney+ movies, and a live-action The Little Mermaid will hit theaters on May 26, 2023. We’ll keep you posted here on CinemaBlend as we learn more about these nostalgic Disney projects.

YA genre tribute. Horror May Queen. Word webslinger. All her writing should be read in Sarah Connor’s Terminator 2 voice over.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

"The live-action Pinocchio remake is expected to be released on September 8, 2022."

The public reaction to live-action remakes of Disney classics has been mixed, with some facing backlash due to insensitive storylines or casting choices, highlighting the challenges of adapting timeless stories for modern audiences.

Title:

Content: Those live-action remakes continue as Disney is currently working on an updated version of Snow White. The classic 1961 animation is a favorite among Disney purists, but since it was announced, the company has been met with backlash. First, it was shared that Colombian-American actress Rachel Zegler would star as the famed porcelain-skinned Disney princess, causing some to bombard the West Side Story star with racist insults.

The Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs live-action remake is being criticized once again, but this time, it comes from Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage who can't believe Disney even considered drudging up the storyline for a second go-round. The acclaimed actor has a common form of dwarfism called achondroplasia.

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Staff / Getty Images

"Literally no offense to anyone, but I was a little taken aback when they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White, but you're still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Dinklage said while on Marc Moron's WTF podcast. "Take a step back and look at what you're doing there. It makes no sense to me."

"You're progressive in one way, but then you're still making that f*cking backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together, what the f*ck are you doing, man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soapbox?" he added. "I guess I'm not loud enough. I don't know which studio that is, but they were so proud of it. All love and respect to the actress and all the people who thought they were doing the right thing. But I'm just like, what are you doing?"

It isn't much known about the development of this film, but Dinklage isn't totally opposed to it moving forward. "If you tell the story of Snow White with the most f*cked up, cool, or progressive spin on it? Let's do it. All in." Meanwhile, next up on Disney's schedule seems to be their live-action take on The Little Mermaid, starring Halle Bailey.

[via]

What controversy did Disney's The Little Mermaid spark globally?

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

The public reaction to live action remakes is mixed, with some people being open to changes and others wanting the characters to look exactly like the originals. Some viewers appreciate the efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, while others are upset by the changes to the original stories and characters.

How did audiences react to the 2020 Mulan live-action remake?

Some positive reactions praising both changes and additions

What controversy arose from Disney's casting and updates in The Adventures of Pinocchio?

What controversy did Disney's The Little Mermaid spark globally?

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

The public reaction to live action remakes is mixed, with some critics praising the performances while others feeling that the remakes cannot escape the legacy of the original animated classics.

Title:

Content: Disney's Little Mermaid live action remake ditches 'weird' Ariel feature for Halle Bailey over worries about 'real bodies'

A designer for Disney's Little Mermaid live action remake has revealed why they ditched a 'weird' Ariel feature from the original animated movie.

Colleen Atwood is a prolific designer who helped with hit shows such as Netflix's Wednesday, Into the Woods and Beetlejuice 2, which is due to be released next year.

In an interview with Harper's Bazar, she revealed why they decided against dressing star Halle Bailey in the famous purple shell bra from the original film.

She said that they 'walked away' from the shell bra in the cartoon, which came out 34 years ago in 1989.

Coleen said: 'I just think we wanted to have a more fishlike quality to the girls.

Colleen Atwood, prolific designer, said they did not use a shell bras because they wanted to 'have a more fishlike quality to the girls'. Picture Halle Bailey in the new remake

Atwood added that they went for a bralette that still had aquatic characteristics but wasn't as 'aggressive' as a shell brassiere. Pictured: Original cartoon from 1989

'Having them all plonk seashells on their breasts seemed like a weird way to go.

'And when you start putting shells on real bodies, it's hard to make them look good, believe me.'

She added that they went for a bralette that still had aquatic characteristics but wasn't as 'aggressive' as a shell brassiere.

Disney had a budget of $250 million for the film, which is more than was spent on the Titanic.

The remake was filmed primarily at Pinewood Studios in Slough, and on the island of Sardinia, Italy.

Halle, 23, stars in the film as Ariel and was originally faced with backlash from some individuals because Halle is black while the cartoon Ariel was originally white with red hair.

The actress spoke to Glamour about the black representation in the film.

During the chat, Halle touched on the emotional videos of young girls seeing a black woman as a Disney princess and how she managed to keep her own identity during filming for the remake.

When asked about the videos, Halle said: 'When I saw those for the first time, I just cried. I was sobbing uncontrollably.

Halle Bailey stars in the film as Ariel and critics praised her performance. Pictured: Bailey at the UK premiere

The film will hit cinemas in the UK today after being in the works for around four and a half years

'The fact that these babies are looking at me and feeling the emotions that they're feeling is a really humbling, beautiful thing.'

The live action film recieved mixed reviews from critics who praised Halle's performance as Ariel - but claimed the remake 'can't escape its animated legacy'.

Felicia Wade from DiscussingFilm wrote on Twitter, '#TheLittleMermaid makes it pretty close to being the best live action Disney movie, however it still struggles in the villain department.

'Halle Bailey IS Ariel and I had literal chills throughout her performance. This is a little mermaid retelling like you’ve never seen before.'

Erik Davis of Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes agreed, 'Disney’s #TheLittleMermaid is definitely one of the better live-action adaptions.

'Halle Bailey pours incredible emotion into Ariel and I got chills watching her, while Melissa McCarthy’s Ursula and Daveed Diggs’ Sebastian steal scenes all day.'

But Kirsten Acuna from Insider wasn't so impressed, tweeting: '#TheLittleMermaid is filled with a few great performances from Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy, but it's a mostly paint-by-numbers remake that's isn't as good as the animated masterpiece.'

The film will hit cinemas in the UK today after being in the works for around four and a half years.

Disney's Little Mermaid live action remake ditches 'weird' Ariel feature

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How did audiences react to the 2020 Mulan live-action remake?

Some positive reactions praising both changes and additions

The public reaction to live action remakes of Disney classics is mixed, with some praising the new adaptations and others feeling that they do not live up to the originals.

How did audiences react to the 2020 Mulan live-action remake?

Some positive reactions praising both changes and additions

The public reaction to live-action remakes is mixed, with some audiences feeling that the incorporation of 'political correctness' and alternative story arrangements has led to a loss of the original charm of the classic animated films.

Title:

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Mobile signal analysis crowd provoking... Wang Yichuan shouted "Christmas City also did" blue committee exposed the New Taipei City government 's statement
Can't you watch it from your own family?
"Little Mermaid" director points to Disney's problems
Disney has been the first brand of American animation, bringing many beautiful memories to children around the world, including the early years of "Snow White", "101 loyal dogs", as well as described as the "Renaissance" period of "Beauty and the Beast", "Aladdin" and so on.
However, the recent Disney animation or live-action film, there is a big problem: each time in the casting and plot direction of the controversy, many people complain that too much "political correctness", or to put some ideas into the story arrangement, character layout and other basic details are put aside, turned into an alternative "educational film".
With such a big change, audiences can ’ t fail to feel that last year ’ s five most expensive movies, Disney Group accounted for four, even celebrating the centenary of their own animation as “Star Wish ”, both at the box office and in word of mouth have lost.
Recently, the director of "Little Mermaid", "Aladdin", "Hercules", "Treasure Island", "Ocean Strange" and other famous Disney animation director John Musk admitted at the seminar on animation and special effects, video games: "I think they should carry out a part of the course correction, put the concept of the secondary, the entertainment of the film, the story and whether the characters attract people should be more important." "
In John Musk ’ s eyes, the traditional Disney classic is not a concept that you want to put in, but rather an audience into the story and the characters and the world in the film, which he believes should still be the core of the current Disney film, “You don ’ t have to completely put aside the idea of putting in, but before that you have to create characters that the audience can empathize with and feel eye-catching. ”
"He said.
John ’ s past Disney animations also included “The Princess and the Frog, ” the first black princess to be the main character. Even so, he said the film was not built to promote an“ awakening culture, ” although he could understand the criticism.
As for the past few years, Disney has become more and more frequent remakes of old animations into live-action versions, he believes that the film companies are always looking at how to reduce the risk, and when they see that the audience likes something, they are thinking, is there a way to change the appearance and sell it to them again, or even do it better than the last time?
Just a few Disney classic animation remakes, audience word-of-mouth or film ratings are not as good as the original animation, based on their own history, John Musk did not take last year caused a lot of controversy of the live-action version of "Little Mermaid" to open: "They do not ink on the story of the father and daughter, that is the core of the whole movie, and that crab, you can see the real animal in the zoo, They all have a much richer expression than the ones in the movies, and so does the Lion King."
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What controversy arose from Disney's casting and updates in The Adventures of Pinocchio?

The original Moana film earned nearly US$683 million at global box offices.

Title:

Content: Dwayne Johnson says a live-action version of Moana is in the works

LOS ANGELES - Walt Disney Co is developing a live-action version of its animated movie hit Moana, star Dwayne Johnson announced at the company’s annual shareholder meeting on Monday.

Moana is set in ancient Polynesia and tells the story of a teenage girl who sets sail on an epic journey to help save her tribe.

The animated version was released in 2016 and racked up nearly US$683 million (S$906.96 million) at global box offices.

“I’m deeply humbled and overcome with gratitude to bring the beautiful story of Moana to the live-action big screen,” said Johnson, who voiced the role of the demigod Maui in the original film.

“This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people’s grace and warrior strength,” said Johnson, whose mother is Samoan.

The actor said the new movie was in the early stages of development. No release date was announced. REUTERS

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

What motivates Disney to keep producing live-action remakes despite mixed reviews?

The Disney live-action remake mentioned in the document is "Aladdin", which starred Will Smith as the Genie and Mena Massoud as Aladdin.

Title:

Content: Is Disney's Aladdin 2 Still Happening? Star Mena Massoud Remains Hopeful

Disney loves a live-action remake. The House of Mouse has discovered that instead of coming up with new ideas they can simply remake their classic animated flicks into live action. The results have been pretty darn profitable, and the studio shows no signs of stopping — there are currently live-action remakes of "Moana" and "Lilo and Stitch" on the way. One of their successful live-action remakes was the 2019 take on "Aladdin," helmed by — believe it or not — Guy Ritchie. The film was a smash, hauling in over $1 billion worldwide and going on to become the ninth highest-grossing film of 2019.

When you make numbers like that, a sequel can't be far behind. Sure enough, in 2019 the film's producer, Dan Lin, revealed that Disney was in the early stages of developing a sequel. But that's the last we've really heard of the potential follow-up. The live-action "Aladdin" starred Will Smith as the Genie first made popular by the late Robin Williams, while the titular role of Aladdin was played by Mena Massoud. Massoud has seemed to cast doubt about the sequel ever happening at this point. He most recently gave an update on the potential project late last year.

No idea where it's at

Back in March of 2023, Mena Massoud Tweeted that "Aladdin 2" was "Very unlikely at this point." (The Tweet has since been deleted, but the folks at Collider caught it at the time). Then, in December of 2023, Massoud was promoting his horror movie "The Sacrifice Game" when ScreenRant asked him about "Aladdin 2." He replied: "I don't have any updates ... the strike kind of just put everything on hold. I know they were trying to get it off the ground for a long time but I have no idea where it's at." He added:

"Listen, we shot in 2017. It's been six years now since we shot and wrapped the project. So to me, at a certain point, life just goes on. So not really, I'm sure they have their reasons. I know they were trying for a long time. So I don't know what the obstacles exactly were. But maybe now after the strike is over, they'll continue to try to get it off the ground ... But I hope, I hope definitely that it happens in some way."

In other words, it really doesn't sound like this sequel is happening — but you never know.

Other films

A sequel wasn't the only potential "Aladdin" project Disney was said to be working on. In 2019, it was revealed the studio was planning a spin-off film based around Prince Anders, a character played by Billy Magnussen. Disney quickly faced backlash for planning a movie around one of the only white guys in a film filled with people of color, but the studio continued to push forward. In 2022, Magnussen said the project was still in development — but we haven't heard anything about it since.

In 2015, before the live-action "Aladdin" was even made, the studio also announced they were making a prequel movie called "Genies," with the plan being that the film would lead into the live-action "Aladdin." That never happened, and "Genies" was scrapped. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if the "Aladdin" sequel or the Prince Anders spin-off were both scrapped as well. Despite the smashing success of the 2019 "Aladdin," it feels like too much time has gone by to strike while the iron is hot.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

The Disney live-action remake mentioned in the document is "Aladdin".

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

The live-action Disney remake mentioned in the document is 'Aladdin', which was released in 2019 and was a smashing success.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

What motivates Disney to keep producing live-action remakes despite mixed reviews?

"The Disney live-action remake mentioned in the document is Aladdin."

The Disney live-action remake mentioned in the document is 'Beauty and the Beast', specifically the 2017 remake.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

Peter Dinklage criticizes the live-action remake of Snow White for being progressive in casting but still telling a 'backwards story' about seven dwarfs living in a cave.

The Little Mermaid remake has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 66%, indicating mixed reviews from critics.

Title:

Content: IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

‘The Little Mermaid’ swims to No. 1 at box office with $38 million opening day

Disney's live-action remake of the classic animated musical hit over 4,000 theaters nationwide Memorial Day weekend.
/ Source: Variety

Disney’s live-action “The Little Mermaid” is making quite the splash at the domestic box office this weekend, with an opening day total of $38 million.

The fantasy, which is opening in 4,320 theaters, is expected to gross between $120 million and $130 million over the four-day Memorial Day weekend.

The musical remake, starring Halle Bailey as the mermaid princess Ariel, took in $10.3 million in previews on Thursday, ranking as the seventh-highest haul for a movie rated G or PG. That puts the film on track to gross well over $100 million over the holiday weekend. With a $250 million production budget, “The Little Mermaid” must bait box office success in order to make a reasonable return.

Fast X,” the tenth installment in the “Fast and Furious” franchise, debuted last weekend to a cool $67 million Stateside. This weekend, it’s estimated to bring in about $28 million over the four-day holiday weekend, which clearly puts in second place after “The Little Mermaid.”

“Fast X” is expected to cross the $500 million mark at the global box office this weekend, making it the third-highest grosser of the year globally.

“The Little Mermaid” is directed by Rob Marshall and also stars Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian the crab, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder the fish and Awkwafina as Scuttle the seabird. It’s received mixed reviews, currently holding a 66% on Rotten Tomatoes. Variety‘s Peter Debruge, however, raved in his review that “Halle Bailey is all the reason that any audience should need to justify Disney revisiting this classic.”

The Little Mermaid remake has a 67% Rotten Tomatoes rating, indicating mostly positive reviews.

Title:

Content: Disney’s The Little Mermaid is looking to deliver one of the top Memorial Day weekend debuts ever, after grossing $38 million on Friday, including over $10 million from Thursday previews. The live-action remake of the classic animated film is expected to generate $104 million across the traditional three-day weekend, and around $125 million across the extended four-day holiday weekend, coming in ahead of expectations. This beats the $116.8 million that the House of Mouse’s live-action Aladdin remake grossed across the same frame in 2019.

If these estimates hold, The Little Mermaid’s Memorial Day bow will be among the top five of all time, behind Top Gun: Maverick ($160.5 million), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End ($153 million) and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ($152 million). Directed by Rob Marshall and starring newcomer Halle Bailey in the titular role, The Little Mermaid was produced on a reported budget of $250 million, and is currently tracking to gross around $80 million from overseas markets by Sunday, which should put its global debut above $200 million.

Aladdin legged it to over $1 billion globally, as did the live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast, and considering the top-tier source material, The Little Mermaid has certainly set itself up for a similarly excellent lifetime haul with this debut. The reviews have been mostly positive, with the film currently sitting at a “fresh” 67% rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and earning an excellent A CinemaScore from opening day audiences. Collider’s own Ross Bonaime called it “one of the rare live-action remakes that manages to capture that Disney magic” in his review.

RELATED: Everything 2023's 'The Little Mermaid' Changes From the Original Disney Classic

Last week’s number one film, Fast X, is eyeing a hefty drop in its second weekend. The 10th installment in the long-running action franchise is continuing to display diminishing returns domestically, despite generating sustained interest in overseas markets. Fast X added $6.3 million on its second Friday, taking its running domestic total to $91 million. By Sunday, the film will pass the $100 million mark stateside, and by Monday, it is expected to hit around $113 million. Globally the film has made more than $500 million, but it still has a long way to go before it can compare with some of the franchise’s top-grossing movies, two of which — Furious 7 and The Fate of the Furious — have made more than $1 billion worldwide.

A Handful of New Releases Opened Low

Disney’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 slipped to the third spot after four weekends in the top two. The superhero threequel added $5.4 million this Friday, and is expected to make around $20 million across the weekend. Guardians of the Galaxy 3 had a relatively soft $116 million opening in the first week of May, but it managed to deliver one of the top holds in Marvel Cinematic Universe history in its second weekend. The movie quietly stayed afloat over the next couple of weeks, and will pass $300 million domestically and $700 million worldwide by Sunday. Anything around or above Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’s lifetime haul of $863 million should be considered a win, considering that the movie was marketed as the emotional closing chapter for a beloved trilogy.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is expected to narrowly claim the fourth spot this weekend, despite being available on digital for a couple of weeks. The mega-hit animated movie added $1.6 million on Friday, and is expected to generate over $8 million across the four-day extended weekend. This should take its running domestic total to $560 million. The sole newcomer to debut in the top five this week is The Machine, starring Burt Kreischer and Mark Hamill. The action-comedy made $2.2 million on Friday, and is expected to gross around $7 million across the extended holiday weekend. Two other new releases — the Gerard Butler action vehicle Kandahar and the comedy film About My Father, starring Robert De Niro — are expected to debut outside the top five.

You can watch our interview with The Little Mermaid star Bailey here, and stay tuned to Collider for more box office updates over the weekend.

Disney's next animated movie Wish is scheduled to be released on November 22, 2023.

Title:

Content: Walt Disney Animation Head Jennifer Lee On Setting Up The Next Generation Of Artists [Exclusive Interview]

We're technically in the middle of Disney's centennial celebration, but for the iconic animation studio, the party is just getting started. After news came out earlier this month that nearly 30 restored animated shorts from the Walt Disney Animation Studios vault will be released on Disney+, the studio had a triumphant presentation at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival to reminisce on the past while also looking at the future.

First, the studio presented their latest animated short, "Once Upon a Studio," directed by Dan Abraham and Trent Correy, possibly the most magical thing they've done in years and a short that pays homage to the studio's 100-year-old history, the characters, and the animators that made the studio what it is. Then, audiences were treated to about 20 minutes of "Wish," the upcoming Disney animated musical feature which brings back the Disney villain, and does some cool things with its visuals. That film is directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn (in her feature directorial debut), and written by Allison Moore and Jennifer Lee, the latter of whom also wrote and co-directed "Frozen" and serves as chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios.

/Film caught up with Lee shortly after the footage presentation of "Wish," where she talked about the future of Walt Disney Animation Studios, bringing back an actual villain for "Wish," and why animation is so special.

Note: This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

'Technology and the artistry are merging'

The short film "Once Upon a Studio" includes a lot of different animation styles, while "Wish" looks different than many Disney films. What sort of experimentation is in store for the studio going into its second century?

Well, what I think particularly with the short and "Wish" is, and I think it's happening across animation, we're finally arriving at that place where technology and the artistry are merging in a way that I think is everyone's dream. I think of the incredible production designer, Lisa Keen, and the painting she did for "Frozen," but then they'd be translated into CG and they'd sort of be degrees away. But now, those paintings, that look, can make it onto the screen. And we've all been working on this for a long time. It's mattered. And with us, we were able to build it on a short scale, but to build it for a feature, we started, I think, when we met with the design team, the dream they said would be to be able to honor those watercolors from "Sleeping Beauty." "Sleeping Beauty" was such an inspiration for "Frozen" in terms of framing, but to get to do it, and we said, "Well, it's our hundredth, we have to have that goal, and they've been working on the technology for years."

I was saying just a couple months ago, we bumped into an issue where we didn't have it lined up to do water. So we had to brainstorm and work together and they figured it out because the scene was too important and they wanted to earn it, and there's nothing like a challenge for a technologist. That's what they want. "What's the next challenge?" So now we're hitting this place, we're going, "Okay, the look can go in many directions. That is so exciting," and it's really going to come down to the identity of the artists themselves coming through more. I think that is the best case scenario.

Building foundations

You talked during the studio presentation about the pairing of fresh talent with veterans, and you yourself were mentored by a veteran of the studio. Why is that important not just at an animator level, but on a key role like a director?

Well, I mean, all of these films are hard. Every one of them is hard to make. One of the things that our veteran filmmakers have is, they've been through it. They've been through a lot. They've had to redo things a lot. They felt the pain of failure, they felt the joy of success, and they have the layers of life. The new generation has talent. I mean, more and more talent out there. And they come in, and to go through your first film, I always say it's going to break your heart a little bit, over and over again, because it's not enough to dream. We all have dreams that we think, "Oh, if we could only make that." You look back at Walt and what it took for him to make "Snow White," and how it almost failed and it was a fight for every frame. There's never a shortcut in every movie.

So with our veteran filmmakers — and obviously you have someone like Eric [Goldberg, veteran Disney animator] who is everything, he is the talent and the years and the fight in him, and we've got an apprentice program that we've formed for the new generation of hand-drawn. And he's not just bringing skill this way, he's bringing those layers of life. To me, none of this is for the faint of heart. I think being creative, you are always vulnerable. So what we can do is build a good foundation and it's just important. For me, that's the big focus of where I want to go from here, is getting those voices that I'm finding so fresh and exciting, but how do you help them succeed? Because that takes more than just talent. [laughs] We all know, it's a fight. So I think that's what I'm most excited about.

'We've wanted to really celebrate a delicious villain for a while'

One thing that was really exciting about the footage was the villain. Why was that important to have in the film, and from your perspective, what makes a great Disney villain?

Yeah. We've wanted to really celebrate a delicious villain for a while. And we've had fun really straying where, I think in life, for a period of time we were exploring how the villain is not always so clear. Sometimes it's ourselves or thematic. But that idea of those villains, and the song, and we love that deliciousness of their evil. [laughs] So the daunting task of creating one, I think what really worked for us with this is we listened to our story artists, we listened to our audience, and people are saying, "I want him not just to be arch, though, I want to know" what we didn't always do, which was tell you why or how did they make those choices? You sort of meet them fully formed and they could be wonderful, but what makes Magnifico different? So we said, "Okay, from the first frame of the film, you're going to feel the journey of this person from the relatable part of ourselves." You get to see, as you saw in a scene when the villain and the protagonists are completely aligned and then you see as their philosophies diverge, you get to watch ... because we never want to say, "Anyone like this will make this choice." It's that this man makes this choice, this woman makes that choice, and it's so fun to watch. And Chris Pine was big on that and it's part of why we wanted to work with him. He's so smart, he holds the character accountable. So it was just so fun to build Magnifico with him, because you couldn't just take anything for granted. So for me, what's been great is getting ... you only saw the first couple of scenes, but getting to that place with him that we think is delicious, but watching him get there has been such a thrill ride for us.

'That did a lot for us in terms of trust'

From a production standpoint, we're three years into the pandemic. How has that impacted the way the studio looks at new projects? Has anything changed in your approach to either the stories you want to tell or the animation pipeline?

I think, in a good way, what we learned about ourselves during Covid was, we built "Raya" and "Encanto" completely [separately]. No one was together and the whole productions were done from home. So I felt like we showed that we understood each other enough and we could carry the same vision from multiple homes. And that did a lot for us in terms of trust. So what we have now is this place where, as people are coming back and this collaboration that it's kind of like we've been through a lot together, so there's no formality, and that makes, for me, I think that makes for a much more wonderful creative space. But I think the big thing is, it's not even about Covid, it's about, as I say, that new generation. I'm more aware than ever of their power and what they can do, but I'm also more aware of that responsibility.

So where I look at is what excites people about storytelling evolves and it's hard when you're getting old to look to yourself. I have certain things I can bring, but it's my job to make sure that I'm spotting that talent and giving them that platform and support and then letting them take it. And I think that's how Eric is helping new generations. That's what we've done that keeps us Disney, is continuing to let that new generation help us evolve, but setting them up for success. So I feel like that has less to do with Covid and just more to do with, here we are. I mean, I've been in this role five years. I've been in the studio 12 years. I came in under 40 and now I'm over 50. So it's time. I think of that. And you hear them banging on the door and they challenge the storytelling, and it's great.

'They're artists. They're not Disney artists. They do work for Disney, but they bring their soul and their tastes come with them'

Serving as both a writer and a producer on "Wish," what was the key element that made this right for the hundredth year celebration?

Well, what I love though is we all started talking as a group, all the directors would get together and we'd meet with story artists and just leave it open and talk about all these fantastical fun ideas. But what kept coming back were certain things — yes, the villain, but this idea of the wishing on stars. That little clip we showed [a montage of Disney characters throughout the years looking at the stars], that was put together before we had the film. Someone just put it together who was inspired to say, "This is something that's a part of us." And you felt it come. Then Chris, he didn't set out to direct it originally, but it spoke to him so clearly. And Fawn, she was such a powerhouse right away.

Then what happened with us is as we were developing the character, Star changed quite a bit. Star originally could talk and took different forms, sometimes human form. And it was really saying, "But that's not what Star is. Star is hope, possibility, wonder — those things don't have the power, they have the power to inspire you." And then I started watching panda bears and how ridiculously funny they were and felt that curious innocence and we said, "What if Star is just that?" And then they said, "You can see this. I think you need to write a draft." And luckily Allison Moore was there in the room every day, but I could come in. But it didn't happen where it was no moment of an order. It was more of, as people were drawn to it and they got it, they just formed the team. And I felt very lucky that, when they asked me to write it and I had no time, but how could I not? It was such an honor.

Disney has always been a studio strong in its traditions, and its recognizability. I'm curious, with something like "Wish," where do you look for pushing boundaries while also keeping those traditions?

All our artists are looking all the time. They're artists. They're not Disney artists. They do work for Disney, but they bring their soul and their tastes come with them, and what they see in the world inspires them. That's great about this industry. Every day there's always buzzes of what's going on. But I think if I look at "Tangled" as a good example of understanding the fairytale, our first sort of CG princess and this nod to the past, but this embracing of this technology, which was a little scary, I'm sure. I wasn't there, so I can only guess. But to say, the approach they took, it kind of showed us where we could go and be more playful. If there hadn't been "Tangled," there would not have been "Frozen." So I'm very grateful that we took some bold steps.

'It's the greatest form of flattery, I guess'

There's been a lot of live-action remakes of Disney movies, both classics and newer ones. From an animation standpoint, does that push you to make visuals more distinct or even just "easier" to adapt? Does it at all affect the mentality going into a new project?

No, I mean, very, very politely, we completely build these independently. We don't think ahead of the live-action. We're honored if it happens. It's the greatest form of flattery, I guess. But I do think, one of the things I love — to me, what defines animation is it is truly transportive in a way that it speaks to your imagination, not to your reality. And so I think in terms of, personally, the looks that I'm inspired by, of where I do feel I'm in a believable world and it feels alive, but it is wholly nothing of our world. It's a place that I can truly escape to. I think that means a lot to a lot of us. So to me, the easy part of it is, if the goal is reality, the technology can go that way. But animation is not about that. What I love about animation is, it starts with a dream and everything is built and the more we can be transported to something we've never seen, the more excited I get.

Lastly, when it comes to "Wish" or any future projects as you are working through development, especially just that first brainstorming phase, what is the balance or even just your personal feelings in terms of wanting to look back at the history of Disney versus looking at what is possible now with new technology and new ideas?

Yeah, yeah. For me, there's not an overall philosophy about it. I do think it's director and artist by artist. And so what we'll do on one film, we won't do on another, and we'll try a whole different ... "Zootopia" and "Wreck-It-Ralph" are nothing like "Frozen." And I think that we'll do that for everything where we take it one film at a time. I think what I always have to trust is what inspires those artists. But I do think when we think about the legacy, to me, there are certain things that I think are wholly Disney, which are films that give hope. Films where you can escape, where you feel like you belong, that you feel that it can become yours. And there's always an element, hopefully, of joy. But we're not afraid to go into deep, dark places. All fairytales do.

But I think that's what we do say is a part of who we are. And I think for so many of us there, it's this thing we share, which is for so much of our lives, starting from our first memories to now, Disney was a place for us to go no matter what was happening in the world, and we could feel this escape. And it was an escape that left you feeling things are possible. I do think that's part of who we are, foundationally, that we all think about. How we get there should be very different each time. And obviously the musicals, the musicals, the musicals, because we love them.

"Wish" arrives in theaters on November 22, 2023.

The live-action remake of Disney's Hercules is being produced by the Russo brothers, with Guy Ritchie as the director.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

The live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has generated backlash due to the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel, with some people objecting to her skin color being different from the original character.

What controversy did Disney's The Little Mermaid spark globally?

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

The live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has generated backlash due to the casting of a black actress, Halle, as Ariel, who was originally white in the cartoon.

What controversy did Disney's The Little Mermaid spark globally?

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

The live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has received mixed reviews, with praise for Halle Bailey's performance but criticism that the film struggles to escape its animated legacy, indicating that some Disney live-action remakes have generated backlash.

"The Little Mermaid live-action remake has received mixed reviews, with some critics praising the performances while others feel it is a disappointing remake that does not live up to the original."

"The Little Mermaid live-action remake has generated backlash, specifically racist backlash, despite its positive impact on representation and box office earnings."

What controversy did Disney's The Little Mermaid spark globally?

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

What motivates Disney to keep producing live-action remakes despite mixed reviews?

The Little Mermaid live-action remake sparked controversy over its storyline due to the casting of a black actress, Halle, as Ariel, who was originally white in the cartoon.

What controversy did Disney's The Little Mermaid spark globally?

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

The live-action remake of 'The Little Mermaid' (2023) sparked controversy over its storyline due to the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel, which led to racist backlash.

What aspect of Disney's strategy has been questioned due to the mixed reception of The Little Mermaid?

What controversy did Disney's The Little Mermaid spark globally?

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

The live-action remake of 'The Little Mermaid' sparked controversy over its storyline after the announcement of the actress for the main role.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

What controversy did Disney's The Little Mermaid spark globally?

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

The 2023 live-action remake of The Little Mermaid sparked controversy over its storyline, particularly with regards to the character of Eric and his worthiness of Ariel's love.

"The 2023 live-action remake of The Little Mermaid has made changes to the original story, potentially sparking controversy among fans."

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

Disney's financial profits in live-action remakes are driven by nostalgia, as the company has found success in reworking their classic animated films with live actors, and is currently developing multiple new remakes.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

"Recent Disney live-action remakes, such as the upcoming Snow White remake, have faced backlash and criticism from audiences, including racist insults and criticism from actors like Peter Dinklage."

What has been the general critical response to most Disney's live-action remakes?

"Disney's live-action remakes have been met with controversy and criticism from audiences, who feel that the incorporation of 'political correctness' and changes to the original stories and characters have detracted from the films' quality and authenticity."

What controversy arose from Disney's casting and updates in The Adventures of Pinocchio?

What has been the general critical response to most Disney's live-action remakes?

Recent Disney live-action remakes have been criticized for prioritizing political correctness over the original story and character depth, receiving negative reactions from audiences.

Title:

Content: The original "Little Mermaid" director can 't stand it! The real version of the irony: the zoo crab expression is even richer
Reporters Lau Wan-yan / Comprehensive Report
Disney has created countless moving animated films, accompanied by many people to grow up, such as "Snow White", "Sleeping Beauty", "Beauty and the Beast" and other classic films, in recent years, these classic animations have been remade as live-action versions, but Disney has been criticized for pursuing excessive "political correctness", while trying to convey specific ideas, ignoring the story itself. And the depth of the role, deeply criticized by the outside world.
The real version of "Little Mermaid" was criticized.
(Courtesy of Disney)
According to foreign media reports, the director of the "Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin" animation, John Musk, publicly pointed out that Disney should revise the line, focusing on the "entertainment" and "story attraction" of the work, "the concept" should be placed on the secondary, bluntly, "they should revise the line", and added that "it is not necessary to completely put the concept into, but until then, the most important thing is to create the audience. It's a role that captures the eyes of the audience."
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The director of the animated version of "Little Mermaid" believes that the live-action version should be more about the relationship between father and daughter.
(Courtesy of Disney)
John Musk emphasized that Disney ’ s classics were never born out of preconceived ideas, but rather immersed the audience in the world built by the story and the characters.
He believes that while it is not necessary to completely abandon the concept, before that, you should first create characters that the audience can feel and feel attracted to.
As for Disney ’ s frequent remakes of old animations into live-action versions, he believes that this is to make the audience like things, and then sell them again, and he obviously does not agree with this practice.
Disney ’ s remake of the classic animation, apart from Aladdin, has a mostly bad reputation. John Musk pointed to the 2023 live-action version of “The Little Mermaid ” and bluntly said:“ They don ’ t put much ink on the story of their father and daughter, that ’ s the core of the whole movie. ” The lions in the Lion King are much richer.
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What approach makes Disney's classics successful according to John Musker?

Immersing audiences in story-driven worlds rather than pushing preconceived ideas.

What controversy arose from Disney's casting and updates in The Adventures of Pinocchio?

What has been the general critical response to most Disney's live-action remakes?

"Recent Disney live-action remakes have been received poorly by audiences, with most remakes having a bad reputation, except for Aladdin. The remakes have been criticized for not focusing on key story elements and character development."

What approach makes Disney's classics successful according to John Musker?

Immersing audiences in story-driven worlds rather than pushing preconceived ideas.

What has been the general critical response to most Disney's live-action remakes?

"Critics have given the Little Mermaid live-action remake a mixed review, praising some updates such as the addition of Queen Salina, but panning others like Eric's song 'Wild Uncharted Waters'."

What criticisms did the live-action Little Mermaid face from reviewers?

Adding redundant and uninteresting elements

The live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid" received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for Halle Bailey's performance and the film's energetic production, but criticism for lacking artistic inspiration compared to the original.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

The Little Mermaid live-action remake received mixed reviews from critics and audiences, with some appreciating the diversity of the cast and others being dissatisfied with the CGI and changes to the original characters.

What controversy did Disney's The Little Mermaid spark globally?

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

What criticisms did the live-action Little Mermaid face from reviewers?

The live-action remake of The Little Mermaid received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for Halle Bailey's performance as Ariel, but criticism that the film struggles to escape its animated legacy.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

By turning classic animations into live-action films with major stars

"Critics have mixed reactions to the Little Mermaid live-action remake, praising performances but finding it to be an unoriginal remake."

What criticisms did the live-action Little Mermaid face from reviewers?

Adding redundant and uninteresting elements