For a decade, Disney has turned animated classics like Cinderella and The Jungle Book into live-action films.

The strategy blends art and commerce, updating classics for new generations while harnessing nostalgia.

Executives view remakes as lower‑risk bets that sell known IP to new audiences.

Box office and audience metrics guide title selection and creative choices.

Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King each topped $1B worldwide, with The Lion King near $1.6B.

The Little Mermaid (2023) exceeded the original’s box office with $550M+ worldwide and broke Disney+ records.

Updates often include stronger female roles, diverse casting, and new plot elements.

The Jungle Book (2016) shifted tone, added female characters, and won the Visual Effects Oscar for lifelike animals.

Beauty and the Beast (2017) added new music, expanded Belle's independence, and included LGBT characters.

Mulan (2020) emphasizes representation and grounded heroism.

Pinocchio (2022) stayed true to the original but lacked novelty and storytelling spark.

The Little Mermaid (2023) prioritized diversity via Halle Bailey and expanded Prince Eric, while keeping Ariel’s personality and core romance.

Snow White prioritizes female empowerment and avoids stereotypes with input from the dwarfism community.

Executives balance fidelity to characters with changes for modern audiences, prioritizing entertainment and story.

Focus groups, test screenings, and analytics refine content based on audience feedback.

Public response is mixed, from enthusiasm to skepticism.

Some films earn praise for faithful recreation; others face criticism for “political correctness” or clinging to the originals.

Disney stands firm on representation despite backlash over casting, citing authentic inclusion and positive audience impact.

The Little Mermaid earned an A CinemaScore and a mid-tier Rotten Tomatoes score, indicating divided but substantial approval.

For a decade, Disney has turned animated classics like Cinderella and The Jungle Book into live-action films.

Title:

Content: Alert
Operation Blue Bird continues … 30,000 people surround the Legislative Yuan in the evening to protest against the delay of the Beijie Red Line and the Blue Line for 15 minutes.
“If you can ’ t afford it, don ’ t give birth to me ” … A middle school student laments that his parents will not be able to pay their tuition fees after remarriage.
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."
Extended reading
Who is the most handsome and beautiful Romeo and Juliet? Leonardo almost matched Natalie
"You made Johnson the Boulder look like Beckham," the wax image, the skin color, the deliberate whitening... he cited the little mermaid infarction controversy.
Rachel Zengler in "Snow White" was accused of not being white enough "Little Mermaid" to support her: the perfect princess
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Content: Snow White director’s son calls Disney remake a “disgrace”

Disney

The original Snow White director’s son has slammed the upcoming Disney remake as “insulting” and a “disgrace.”

Disney has recently recreated several of its classic films into live-action adaptations. Past examples include The Little Mermaid, Dumbo, and Pinocchio. However, these recreations have generated backlash for various reasons.

For example, Halle Bailey’s role as Ariel wasn’t universally agreed upon. This is due to haters complaining that the princess should have been white like in the 1989 animated movie.

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Now, the upcoming remake of Disney’s Snow White starring Rachel Zegler has been under fire for its controversial portrayal of the seven dwarves among other reasons. Here’s what the son of the original Snow White director had to say about the film.

Son of Snow White director criticizes upcoming Disney remake

In an interview with The Telegraph, David Hand, who worked as a Disney designer in the 1990s, admitted his negative feelings toward the Snow White remake. Hand’s father, also named David, served as one of the directors of the 1937 film.

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“It’s a whole different concept and I just totally disagree with it, and I know my dad and Walt would also very much disagree with it,” 91-year-old Hand said. He continued by calling the movie a “disgrace” and discussed Disney’s “radical thoughts.”

“They’re making up new woke things and I’m just not into any of that. I find it quite frankly a bit insulting [what] they may have done with some of these classic films,” Hand remarked. “There’s no respect for what Disney did and what my dad did. … I think Walt and he would be turning in their graves.”

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The Snow White remake has finished filming and is scheduled to premiere on March 22, 2024. Other Disney live-action projects in the works include Lilo & Stitch, Moana, and Mufasa: The Lion King.

You can find out more about Zegler’s Snow White controversy here.

Related Topics

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Content: Skip to Content

A Definitive List of All the Disney Live-Action Films

From Halle Bailey’s Little Mermaid to the live-action Moana to sequels galore.

By Delia Paunescu and Amy Mackelden

Most of us grew up watching Disney movies, and for better or worse, we wondered what it might be like to be a Disney princess. In recent years, Disney has cleverly played into that nostalgia by transforming its classic animations into live-action movies filled with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Following the success of big-budget adaptations like Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, Disney has committed to turning the majority of its animated catalog into cinematic treats. From Angelina Jolie’s star turn in Maleficent to the upcoming live-action version of Moana, fans will be spoiled for choice. Here, we round up all of Disney’s live-action movie adaptations to date, as well as some of the rumors about what’s to come.

1

Maleficent (2014)

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Disney's Maleficent - Official Trailer 3
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Loosely based on Sleeping Beauty, Angelina Jolie’s wicked witch arrived when lots of evil queens were getting their own feature films (Remember Charlize Theron in Snow White and the Huntsman?). Elle Fanning’s turn as Princess Aurora put her on the map as an A-lister to watch. The film even launched a Maleficent makeup collaboration with M.A.C., which we adored.

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2

Cinderella (2015)

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Disney’s dreamy live action remake of Cinderella cast Cate Blanchett as the evil stepmother, with Bodyguard star Richard Madden playing the Prince. When she landed the title role, Lily James’ most significant part had been as a rebellious cousin on Downton Abbey. Naturally, the fairytale brought James worldwide recognition (and she went on to play young Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia 2).

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3

The Jungle Book (2016)

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The original Jungle Book features some of the best music in Disney’s catalog, so director Jon Favreau’s 2016 live-action remake had a lot to live up to. Newcomer Neel Sethi masterfully took on the part of the boy trying to stay alive with a vengeful Shere Khan hunting him down.

A sequel has reportedly been in the works since Jungle Book was released, with Favreau rumored to be returning as director, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

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4

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

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Beauty and the Beast – US Official Final Trailer
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Few Disney remakes were more anticipated than Beauty and the Beast. It was lavish in its production, starring Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as an all-too-human Beast. Supporting cast members like Stanley Tucci, Emma Thompson, Audra McDonald, and Ewan McGregor were exceptional as the castle staff.

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5

Christopher Robin (2018)

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Honestly, it feels like this movie came and went without anyone, besides die-hard Winnie the Pooh fans, paying much attention. It’s a shame, really, because Ewan McGregor is endearing in the grown-up title role and the Hundred Acre Woods’ animal pals are as warmly fuzzy as you’d hope.

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6

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

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Mary Poppins Returns | Official Trailer
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Emily Blunt steps into Julie Andrews’ cape and brings the magical nanny to life once more. The Devil Wears Prada darling did a terrific job, and was nominated for a Golden Globe as a result. Anyone who grew up loving the cheerily psychedelic musical numbers is bound to appreciate Hamilton star Lin-Manuel Miranda as lamplighter Jack. As if Mary Poppins Returns couldn't get any better, Meryl Streep, Dick Van Dyke, Julie Walters, and Angela Lansbury are also all in the film.

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7

Dumbo (2019)

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Dumbo remains one of the most upsetting stories in Disney’s roster, and 2019’s live-action remake will give you all of the feels. Directed by Tim Burton and starring Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, and Danny DeVito, Dumbo re-tells the emotional story of a young elephant with the gift of flight, who finds himself embroiled in some circus drama.

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8

Aladdin (2019)

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Fans were desperate to find out who had been cast in the live-action Aladdin, no doubt because the original movie is so beloved. While Mena Massoud took on the title role, Power Rangers star Naomi Scott transformed into Princess Jasmine. And of course, Will freaking Smith did his very best to fill Robin Williams’ iconic lamp as the Genie.

In 2020, it was revealed that a sequel is in the works, via Deadline. Plus, a spin-off featuring Prince Anders is also in development.

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9

The Lion King (2019)

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The all-star remake of The Lion King might be the most important thing the house of the mouse has done since they released the original Lion King in 1994. This live-action version cast none other than Beyoncé herself as Nala. She stars alongside Donald Glover as Simba, and Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen as Timon and Pumbaa, with James Earl Jones reprising his original role as Mufasa. A sequel (or prequel) is on the way.

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10

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)

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MALEFICENT 2: MISTRESS OF EVIL Official Trailer #2 (2019) Angelina Jolie, Disney Movie HD
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Angela Jolie and Elle Fanning returned for the follow-up to 2014’s Maleficent. Jolie’s character continues to wrestle with people’s perception of her as a villain, while Princess Aurora receives a marriage proposal, much to Maleficent’s chagrin. Meanwhile, an endangered species known as the Dark Fae start to rise up.

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11

Lady and the Tramp (2019)

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Lady and the Tramp | Official Trailer | Disney+ | Streaming November 12
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1955’s canine couple du jour were given a live-action/animation hybrid update, which debuted on Disney+ in 2019. Justin Theroux voiced the scampy Tramp and Tessa Thompson played the elegant Lady in this animal romance. Thompson’s BFF Janelle Monáe, and Kiersey Clemons round out the cast of this cute remake.

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12

Mulan (2020)

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Disney casting directors had their job cut out for them with Mulan, reportedly spending a year auditioning nearly 1,000 actresses for the lead. The part ultimately went to Chinese superstar Liu Yifei. Fans finally saw the 31-year-old in full character thanks to this arresting first image. Director Niki Caro told the Hollywood Reporter: “It’s a big, girly martial arts epic. It will be extremely muscular and thrilling and entertaining and moving.” What more do you need to know?

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13

Cruella (2021)

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Disney's Cruella | Official Trailer
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Anyone else think Cruella was woefully misunderstood? Enter 2021’s Cruella, which tells the story of 101 Dalmatians’ villainous diva before she became, well, fully evil. The inimitable Emma Stone won the lead role, infusing the tale with ’80s punk chic. From the eye-catching costumes to the super cute puppies, Disney’s origin story has everything. A sequel is reportedly in the works.

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14

Pinocchio (2022)

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Pinocchio Trailer #2 (2022)
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Tom Hanks as Geppetto? Say no more. It may be 80 years later, but this live-action remake is just as relevant today as the original was upon its release. Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives a heartfelt performance as Jiminy Cricket, and Pinnochio’s journey to becoming a real boy is brought to life in stunning visuals.

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15

Peter Pan & Wendy (2023)

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There have been numerous adaptations of J. M. Barrie’s iconic story, but Disney promises to delight fans of its 1953 animated classic with the live-action Peter Pan & Wendy. After meeting Peter Pan, Wendy (Ever Anderson) embarks on an adventure to Neverland, where she faces up to Captain Hook. A story that truly never gets old.

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16

The Little Mermaid (2023)

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Ariel’s story of thirst-trapping Prince Eric, after selling her voice to that glorious diva Ursula in exchange for human legs, is ripe for a remake, especially given the 1998 original’s fishy gender dynamics. Halle Bailey wows in the lead role, with Melissa McCarthy embodying sea witch Ursula. Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote new songs for the flick, alongside Disney musical genius Alan Menken.

The Little Mermaid hits theaters on May 26, 2023.

WATCH THE ORIGINAL ON DISNEY+

17

Snow White (2024)

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Disney is bringing its live-action magic to 1937 animation Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. While Rachel Zegler will take the lead as Snow White, Gal Gadot has been cast as the Evil Queen. With Greta Gerwig tapped to write the screenplay, we can expect Snow White to be all kinds of wonderful.

Snow White is set to hit theaters on March 22, 2024, per Deadline.

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18

Moana (TBD)

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Live-Action Moana Announcement
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In April 2023, it was announced that Moana (which was just released in 2016) would be getting the live-action treatment, with Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as demigod Maui. The original voice of Moana, Auli‘i Cravalho, has signed on as an executive producer. Johnson said in a statement, “This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people’s grace and warrior strength.” The release date is currently unknown.

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19

Lilo & Stitch (TBD)

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Lilo & Stitch (2002) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers
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A live-action/CG hybrid remake of the supremely adorable 2002 film about a Hawaiian girl and the alien who befriends her was first announced in October 2018. It is being produced by Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, who were also tasked with the Aladdin remake. A release date is up in the air but it’s possible this will debut on Disney’s upcoming streaming service. The cast includes Zach Galifianakis, Courtney B. Vance, and newcomer Maia Kealoha as Lilo, per The Hollywood Reporter.

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20

Hercules (TBD)

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1997 Hercules Official Trailer 1 Walt Disney Pictures
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In June 2022, Deadline reported that Aladdin director Guy Ritchie had signed on to direct the live-action remake of Hercules. The 1997 animate feature retold the legend of demigod Hercules, who was voiced by Tate Donovan. While details on the remake remain scarce, Hercules is certainly one to watch for Disney fans.

WATCH THE ORIGINAL ON DISNEY+

Delia Paunescu

Delia Paunescu is a writer, producer, and social media consultant based in New York City. She's written for Vulture, Racked, Brooklyn Magazine, New York Post, and amNewYork, among others. Delia also spent two years leading NowThis Entertainment. She'd very much like to shout at you about why Jane the Virgin is the greatest show of all time over on Twitter.

Amy Mackelden is a freelance writer, editor, and disability activist. Her bylines include Harper's BAZAAR, Nicki Swift, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, ELLE, The Independent, Bustle, Healthline, and HelloGiggles. She co-edited The Emma Press Anthology of Illness, and previously spent all of her money on Kylie Cosmetics.

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How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

The strategy blends art and commerce, updating classics for new generations while harnessing nostalgia.

Title:

Content: Home Movies

Thought the brand of hatred Brie Larson suffered for ‘Captain Marvel’ is over? Well, version 2.0 is here

'The Brie Larson Treatment' comes for another performer with the gall to have opinions.

Image via Marvel Studios

Social media, am I right? What started out as a means for the world to communicate instantly, bringing people together from across the planet, has since metamorphosed into that slime from Ghostbusters 2 that feeds on anger.

And now we’re stuck, knee-deep in a bog of the loudest opinions, all being digitally shouted by everyone that never figured out their internet inside voices. We’ve been here for a while. We all know what it looks like. Arguably, it all boiled over around the time that Captain Marvel came out.

That’s when Brie Larson became angry-boy-Twitter’s favorite place to drag their knuckles, thanks to the way she voiced outlandish opinions like “I don’t have to smile when strangers tell me to” and “I should get treated the same as my male co-stars” and, if we’re being honest, mostly because she was a pretty lady on the internet who wasn’t going out of her way to make strange dudes feel like she’d love to meet them for coffee sometime and really get to know them. The rage was ubiquitous. You couldn’t swing a dead flerken on Twitter without hitting six burner accounts telling Larson how to be an actress.

But that was what, four years ago? We’ve probably moved on as a species, right? If nothing else, I’m sure Twitter has become a more thoughtful public square since Elon Musk took over – I can’t do it, sorry. I’m kidding. Everything is still the exact same kind of bad, only this time the boys are mad about princesses, actress Rachel Zegler playing Snow White in the upcoming live-action to be precise.

The ghost of Brie Larson’s past is making the rounds on Twitter again

The latest target for social media’s putridity is Rachel Zegler, star of Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptation of Snow White. In a recent interview with Variety, Zegler discussed some of the changes that the new film would make to its story – specifically, the lead character is driven by a desire to lead now, she is “not going to be saved by the prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love.”

The merits of Disney remakes aside, they’re changes that make sense. As Zegler puts it, storytelling has changed since 1937. People don’t pay to see feature-length movies about women eating fruit, taking naps, and being awoken by non-consensual kisses anymore. But not everyone agrees.

What happened next will shock you, especially if you just now got your America Online disk and you’re logging onto the internet for the first time: People got mad. Tikitok and Twitter sprayed their musk all over the story, calling Zegler’s takes “pseudo-feminism” and accusing her of “single-handedly destroying this movie.” The rhetoric was hyperbolic. It was acidic. It was, you know, Tuesday. Eagle-eyed viewers noticed a pattern.

There’s a lot that stings about the story. It’s rough, knowing that film Twitter might never stop being a free box of megaphones for everyone with a one-way brain filter and a “No Girls Allowed” sign on their bedroom door. It’s also a little bit gutting to know that conversations about live-action Disney adaptations are always going to swing back around to accusations of surreptitious political agendas and the formation of parasocial disgust targeted at opinionated female performers.
Like, these remakes (mostly lacking originality) are often pretty bad on their own merits, guys. Maybe focus on arguments that actually hold water.

About the author

Tom Meisfjord

Tom is an entertainment writer with five years of experience in the industry, and thirty more years of experience outside of it. His fields of expertise include superheroes, classic horror, and most franchises with the word "Star" in the title. An occasionally award-winning comedian, he resides in the Pacific Northwest with his dog, a small mutt with impulse control issues.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

Executives view remakes as lower‑risk bets that sell known IP to new audiences.

Title:

Content: Interview

Kabam’s Mark Raham on the creation of Disney Mirrorverse

Our MGA Award's People’s Choice award winner is Kabam’s latest big IP hit. But how did they tackle such a big project from such a big name?

The developers at Kabam are no strangers to tackling big name IPs and putting them in the hands of players all around the world, but the success of Disney Mirrorverse is truly testament to the skills of the team and the level of trust they’ve earned.

So what does it take to work with one of the biggest entertainment companies in the world and earn the rights to handle characters that are true cultural icons? We spoke with franchise executive producer, Mark Raham on all things Disney Mirrorverse - the winner of this year's people's choice at our Mobile Games Awards.

Pocketgamer.biz: Tell us a bit about what it is that you do at Kabam

Mark Raham: Title wise, they call me the Franchise Executive Producer. My job is to build a team of people who can be passionate about creating something amazing together. We want to build an incredible world of experiences for our players. So I try to get folks aligned, to get the right people on the team and then get out of the way and let them do what they're great at.

Sometimes I still pinch myself that we're actually doing this.
Mark Raham

You’ve worked with lots of awesome IPs over the years, but Disney… That's quite a big deal. How does something like that come about?

Sometimes I still pinch myself that we're actually doing this. We started this journey in 2018, so it's been in the works for a long time. And when you handle such a beloved set of IPs, you want to do the right thing. You want to meet people's expectations. In our case, we wanted to do something a little new and different with it.

And that involves working closely with Disney?

Yes, lots of great partnerships with our friends at Disney, who have been awesome to work with. I don't know that this would have been possible with any other IP. Disney understands their brand so well. They understand why people love their characters so much. And they’re a story company at their heart, right? And so working with them wasn’t just “What does Mickey look like, in a different hat if you had an enchanted sword?” but to come up with a franchise universe with its own backstory and history. Because we wanted to know what would X be like in a world with a different set of stakes, in different circumstances in a world of higher conflict where universes collide? That to us, was something that was pretty interesting to imagine.

It's new ground for all of us. So we take our time, we tried to do it right and it's super gratifying to see the response. People are really intrigued.

Congratulations on winning the People's Choice Award at the Mobile Gaming Awards. That's the one voted for by the players so that's extra gratifying?

Oh, yeah. First and foremost, it's a tremendous honour to be named People's Choice Award winner. I just want to thank all the players who voted for Disney Mirrorverse. The response we've had from our community and our players has been incredible since launch. And we're really happy to see how the game is building such a passionate community and dedicated set of players that are really integral to how we build this, how we build this world out in these stories going forward.

And it's especially meaningful for the people here who have worked on this game for so long. It's been such a labour of love. We did it because we wanted to build something special and invite people into a world that they could stay in and explore for a long time. So to be named People's Choice it's super meaningful to the team.

Mirrorverse is quite a ‘dark’ game for a Disney game. But then Disney movies are actually quite dark too…

Yeah, there is that element in every great Disney film. Even in the very early days of the films - you can't have light without contrast, right? Think of the beginning of Bambi or Jungle Book or you know any of those films. We wanted to carry on that tradition in a way that made sense with our audience, who are people who, by and large, grew up with that sort of 90s renaissance era of Disney films and try to reflect a Disney universe that makes sense to them.

But we wanted more blending of worlds, where these characters can interact and you have an action based set of stakes. You can start to imagine really cool things, like what if Maleficent and Belle could discuss secret knowledge from books? And what if Belle starts to wrestle with the idea of if it’s okay to use dark powers? That's a pretty interesting conversation that's never been done in a Disney universe before and working with Disney, we were able to talk to all the franchise partners, talk to our creative team here, and then come up with stories that circle around really cool ideas. If you put these characters together and change the stakes you have the opportunity to tell these really compelling stories.

The multiverse concept is a great tool for bringing together disparate characters. Is this your creation? Or did Disney say, “Here’s the concept, we'll let you run with it.”

We were able to get the confidence and the willingness of all the people who own these amazing IPs to try something new and different.
Mark Raham

I had an old boss who spoke a lot of “cowboy wisdom”, one of the things he said was, success has many fathers. So I think many people were circling around the idea of how you could pull this off. I mean, even the idea of Kingdom Hearts has been out there for 20 years now. But getting the characters to connect, interact, and act together hasn't been done before. So you know, whether it was because we were extra adventurous or the timing was right, or whether it was because of the time we took and invested with Disney, we were able to get the confidence and the willingness of all the people who own these amazing IPs to try something new and different.

How did ideas generate around which weapons some of these iconic characters would wield? Captain Hooks is going to have a sword, but what about a character like Snow White? What’s she going to carry and did those ideas need a lot of approval from Disney?

Sure, how are you going to turn Snow White into a warrior? So it begins with a love of the material and it isn’t just me sitting in a room thinking these things up. We have a really invested and passionate design team for the world and the characters. No matter where they end up, it has to be authentic, so you have to start at the beginning. Watch the films, explore the source material and see which threads you can pull on.

Then we can ask, how could these characters respond to the high stakes that work within an action game? We were very conscious about staying true to the essence of those characters and finding a way to make them resonate in this context. We work with our partners over at Disney and each of these franchises has an owner on the Disney or Pixar side who is super passionate and they are experts on who each of these characters could be for Mirrorverse.

In the game's development, what was it like pitching ideas to franchise holders, do you pitch a bunch of ideas and perhaps hear a lot of no’s before hearing a yes?

It’s about starting with the broad strokes, like, do we agree that these are the emotional drivers for this character? Do we agree that these are the seminal moments in their original backstory? Right? You get sort of alignment on those kinds of things. So rather than spitballing a bunch of completed concepts, you start with the root of who they are and something we call the ‘what if’ document, which explores what changes in the Mirrorverse. That nicely leads us into an authentic but surprising evolution of each character.

So does the team have a daily or weekly meeting? How does that work?

Yeah, there are weekly creative sessions where we talk about character evolutions. There are more than weekly art sessions too, where we review how those evolutions come to life and we have a wider meeting with all the creative and design folks. That’s the same on the Disney side, we can review how it’s all coming together, so yeah, it’s a tight partnership.

How does the team work with this great IP and allocate things like special moves? How do you determine who will be stronger or who gets what moves?

That’s a really challenging part of game design. We don’t want anyone to have the best special move. We want each character to have something unique to them. So rather than imagining that these are all Swiss army knives that can do everything, we remind players that this is a team game and how you combine these guardians with their different abilities is what’s going to enable you to progress.

What’s the balancing process like for this kind of action RPG fighting game? Do you need to keep playing and testing to make adjustments?

Yeah, there is a high-level vision statement of what we expect each character to be like and what we want them to do best, who works well together and who each person might be weak against. It sounds boring, but there’s a lot of spreadsheet work that goes into their abilities and attributes.

But where it comes to life is in the playtest, which are a couple of my favourite hours of the week where I get to put aside the rest of the world and sit with the team on Tuesdays and Thursdays and just play the latest of what’s in the game. We then get all the feedback and talk about how things are coming together and we do that until things are honed and feeling really good.

We have had just over 40 unlockable guardians in the game and we’re now at 60 plus, with more to come.
Mark Raham

Just to be clear and put the message out, this game is still very much in development. Things are still ongoing…

I mean, the game’s not even a year old. So you know it’s still relatively new and when we launched, we have had just over 40 unlockable guardians in the game and we’re now at 60 plus, with more to come. The question that we keep asking ourselves is, how do we broaden and deepen the experience for the players? So yeah, there’s a full team effort to continue to develop the experience.

Do you have any upcoming milestones for when the next update will hit?

We’re still doing monthly updates, which works for our players and we’re continuing to release new guardians, story content and events. To me, that’s really what's amazing about creating a web service game, it’s not just one and you’re done. It’s an evolving story and your audience has the chance to interact and give you feedback. I really love the community that’s gathered around this game.

You can add new content and updates when you want, so in theory, could we get other IPs like Star Wars in the Mirrorverse?

Right now, we’re focusing on Disney Animation and Disney live-action Pixar. There’s enough there for us to work with for a really long time. When you think about it, it’s not just the blockbuster films, there’s the 90s afternoon TV series stuff, so there’s a ton of interesting and amazing stories to dig into.

Does the creativity flow the other way? Could you see this game as its own series on Disney Plus?

There’s so much story material that there can be all kinds of expressions of the Mirrorverse. We’ve already seen Dinsey and their partner McFarlane Toys put out a number of lines of collectables. So, I think the way it’s resonating, there’s a lot of opportunity for further cross-collaboration for sure.

What can you tell us about the future of Disney Mirrorverse? What’s next in development?

For me, the most important thing is continuing to build relationships with players and understanding the community. There are a number of very cool characters that are coming in the future.

Edited by Paige Cook

Features Editor

According to John Musker, why does Disney rely on live-action remakes rather than producing new stories?

As a risk-reduction strategy
As a safer option

Compared to new franchises, what is the risk and return of remakes and sequels?

Lower risk but smaller long-term returns.

According to John Musker, why does Disney rely on live-action remakes rather than producing new stories?

As a risk-reduction strategy
As a safer option

Compared to new franchises, what is the risk and return of remakes and sequels?

Lower risk but smaller long-term returns.

Box office and audience metrics guide title selection and creative choices.

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Content: Facebook Twitter

Should we trust test audiences?

Do test audiences ever get it right?

SHARE Should we trust test audiences?

In recent weeks, both Marvel and DC studios have decided to push back some of their next installments in their cinematic universes. The Hollywood Reporter reported that The Marvels had been pushed back from July 28 to November 10, 2023.

On Feb. 26, YouTuber Grace Randolph gave the inside scoop as to why the next Marvel installment was delayed: poor reactions from test audiences.

“The Marvels was pushed from Summer to Winter due to poor audience test scores so Marvel wants to do yet another round of reshoots to avoid, well, another round of this kind of mess,” Randolph said.

Poor audience test scores more often than not get studios to change up the story, but whether or not it’s for the best, well, sometimes the changes work and sometimes they don’t. The following are movies that changed themselves based on test screening.

‘I Am Legend’

The Will Smith-led post-apocalyptic film based on the popular book made some drastic changes, specifically with the ending. Originally, the film was going to end with the Darkseekers tracking down Smith’s character, Dr. Robert Neville, but not because they wanted to kill him, but because he had kidnapped their leader’s girlfriend and experimented on her like he did with a bunch of Darkseekers (who he wound up killing), thus revealing that he’s been the villain the whole time while the Darkseekers were more civilized than we thought.

However, test audiences did not like the twist. Hence, the studio decided instead to have Neville sacrifice himself to save humanity. An ending with a heroic sacrifice, sure, but the film may have been remembered better today had they gone with the more thought-provoking conclusion.

‘Scott Pilgrim vs. The World’

While the cult comic book film is revered for its energetic style (and excellent cast), what fans debate tirelessly about is the ending. In the theatrical cut, Scott winds up with the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers, thanks to the encouragement of his ex-girlfriend Knives Chau. However, they went with this ending because test audiences did not like how the film was originally supposed to end.

Originally, Scott was supposed to end up with his original girlfriend Knives, but test audiences wanted him to end up with Ramona like the comics, thus creating some division among fans as to who Scott should have dated in the end. Whether or not it was a good decision to end the film like that depends on who you ask.

‘Thor: The Dark World’

As it turns out, Marvel has altered its endings in the past. If they had stuck with their guns for this one, who knows what impact it would have on the MCU today? “Thor: The Dark World” is not among the MCU’s fan favorites, but maybe that wouldn’t be the case had they gone with their original ending — permanently killing off Loki.

According to Tom Hiddleston, Marvel’s original plan was to kill off Thor’s brother, but test audiences weren’t too keen on that, so his death turned out to be yet another one of his tricks. That would have sent off a chain reaction knowing the projects he’s been involved with since. Had they gone with Loki permanently getting the ax, maybe “Thor: The Dark World” would be remembered better than it usually has been among fans.

Sometimes, test audiences get it right

With all this talk about test audiences, we also have to keep in mind that sometimes, the fans get it right. Remember the uproar when the original live-action design of “Sonic the Hedgehog” was released? Studios went back to the drawing board and a much better one was then released.

But other times, test audiences get it wrong. Test audiences did not like the heartbreaking ending of “Seven,” but that didn’t stop studios from going with it, and now it’s remembered for having one of the best endings of all time.

In Marvel’s case, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” suffering significant box office decline following its opening weekend is not welcome news for them. Marvel understandably wants to keep fan interest alive, so if they feel reshoots could keep that going, that’s good thinking. However, if “The Marvels” does not give them the box office return they’re hoping for, and the original ending gets leaked, this could turn into another installment of what could have been.

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Disney (DIS) Sets Exclusive Theatrical Debut for 2021 Films

Disney (DIS) announces exclusive theater-first debuts for its movies slated for release in 2021, building hopes for cinema chains across the United St...

By
This story originally appeared on Zacks

The Walt Disney Company DIS recently announced that its remaining 2021 slate of films will be released exclusively in theaters before being released on the Disney+ streaming platform.

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Encanto will release on Nov 24 with a 30-day exclusive theatrical window before appearing on Disney+ on Christmas Eve. The rest of the slate will each have a 45-day theatrical release window including The Last Duel (Oct 15), Ron’s Gone Wrong (Oct 22), Eternals (Nov 5), West Side Story (Dec 10), and The King’s Man (Dec 22).

Besides, Disney revealed that Marvel Studios has blocked off four release dates throughout 2024, Feb 16, May 3, Jul 26, and Nov 8. While movies scheduled for release on these dates have not been officially announced, Fantastic Four reboot, Blade and Deadpool 3 could be contenders as they are already in various stages of production.

- Zacks

Disney’s Cinema-First Release Strategy Builds Hopes for Theater Chains

Disney appears confident that consumers are ready to return to cinemas and that the future of its blockbuster features is on the big screen, despite COVID-19 spikes caused by the Delta variant. Theater chains including AMC Entertainment AMC, Cineworld Plc, and Cinemark Holdings Inc CNK are counting on the big fall and winter releases to attract customers back.

Disney’s decision follows the successful 45-day theater-first releases of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Free Guy. Shang-Chi topped $71.4 million in its Labor Day weekend release, the second-biggest opening haul for films released theatrically during the pandemic while Free Guy, from Disney's 20th Century Studios, contractually obligated to be released only in theaters, has grossed $239.2 million globally.

Although the entertainment giant chose to release a series of big productions such as Black Widow, Jungle Cruise, and Cruella on its Disney+ platform simultaneously, the upcoming slate of releases beyond 2021 is encouraging for traditional theater owners.

Although Spider-Man: No Way Home was not included in this list, it will also likely have an exclusive theatrical release.

Among the new movie release dates recently announced, Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley has moved to a wide release on Dec 17 from Dec 3. The Bob's Burgers Movie, based on the animated television series of the same name, will release on May 27, 2022 while Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid will debut in theaters on May 26, 2023.

Other major studios have been closely watching this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company to determine whether they should also resume in-theater debuts. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

AT&T’s T WarnerMedia owned Warner Bros inked a deal with AMC earlier this month for a 45-day theatrical window in 2022. It had previously signed a similar agreement with Cineworld. Universal Pictures and its Focus Features were the first to deal, agreeing to a 17-day exclusive theatrical window with AMC back in July 2020.

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Content: A new part of The Lion King.
The story of Mufasa as you never knew it.
About five years after the release of The Lion King in 2019, Disney is offering a live-action version of the film, Mufasa: The Lion King, a new story that takes audiences back to the familiar tale of the film, as Simba explores the history of his father, Mufasa, and his father ’ s relationship with his younger brother. Reer Scar.
The film also comes on the 30th anniversary of the original Lion King, released in 1994, as part of Disney ’ s experiments in turning animated films into reality, such as Cinderella, The Mermaid, and Aladdin.
It is a safe strategy to ensure a financially successful product, without risking capital in new experiences that may not generate revenue.
The film is expected to be released on May 5, 2024.
Simba explores the history of Mufasa
The first real-life version of The Lion King in 2019 grossed nearly $1.6 billion worldwide.
The new version of The Lion King is expected to surpass the previous film because it explores an old story never presented before, while retaining all the reasons for the success of the original film, the story of the evil brother "Scar" and his relationship with his brother "Mufasa", a focal point in the main film, and the audience always wondered about the causes of the great evil inherent in the character "Scar".
Disney is looking to make an artistic epic, or a series of films as a result of the film ’ s manifold story, which carries more than one story, especially if its makers can find clues to the stories, because despite the worlds of Disney and its large production of films, it has never produced a major series like Star Wars, for example, and the story of the Lion King can be the beginning of movie series, especially as it moves narrative between the past and present....
Heroes of the New Story
The film was officially announced by Barry Jenkins, and Jeff Nathanson, the screenwriter of The Lion King (2019), completes his role as the writer of the new work "Mufasa".
Genghis said that there are many familiar characters will appear in the next film, and that the version will include new stories about the characters that the audience knew and associated with, and the story will go back in time with the heroes, to know the audience history and how they became what they are in the end, as the film tells how "Mufasa" came out of a modest life to reach the top of power, after he was a young cub roaming alone in life.
The film includes some changes to the voices of the heroes from the previous film, where the voice of young "Mufasa" will be performed by Aaron Pierre, while the voice of Mufasa was provided in the previous film, and in the older film of 1994 James Earl Jones.
Familiar voices that won ’ t change include John Kanye, who will cast Mandrel Reviki, Billy Eichner, who will cast Timon, Seth Rogan, who will cast Pumbaa, Kelvin Harrison, Jr., who will cast Scar, and Beyoncé, who will cast Nala.
Why is Disney bringing back the old stories?
Although audiences on social media complain about reproducing Disney ’ s classics, the box office always favors reproducing the classics, and there are many reasons for audiences to watch animated films in their real-life versions, including the attraction of old fans and the desire of the new generation to explore the modern context of the tale.
From here, such films have a double audience, especially in that story that touches on fatherhood, family, friendship, love and life. Mufasa remains one of the most famous Disney characters, and did not explore his story as befitting his fame and the story of his sad death in the original film, which separated the audiences against their will.
Source: Al Jazeera + Websites

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Content: Home Technology VX project, how Sony wants to decipher the emotions of cinema

VX project, how Sony wants to decipher the emotions of cinema

by admin

In these hours Sony has unveiled some of its most interesting projects that could shape or change the future of research and pop culture. The occasion is the STEF, or Sony Technology Exchange Fair, an event that until last year was an internal event to tell the whole company about some of the innovations of the Research & Development departments, but which on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary opens the its doors to the world audience.

Torino

View Conference 2022: what the future of entertainment looks like

by Alessandra Contin

Two were the most important themes that emerged from the technologies presented: on the one hand, the creation of the so-called “digital twins”, i.e. the creation of digital models ever closer to reality that can be used in the most diverse fields: from the creation of three-dimensional replays of a goal for city models, passing through digital organs that respond like real ones with which to train the surgeons of tomorrow.On the other hand, the increasingly widespread ability to measure the emotions of the public to develop ever more precise campaigns and products that meet the taste of a large audience.

In particular, the VX project, an abbreviation that stands for Viewing eXperience, aims to be the definitive tool for the analysis of film focus groups with a fascinating, if ambitious (but at times also disturbing) mission: to identify and accurately catalog the emotions of the viewer to understand, beyond the questionnaires, what are the audience’s reactions to watching a film.

Qatar 2022

TVs, projectors, soundbars and streaming: how to best see the 4K World Cup

by Giacomo Barbieri, Emanuele Capone, Simone Cosimi, Dario d’Elia, Antonio Dini, Bruno Ruffilli

With VX it is possible to have a real-time perspective of the experience lived by the audience in the theater, obviously we are talking about the audience that attends special screenings created specifically to understand if the film can be liked, if the ending is satisfactory, if it makes one laugh, if it fear and so on, according to the type of product. In short, it is placed in that middle ground between post-production and the marketing campaigns that precede the release. It’s not a technology designed for classic cinemas, in which case it’s the box office that speaks.

The system relies on three main sources: video cameras mounted in the hall, to capture facial expressions, heartbeat detectors and microphones, with which to capture any indicators such as laughter, applause or cries of fear. These data are then fed to an application that returns a complete analysis, synchronizing them with the film, so as to understand minute by minute what is happening in the theater. Obviously the data is anonymous, so as to keep the privacy of the public intact.

November 25-27

Milan Games Week & Cartoomics, a pop culture fair

by Alessandra Contin

The heart of the system is represented by a combination of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the former is trained to understand human emotions, the latter takes care of calculating the values of the film minute by minute, so as to develop a graph showing the scenes in where the public was more involved, where it was more distracted and important moments.

Elements that for centuries have been linked to the ability and sensitivity of authors and authors and their ability to calibrate emotions, action, drama and comedy, but which today can be transformed, according to Sony, into a graph.

And of course this data can be broken down by age, gender and even ethnicity.

Obviously a system like this doesn’t come out of nowhere, as much as we like the idea of a film that is born and arrives in theaters without too many changes, the history of cinema is made up of cuts, adaptations, changes and decisions that are sometimes made at upstream from producers, directors and editors, but who can also arrive in the last stages of processing, reading the reactions of the public, especially when we talk about endings. Pretty Woman’s was for her to be alone and was changed as it was deemed too depressing. Initially in Via col Vento the iconic phrase “Frankly my dear I don’t give a damn” was not used due to censorship problems, but the public wanted to hear it because it was present in the book and the producer David O.Selznick paid 5000 dollars of fine to enter it.

Sony’s goal with the VX project, which apparently is already in an advanced stage of testing, is to offer a further level of analysis that is linked to all those reactions that the public cannot control and often cannot even communicate in the way correct. A sort of X-ray analysis that overcomes prejudices, forgetfulness and distractions. We can all say that we liked or disappointed us with an ending, but maybe not everyone remembers that moment in the second act when they got distracted because a dialogue went too long.

And that’s not all, because Sony aims to expand the analysis capabilities of VX in other areas very familiar to it, such as music and video games. The same sensors can be used to read the emotions of a gamer, or perhaps of someone who is listening to a song for the first time, or even at a concert.

Of course, it may seem strange, even dry, to those who perhaps see products based above all on human ingenuity and writing ability in films, music and video games, but for large productions, the million-dollar ones, by now the margin of error is so subtle that no one is willing to risk that much and therefore we have always looked for tools that remind us of Boris’s infamous “algorithm”.

Let’s look at it like this: with such refined tools there are no more excuses for a bad film.

See also  Jupiter, Mars, Neptune... NASA's Webb Space Telescope captures the most amazing images?

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Content: Companies That Have Used Market Research

Companies That Have Used Market Research

Market research plays a crucial role in the success of businesses across various industries. By gathering and analyzing data about consumer preferences, market trends, and competitor strategies, companies can make informed decisions and develop effective marketing strategies. In this article, we will explore some well-known companies that have utilized market research to gain a competitive edge.

Apple Inc.
Apple Inc., the tech giant renowned for its innovative products, has consistently relied on market research to understand consumer needs and preferences. By conducting extensive surveys, focus groups, and data analysis, Apple has been able to identify emerging trends and develop products that resonate with its target audience. This approach has allowed Apple to maintain its position as a market leader and create a loyal customer base.

Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble (P&G), a multinational consumer goods company, has a long history of utilizing market research to drive its product development and marketing strategies. P&G conducts extensive consumer surveys and studies to gain insights into consumer behavior, preferences, and purchasing patterns. This information helps P&G identify gaps in the market, develop new products, and tailor its marketing campaigns to effectively reach its target audience.

McDonald’s
McDonald’s, the global fast-food chain, has successfully used market research to adapt its menu offerings and improve customer experience. By conducting surveys and analyzing customer feedback, McDonald’s has been able to introduce new products, such as healthier options, and revamp its menu to cater to changing consumer preferences. Market research has also helped McDonald’s identify the most effective advertising channels and promotional strategies to reach its diverse customer base.

FAQ:

What is market research?
Market research is the process of gathering and analyzing data about consumers, competitors, and market trends to make informed business decisions. It involves various techniques such as surveys, focus groups, and data analysis.

Why is market research important for companies?
Market research helps companies understand consumer needs and preferences, identify market trends, and gain insights into competitor strategies. This information enables companies to develop effective marketing strategies, make informed business decisions, and stay ahead in a competitive market.

How do companies conduct market research?
Companies conduct market research through various methods, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and data analysis. They may also utilize online platforms, social media, and customer feedback to gather information about consumer behavior and preferences.

In conclusion, market research is a vital tool for companies across industries to gain a competitive advantage. By understanding consumer needs, identifying market trends, and analyzing competitor strategies, companies can develop effective marketing strategies and make informed business decisions. The examples of Apple Inc., Procter & Gamble, and McDonald’s demonstrate how market research has been instrumental in their success.

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

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

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

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

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

Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King each topped $1B worldwide, with The Lion King near $1.6B.

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The world is watching Turkey ’ s election, Erdogan is defeated, the West is happy with Russia ’ s worries.
Unprecedented … Janice apologizes for founder ’ s indecent history
Disney infighting? "Aladdin" male star sings bad "mermaid" box office scolded
Disney 's new live-action version of "The Little Mermaid" is about to be released. Although the casting process has caused huge controversy, the current box office forecast is still optimistic that it will sell more than 115 million US dollars in the first weekend in the United States, more than 4 years ago, the live-action version of "Aladdin" North America's first weekend of 112 million US dollars. "Little Mermaid", and was surrounded by fans, so he had to empty his community account first, and ask for quiet.
In recent years, Disney has made a number of classic anime remakes into live-action versions, and several of them have been criticized for not being as good as the original, but still open a box office red plate, so Disney has not stopped shooting the live-action version of the animation.
"Little Mermaid" is because of the selection of black actress Holly Bailey as the main character, obviously and the animated version of the heroine's red hair, white skin, triggered a powerful controversy, but now about to be released, the sales are still popular, and even entertainment sites predict that the film will be this summer Hollywood film box office champion, there are opportunities like "Aladdin", "Beauty and the beast", "The Lion King" Like the remake, it sold over $1 billion worldwide.
But Menamasud doesn ’ t see it that way, writing on the social networking site: “Our film (Aladdin) is very special, and the audience has seen it again and again, which is the only reason why we have sold over $1 billion at the world ’ s premiere box office despite that. ”
“I guess ‘ Little Mermaid ’ won ’ t break $1 billion at the global box office, but there ’ s no doubt it will be a sequel. ”
"The original 'Little Mermaid' is about three times more popular than the original 'Aladdin', I think it will be reflected in the box office." $211.34 million, the original "Aladdin" alone in North American box office is already $217.35 million, the world broke $500 million)
Some people are quite venomous: "No offense, but I forgot that they filmed the real Aladdin."
Some people directly scolded: "Sir, you are too careful, because this film has not been released, it has already reacted better than" Aladdin ".
A word of repentance is a word of repentance, and a word of repentance is a word of repentance.
And Mena had caused trouble with his big mouth before, he had lamented that everyone thought that "Aladdin" sold so well all over the world, and he was sure to be popular.
There were not many films to find the door, and at that time, it also triggered a sense of polarization in the outside world, and now this storm can only prove: Don't mess with Disney fans.
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Content: Box office: ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ jumps past ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ — which record is next?

It was bound to happen that “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” a film that has exceeded any and all expectations since opening over Easter weekend, would reach $500 million before the release of Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3.” Now, over the weekend, it has jumped past “Star Wars: Episode IV — The Rise of Skywalker” on the all-time domestic list.

The “Star Wars” story was launched by George Lucas in 1977 with the original “Episode IV — A New Hope.” The ninth and (presumably) final chapter of the franchise opened before Christmas in 2019 with $177.4 million and eventually became the 17th highest-grossing movie in North America, making $515.2 million domestically. Some might think “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” may have been hurt by the COVID shutdown of movie theaters in the country, but by that point (March 2020), it was just pulling in money by dribs and drabs.

SEE May 2023 box office preview

Meanwhile, “Super Mario Bros.” hit $500 million faster than other movies that opened in the same general range ($146.4 million, not including Wednesday and Thursday). For instance, Disney’s live action remake of “Beauty and the Beast” (which “Mario” also has passed) opened with $174.8 million in March 2017, but it still took more than two months before it hit $500 million.

Same with Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight,” which opened with $158.4 million in July 2008, but it still needed a couple more weeks than “Super Mario Bros.” to hit $500 million. Of course, other films that opened with more than $200 million in December – “The Rise of Skywalker” opened below that mark – were able to get a bump from the boom normally seen by movie theaters in that week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

So far, Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame” remains the fastest to make $514 million in just eight days – to be fair, it made most of that in its record-setting $357.1 million opening weekend. However, “Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens” is still the highest-grossing movie domestically with a whopping $936.7 million.

SEE 2023 box office hits: Every movie that made more than $100 million

Regardless, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” shows no signs of stopping even as it drops to second place behind “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3” this weekend.

After “The Rise of Skywalker,” the domestic totals for “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” ($533.5 million) and “The Dark Knight” ($535 million) are the next domestic blockbusters for “Mario Bros.” to pass, followed by Jon Favreau‘s 2019 “The Lion King” remake ($543.6 million).

Coming up, there are no family-friendly PG movies until Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” over Memorial Day weekend, so we’ll have to see if “Mario” can get to $600 million domestic. Only 13 movies have ever achieved that benchmark, though 12 of them since 2009. “Super Mario Bros.” is already only Universal’s second movie to enter the top 20 (“Jurassic World” is the other), breaking up the dominance of Disney and its various subsidiaries, and joining “The Dark Knight” from Warner Bros.

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Content: The Cast of 2017’s “Beauty and the Beast” Live-Action Movie

When Disney first announced a remake of its 1991 classic, Beauty and the Beast, there was a bit of skepticism on if it wasn’t best to leave things as they were. Many of the world’s population had their childhood shaped by some of these Disney characters.

Then again, Disney has a reputation for excellence. And so, in faith, we waited and were graced by the remarkable live-action remake. Beauty and the Beast (2017) went on to be the highest-grossing live-action movie of 2017. With a budget of $225 million, it was a box office hit grossing $1.264 billion.

It’s no easy feat to bring one of the world’s most popular fairytale stories to life. To this end, here is the iconic cast for 2017’s Beauty and the Beast live-action movie.

Belle (Emma Watson)

Credit: Beauty and the Beast

Emma Watson is Hollywood’s sweetheart and can practically do no wrong in the eyes of her fans and admirers. Starting her professional acting career as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movie series, there has always been a sense of innocence in her acting style.

No other was perfect to be cast as Belle in a live-action Beauty and the Beast remake. While most of the story and characters stayed the same, Belle’s life before meeting the Beast was slightly tweaked. Besides knowing she loved reading books from the original animated movie, there needed to be a backstory that’ll make sense in a live-action movie.

Like her father, she became an inventor who designed a type of washing machine to afford her enough time to read. Belle goes in search of her father and finds herself in a mysterious castle. She meets the Beast, and both will fall in love and help break the enchantress’s curse.

Beast (Dan Stevens)

Credit: Beauty and the Beast

What’s a Beauty and the Beast storyline without the Beast? With motion capture, Dan Stevens plays the character of Beast. Beast gets transformed when he meets an enchantress who places a curse on him.

She leaves him with a rose flower, telling him to find love and receive love before all the petals fall from the flower. Beast would eventually find love in Belle.

Gaston (Luke Evans)

Credit: Beauty and the Beast

Luke Evans plays the main antagonist, Gaston. Gaston is a handsome, arrogant, and narcissistic skilled hunter who wants to marry Belle. However, the more she refuses to love him, the more he feels the need to have her.

When he discovers Belle has fallen in love with the Beast and not him, he jumps on an opportunity to mobilize the villagers to kill the Beast.

Maurice (Kevin Kline)

Credit: Beauty and the Beast

Kevin Kline plays the character of Maurice, Belle’s father. While going to the market, Maurice gets lost in the forest and flees into the nearest castle to escape attacking wolves. But, unfortunately, he’s kept prisoner by the Beast.

When his horse returns home without him, Belle sets out to find him. She pleads with the Beast to swap places with her father. Maurice is released and tries to mobilize the villagers to help free his daughter Belle.

LeFou (Josh Gad)

Credit: Beauty and the Beast

Josh Gad plays the character of LeFou, Gaston’s closest friend and ego booster. He loves animals, but although illiterate, he’s not one to always agree with Gaston’s decisions.

When Gaston abandons him, he teams up with the servants in Beast’s castle. LeFou realized almost too late how egoistic and unkind Gaston was.

Lumière (Ewan McGregor)

Credit: Beauty and the Beast

The Scottish actor, Ewan McGregor, plays the character of Lumière. Lumière is Beast’s charming maître d’. With the enchantress curse, Lumière gets transformed into a candelabra.

Cadenza (Stanley Tucci)

Credit: Beauty and the Beast

Tucci plays Cadenza, the neurotic maestro and composer in Beast’s castle. The enchantress’s curse turns him into a harpsichord. Cadenza is also the husband of Madame de Garderobe.

Madame de Garderobe (Audra McDonald)

Credit: Beauty and the Beast

What’s a neurotic maestro without his singer? Audra McDonald plays Madame de Garderobe, a world-class opera singer in the Beast’s court. She’s also the wife of Cadenza. She’s transformed into the ever-cheerful wardrobe character.

Plumette (Gugu Mbatha-Raw)

Credit: Beauty and the Beast

Gugu Mbatha-Raw plays and provides the voice-over for Plumette. Plumette is a maid in Beast’s castle and the love interest of Lumière. But, unfortunately, the curse transforms Plumette into a feather duster.

Cogsworth (Ian McKellen)

Credit: Beauty and the Beast

Ian McKellen is known for playing the roles of Magneto in X-Men and Gandalf in the film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. He takes on the character of Cogsworth in this movie.

Cogsworth is the stern-looking butler in Beast’s castle. As the butler, he also doubles as the head of the castle’s staff. The character gets transformed into a mantel clock by the enchantress’s curse.

Mrs. Potts (Emma Thompson)

Credit: Beauty and the Beast

Every castle needs housekeepers and one to control its affairs. Emma Thompson portrays and voices the adorable Mrs. Potts, who gets transformed into a teapot by the curse.

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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 successful was the 2019 live-action version of The Lion King?

Worldwide revenues exceeded one billion dollars

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

How successful was the 2019 live-action version of The Lion King?

Worldwide revenues exceeded one billion dollars

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

How successful was the 2019 live-action version of The Lion King?

Worldwide revenues exceeded one billion dollars

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

How successful was the 2019 live-action version of The Lion King?

Worldwide revenues exceeded one billion dollars

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

How successful was the 2019 live-action version of The Lion King?

Worldwide revenues exceeded one billion dollars

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

The Little Mermaid (2023) exceeded the original’s box office with $550M+ worldwide and broke Disney+ records.

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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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Content: “Wokeness” Is Driving Disney Movies Away From Cinemas

in Disney, Movies

Credit: D23

With disastrous performances and early releases on streaming platforms, is it time for Disney to consider withdrawing its movies from cinemas?

Disney has been under fire for allegedly promoting a “woke agenda,” with many, including national media representatives, accusing the company of “pushing woke garbage in our faces.” The Walt Disney Company’s stance in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion has caused several problems for the company, the most notorious being the legal and political crusade Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is carrying out against the House of Mouse.

But recent results show that Disney is being severely affected by this “woke crusade,” possibly driving the company away from cinemas for good.

Movies and series being released by the studios that belong to The Walt Disney Company, including Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and Walt Disney Studios, have faced severe backlash for promoting “woke” ideologies by including LGBTQIA+ characters in stories and seeking to provide representation for minorities like the Black and Hispanic communities.

And while most audiences have applauded Disney’s efforts, the company continues to struggle with the box office performance of its most recent releases.

Related: Op-Ed: Disney Needs Johnny Depp to Create Another Hit Franchise

From Pixar’s Lightyear (2022) to Disney’s Strange World (2022), Disney has faced severe backlash and criticism, with audiences promoting boycotts of the company’s latest films, which has inevitably harmed the box office performance of several Disney movies.

And the upcoming premiere of Disney’s live-action adaptation, Snow White, is causing strongly polarized opinions, sparking rumors of the movie’s cancellation.

The latest examples of this have been the live-action adaptation of the beloved Disney movie The Little Mermaid (2023), Pixar’s Elemental (2023), and this year’s Haunted Mansion, inspired by the iconic Disneyland ride.

Related: Disney Star Served $1M Lawsuit Following Box Office Bomb

However, the performance of these films has proven to be wildly different after their premiere on Disney+, Disney’s streaming service, with The Little Mermaid shattering records that had previously changed Disney+.

The recent premiere of Pixar’s Elemental on Disney+ has, once again, proven that Disney movies are having a better performance on the streaming service than in cinemas, as Elemental now holds the title of “most viewed premiere on Disney+ of 2023.

According to Disney, the movie has earned 26.4 million views in its first five days of streaming, becoming the most viewed animated movie premiere since Disney and Pixar’s Turning Red was released in March 2022, as well as the most viewed Disney+ movie premiere of all time in Latin America, ahead of Turning Red.

Related: DeSantis “Woke” Wars Blamed for ‘Elemental’s Box Office Performance

And while it is exciting to hear the news, these results could be driving Disney movies away from cinemas, as the company could analyze new ways to distribute its content, achieving higher revenue.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney adopted Disney+ Premier Access, a pay-per-view-type system, to release movies like Mulan (2020), Cruella (2021) starring Emma Stone, Marvel’s Black Widow (2021) with Scarlett Johansson — resulting in a multi-million-dollar lawsuitRaya and the Last Dragon (2021), and Dwayne Johnson’s Jungle Cruise (2021) on Disney+. However, the system was ditched after The Rock’s Jungle Cruise.

Related: Dwayne Johnson Takes Over the Role of ‘Aladdin’s’ Genie

Following rumors of Disney drafting plans to sell parts of the company, it is possible that Disney could analyze new strategies to release upcoming movies or shows directly on its streaming service at an additional charge. However, as of this article’s publishing, this remains purely speculative.

Disney’s summer blockbuster, Haunted Mansion, struggled at the box officepartly due to its proximity to the premiere of the Barbie movie — and is slated to premiere on Disney+ on October 4, 2023. It is yet to be seen if Haunted Mansion will perform better on the streaming platform, further cementing speculation on the company’s need to seek new strategies for its upcoming movies.

Should Disney consider withdrawing its movies from cinemas? How could the company solve its problems in box office performance? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments below!

in Disney, Movies

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

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

Updates often include stronger female roles, diverse casting, and new plot elements.

The Jungle Book (2016) shifted tone, added female characters, and won the Visual Effects Oscar for lifelike animals.

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“Cinderella ” and others: the main remakes of recent years
Warner Bros. plans to make a remake of the movie “The Bodyguard ”.
The 1992 film with and in the lead roles was a success at the box office, and the music for it became the best-selling soundtrack in the history of the film, and this record has not been broken so far.
Details about the new film are still few, it is known that his script is written by the famous playwright Matthew Lopez.
About the most popular movie remakes of recent years, read in the selection of "Rambler".
Photo by RIA NovostiRIA Novosti
Cinderella (2015, directed by Kenneth Branagh)
Video of the day
A remake of a classic Disney cartoon from 1950.
The action takes place in a traditional fairy-tale entourage, but the characters have become more like real people, rather than characters in a children's book.
With the magic and magic of love, the emphasis is shifted to people and the reasons for their decisions.
The film was nominated for an Oscar for the best costumes.
The Jungle Book (2016, directed by John Favreau)
A remake of the 1967 Disney cartoon of the same name.
It is stated as a game with elements of animation, but in fact there are at least living heroes there, mainly realistically drawn, but still fake animals on the screen.
If Disney has all the male characters, then women appeared in the film among them, for example, Kaa voiced a python.
The film has many visual quotes from the cartoon, but some scenes, for example, the battle with Sherkhan, are shown much tougher, critics noted that they can scare not only children, but also adults.
The tone of history has also changed.
Mowgli does not seek people, but wants to help the inhabitants of the jungle, and in the end does not leave, but remains.
The film won an Oscar and the British Academy Award for Visual Effects.
In 2022, the premiere of the second part of the picture is scheduled.
It (2017, directed by Andy Muschetti)
The second book of the same name.
The first, television, was shot in 1990 by Tommy Lee Wallace and won several Emmy Awards.
The new film set a box office record among horror films with an age rating of R. Its only award was the award for the best trailer, but critics took the film very well, it did not receive any sharply negative reviews.
Two years later, the second part of the picture came out, but it went almost unnoticed.
Beauty and the Beast (2017, director)
A remake of the classic Disney cartoon, filmed in 1991.
There are some notable differences in the story.
In particular, the writers explained why the villagers do not know about the monster castle, which is only an hour walk, and the main character Belle made more independent.
The soundtrack, which became one of the factors of the cartoon ’ s success, also underwent changes: it included not only new versions of old songs, but also several new compositions.
The film caused a scandal due to the appearance of LGBT characters in the frame.
Director Bill Condon said that the episode in which two men are dancing waltz, very short, and people who resent him, "inflated out of a fly elephant", but in Russia the picture was assigned an age rating of 16 +.
A Star is Born (2018, directed by Bradley Cooper)
A remake of the 1976 film, the actor's directorial debut.
The main roles were played by Cooper himself and they also performed songs.
The film tells about the relationship of aspiring singer Ellie and drunk famous musician Jackson Maine.
Initially, the picture was going to shoot, and it was planned to invite Bionse to the main female role.
Lady Gaga said in an interview that she has a lot in common with the heroine.
For example, at the dawn of her career, she, like Ellie, was advised by everyone to fix her big nose.
The picture was nominated for seven Oscars, as a result, received one for best song.
The same award was given to the original film with and.

Beauty and the Beast (2017) added new music, expanded Belle's independence, and included LGBT characters.

Mulan (2020) emphasizes representation and grounded heroism.

Pinocchio (2022) stayed true to the original but lacked novelty and storytelling spark.

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Content: 'Pinocchio' movie review: A wooden adaptation

If you thought the recent Marvel content hasn’t quite hit storytelling finesse in the way that the studio did for many years, wait till you see its parent company, Disney’s latest film, Pinocchio.

Published: 18th September 2022 05:00 AM  |   Last Updated: 17th September 2022 01:26 PM   |  A+A-

Express News Service

If you thought the recent Marvel content hasn’t quite hit storytelling finesse in the way that the studio did for many years, wait till you see its parent company, Disney’s latest film, Pinocchio. The studio giant has taken one of its iconic properties and somehow sucked out all charm from it, despite roping in one of the best actors of this century.

The story of Robert Zemeckis’s latest iteration of this classic sticks to the old, familiar story with few changes—and that’s perhaps the biggest disappointment of all. Adaptations offer avenues for reinvention and reimagination, and yet, Zemeckis passes on the opportunity. Sadly, the makers are content with playing things safe in a bid to replicate the charms of the 1940 original animated musical fantasy of the same name.

Problems range from lackadaisical pacing to a lack of novelty. There are plenty of Disney references in this film, but unlike clever nods from former films, Pinocchio opts for the easy way by attributing each wooden cuckoo clock adorning the house of Geppetto (Tom Hanks), to a Disney film theme. So, you see references to Toy Story, Donald Duck, Dumbo, Lion King… you name it.

The film follows in the long list of Disney’s recent tryst with live-action adaptations of previous hit animated films, including Aladdin (2019), The Lion King (2019), Lady and the Tramp (2019) and Mulan (2020). None of them succeeded in working the old Disney magic, and yet, Pinocchio hits new lows by being as soulless and wooden as the toy at the heart of it all.

The only positive, perhaps, is the voice-acting by Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the wisecracking anthropomorphic Jiminy Cricket. As the film’s narrator, Jiminy delivers some funny lines that keep you invested, including calling ‘hell’, “H, E, and double hockey sticks!” Also, the film, despite having a mix of real-life and animated characters, feels impressively realistic, thanks to some admirable VFX work, which comes as no surprise, given that the film is made by the director of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Speaking of Zemeckis, rather curiously, his collaborations with Hanks have either been cult classics like Forrest Gump and Cast Away or middling films like Finch and The Polar Express. Pinocchio, unfortunately, is another addition to the latter.

Fans of this classic may have some hope though, given that Guillermo del Toro’s stop-motion animated Pinocchio is set for release later this year. But as for Disney’s Pinocchio, we must declare it as deadwood or risk our noses growing.

Pinocchio
Director:
Robert Zemeckis
Genre: Animation
Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
Language: English

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The Little Mermaid (2023) prioritized diversity via Halle Bailey and expanded Prince Eric, while keeping Ariel’s personality and core romance.

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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

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

Snow White prioritizes female empowerment and avoids stereotypes with input from the dwarfism community.

Title:

Content: Disney responds to Peter Dinklage’s criticism of the live-action adaptation

THE disney has been recreating several of its classic animations in live action over the years and, currently, one of the projects developed focuses on telling the story of snow White. Although the project does not have many details disclosed, the film has already become the target of criticism from Peter Dinklagethe Tyrion of game of Thrones. Now, it was the company’s turn to respond to the actor’s speech.

Actor Peter Dinklage.

In his comment, the actor noted that he was shocked that the company was proud to cast a Latin actress in the lead role while also looking to retell a “retrograde history”. THE The Hollywood Reporter contacted a representative of the disneywho offered a response to the actor’s comment, noting that the live action is taking care to avoid stereotypes present in the animated version. The statement says:

“To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are handling these seven characters differently and have consulted with members of the dwarfism community. We look forward to sharing more as the film enters production after a long period of development.” the representative said.

The report released by the website further states that the film has been in development for three years, and the dwarf characters are being reimagined from the early stages of development. Furthermore, snow White is not the first live action Disney to have cultural consultants, as this was also the case with Aladdinfor example.

snow White has the direction of Marc Webb (The spectacular Spider Man), having in its list Rachel Zegler (Love sublime love) in the role of the protagonist and Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) as the Evil Queen. The production does not yet have a premiere date.

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About Hrishikesh Bhardwaj

Tv specialist. Falls down a lot. Typical troublemaker. Hipster-friendly advocate. Food fan.

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Title:

Content: Disney Remake Cancels Century-Old Love Story

in Movies

Credit: Disney

From Snow White to Frozen, Disney has been responsible for creating and adapting some of the most enchanting fairytales ever put to screen. While many of their stories are hundreds of years old, the studio’s adaptations are likely the prime example in the mind of the public consciousness.

Reimagining these classic tales has also done wonders for Disney. However, the recent controversy surrounding the upcoming adaptation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has sparked a decidedly volatile reception, especially since the studio has officially abandoned its first and original love story.

No Love for Snow White

Recent coverage of the film’s progress revealed that Disney is officially stepping away from the traditional fairytale elements that make up Snow White’s narrative. Rachel Zegler plays the title role, and her recent quote on the matter has more than a few Disney fans up in arms.

“It’s no longer 1937… She’s not going to be saved by the prince, and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be.”

Related: Gal Gadot’s ‘Snow White’ Sabotaged by Media Frenzy

That means no dwarves, prince, or spell broken by love’s first kiss. Although Disney has several strong leading women in many of its other productions, Snow White really isn’t the appropriate story to take that approach, and fans recognize that.

Some viewers, like the creator seen here, are absolutely outraged that Disney would remove the romance and love story element from their original fairytale. While it’s true we no longer live in 1937, that doesn’t mean there isn’t still a desire or an audience for a traditional romanticized tale about princesses and magical creatures without some sort of shoe-horned message behind it.

Related: Iconic Dwarf Actor Rips Into Woke ‘Snow White,’ Says Story Is “For Dwarfs”

To put it bluntly, Disney should make a fantasy-themed female-empowerment film, but not at the expense of another established work. At this point, “Snow White” is just a namesake, as any charm or enchantment associated with the story has gone entirely out the window.

Has Disney erased the love in Snow White? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!

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How did Disney respond to criticism from Peter Dinklage regarding stereotypes?

Consulted members of the dwarfism community to avoid reinforcing stereotypes

How did Disney respond to criticism from Peter Dinklage regarding stereotypes?

Consulted members of the dwarfism community to avoid reinforcing stereotypes

Executives balance fidelity to characters with changes for modern audiences, prioritizing entertainment and story.

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."
[Advertisement] Please continue reading...
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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According to John Musker, what should Disney prioritize in its remakes?

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

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

According to John Musker, what should Disney prioritize in its remakes?

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

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

Focus groups, test screenings, and analytics refine content based on audience feedback.

Public response is mixed, from enthusiasm to skepticism.

Title:

Content: Disney pushed the "live-action movie" who is the most popular? "Little Mermaid" won the title of the discussion volume broke table
Journalist Yan Lai / Comprehensive Report
The live-action version of "Little Mermaid" was released in Taiwan, and Disney officially announced the live-action casting of "Snow White" and "Star Baby" recently, which once again sparked a lot of discussion on social platforms.
Although in the past, live-action movie dramas will be different from the original animation, and the positive and negative reviews of fans are not the same, but most of the movies can still pay a brilliant box office, and the people are curious and even expectant about their childhood memories being moved to the screen and real-life, and the charm is unstoppable.
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Social Lab tracks the online voice performance of the topic of "Disney live-action movies" in the past three months through the OpView Community Word of mouth database, and leads readers to understand the Disney live-action movie ranking that netizens are passionate about.
The film is the most popular film in the world. It is the most popular film in the world. It is the most popular film in the world. It is the most popular film in the world. It is the most popular film in the world. It is also the most popular film in the world. But more can reflect that love can cross race, gender, region ", more people praised the English version of the film" The underwater special effects are beautiful, I almost think I want to drown in the movie theater, very shocking ", and the play's villain role Ursula is also loved by many fans, superb acting skills are impressive.
"Tiger Lily is very good", "The most handsome Little Flying Man ever", "Captain Hook by Jude Law", "Hook's character curve is complete, the plot is strong", think that apart from the difference between the animation and the live-action version, the actor's high value is very high. However, many viewers felt that the whole show was a bit of a pity, stating that "the big adaptation is very interesting, but it feels that the story is a little bit less, more will be better", "this is the original witty, entertaining part of the whole cut down", feeling that the new version of the Little Flying Scotsman is slightly darker than the previous version of Robin Williams.
"Aladdin" is the most complete version of the film series, saying that "the casting is very good, and Will Smith, the woman is also super beautiful", "really good looking, the male and female protagonists have sparks, elves have a sense of joy", not only the actor is suitable, the plot adaptation is also quite successful, praise "Aladdin is one of the few let me want to go to brush The film is a two-part, three-part series of films that people would like to see.
In addition, Emma Watson played the heroine Belle's "Beauty and the Beast", the show's beauty fascinated a large number of netizens, have praised "beauty and the Beast is a real beauty", "the role of the image are perfect restore", "Beauty and the Beast and is my favorite live-action version, the protagonist is beautiful and good fit", is considered to be Disney's live-action film.
And Disney launched the villain series of the film "Fashion Bad Girl: Kuyla", because the clothing design in the film has attracted a lot of attention, netizens said that "adding fashion film elements has succeeded in making it have an attractive theme", "For clothes and hair, so I am super satisfied!"
That half black and half white hair color, I can't move the whole line of sight, and then there are a lot of super wonderful costumes, I feel very happy ", is one of the eye-catching movies, after the release also attracted a lot of fashion magazines report analysis.
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Title:

Content: Pinocchio (2022) review: more like Pinocchi-oh no

Pinocchio (2022) fails to live up to its animated predecessor in almost every way. Still at least Luke Evans is having fun, which is something...

Pinocchio (2022), like many of the live-action Disney movies, is a difficult movie to review. You have to balance the nostalgia you feel toward the original animated movie with the understanding that these new films aren’t really made for me. They’re made for a new generation, to get them hooked on Disney movies the same way we were growing up.

Still, I can honestly say that if the House of Mouse is trying to encourage younger people and kids to get into their family movies, they’d be better off showing them the original ’40s Pinocchio because the remake is dreadful, and I don’t use that word lightly. Everything about this film is a downgrade from the original.

The story’s basically the same, a carpenter named Gepetto (Tom Hanks) builds a wooden boy and wishes his marionette son would come to life. The Blue Fairy (Cynthia Erivo) half grants his wish and brings the puppet named Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) to life but does not make him a “real boy”.

Instead, Pinocchio must prove himself worthy of becoming flesh and blood by being good and the fairy tasks Jimminy Cricket (Joseph Gordon Levitt) with serving as Pinocchio’s conscience. If you’re reading this, you know the rest of the story – Pinocchio gets caught up in a big adventure that culminates in him being eaten by a whale.

Right, let’s get to the big reason this film does not work. The VFX are atrocious. We’re talking Ally McBeal Dancing Baby levels of bad at times. While watching the film, I did not believe that Gepetto and Pinocchio were in the same room or touching, which is surprising considering this film was directed by Robert Zemeckis.

Zemeckis was the mastermind behind the comedy movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which made me believe Bob Hoskins and a cartoon rabbit were in the same room back in the ’80s. Unfortunately, Pinocchio has a touch of the Polar Express about it, with the characters’ eye lines failing to match up and dead-eyed CGI monsters staring off into space.

I’m sorry to say it as well, but Pinocchio is creepy. He’s a living puppet, essentially a family-friendly Chucky. The original kid’s movie managed to dodge the Uncanny Valley by being animated. Here the sheer unnaturalness of Pinocchio is laid bare by putting him next to live-action actors. Had they made Pinocchio an animatronic, they may have gotten away with it, but the fact he’s a VFX character only heightens his general weirdness.

Still, the cast is pretty stacked, so you’d imagine they’d do a good job, right? Well, they don’t do a bad job, but despite Disney expanding this adaptation, the story’s still pretty threadbare. As such, neither Hanks nor Levitt gets all that much to do, and they fail to leave any real impression. Erivo, however, is probably the worst treated of the main cast, with the Blue Fairy’s role cut down quite a lot leaving her with just one scene in the whole film.

As for the songs? Well, I’m sorry to raise the spectre of the original once again, but they’re not a patch on the ’40s Pinocchio’s tunes. The best Disney song in the film is probably ‘I’ve Got No Strings’, but it’s not even as good as the version Ulton sang in the MCU movie Age of Ultron.

If I had to say anything good about this, I liked Luke Evans as the nefarious Coachman and the Pleasure Island. While they took out the alcohol and smoking (unsurprisingly), the sequence maintains the sinister spirit of the original, and the donkey transformation is no less horrifying than the original.

Were I to be charitable, I might suggest if you’ve never seen the original, you might get something out of Pinocchio (2022), but for me, this is another live-action dud from the House of Mouse.

Pinocchio (2022) review

Pinocchio (2022) fails to live up to its magical predecessor.

2

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

Some positive reactions praising both changes and additions

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

Some positive reactions praising both changes and additions

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

Some positive reactions praising both changes and additions

Some films earn praise for faithful recreation; others face criticism for “political correctness” or clinging to the originals.

Title:

Content: Scriptwriter David Callaham helped Marvel create an Asian superhero
In the four days since the start of distribution, the film “Shan-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings ” grossed $90 million in the United States and Canada.
Marc Piasecki / Getty Images
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings set a record for Labor Day box office (this year on September 6) in the United States and Canada.
In the four days since Friday, September 3, it raised $90 million, although it was expected that the fees will be at the level of $45 – 50 million, writes the online edition Seeking Alpha.
The surge in box office receipts was a long-awaited news for investors: the shares of cinemas went into growth.
On September 7, AMC prices soared by 8.7%, Cineplex - by 5.1%, IMAX - by 3.3%, Cinemark - by 3.9%.
In Russia, the premiere took place on September 2, for two weeks the fees exceeded $3.3 million.
Shan-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is Marvel ’ s first Asian superhero film.
It was directed by Destin Cretton, whose mother is Japanese American, and the script was written by Dave Callaham, who has both parents of Chinese descent.
Shan-Chi appeared in print Marvel comics back in the 1970s and was the son of villain Fu Manchu.
In those years, the West swept the fashion of kung fu, and the first Shan-Chi was similar to Bruce Lee to a degree of confusion.
In the story of paper comics, Shan-Chi first helped to malign his father, then came to his senses and began to fight against him.
In those years, China was the enemy of the United States as a communist power.
Then he became a trade competitor.
And now it has turned into a large and important film market with its own specifics.
For example, as soon as the actor of “Fast and Furious 9 ” John Cena mentioned and called Taiwan a“ country ”, a storm of indignation arose in China and the fees of the film fell sharply.
Marvel doesn ’ t seem to forget that.
Paper comics of the 1970s were the quintessence of American stereotypes about Asians.
“I don ’ t believe it was done maliciously, ” Callagham told The Nerds of Color,“ It ’ s just that there was a very different era of comics created by two white men about Asian people.
It does not reflect the reality in which we now live <... > And it is necessary to give them credit, Marvel understood it.
So they invited us [with Cratton] to do what we want. ”
They not only added typical Asian features like the fact that, unlike paper comics, the characters finally began to undress before entering the house.
They made the flat book villain more multifaceted in the film.
“This is a broken man who has done a lot in his very long life and desperately wants to believe that he can bring everything back, it ’ s very human, ” Callaham told The Hollywood Reporter. – But we still needed him to look like the head of a giant terrorist organization that <... > torments people in their dungeons and all that.
Finding that balance was not easy. ”
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
Monkey friends
Callaham was born on October 24, 1977 in Fresno, California, to Chinese Americans.
As a child, he pretended that he was no different from the white-faced kids in the neighborhood.
“I thought it wasn ’ t cool to be [Chinese], ” he told The Nerds of Color.
David didn ’ t go to study English at the University of Michigan because he liked literature.
Everything else attracted him even less.
“By the end of my training [in 1999], my best friend and I still didn ’ t know what we wanted to do, ” he admitted (here and then quotes from the website of the Hollywood consulting agency Fresh Voices).
They caught the eye of an article in Penthouse, how cool the writers live in Hollywood: “It had pictures of absolute nerds in the Jacuzzi in the penthouse. ”
So, as soon as they got their diplomas, the friends went to conquer Los Angeles.
They even co-wrote a script called Los Angeles Zoo.
Something similar to “Friends ”, and the highlight was that the two main characters were played by … monkeys, who were mistaken for ordinary people.
The authors did not hide that they borrowed the idea from the old series Lancelot Link: Secret Chimp, which aired on ABC in 1970-1971: about a spy monkey and his human partner.
Callaham and a friend quickly realized that selling such a script would not be easy.
They moved on to more mundane topics.
For example, they wrote scripts for two episodes of “Friends ”.
Then a comedy in the style of the then popular film “American Pie ”.
Alas, they received refusal after refusal from the studios.
To earn money, both got a job in a company producing dog food.
Then the friend got engaged, finally broke up with the dream of becoming a screenwriter and went to the bride in Michigan.
And Callaham continued to write alone and got a job as an assistant in a law firm: they paid more.
Callahama ’ s girlfriend turned out to be an acquaintance who worked for the CAA (Creative Artists Agency).
She gave him an interview.
He decided to try to work in the CAA, as they also selected actors and writers for Hollywood.
“I was told it would be a terrible job, I would be mistreated and paid less for it than [at the law firm], ” Callham recalled.
For about a year, Callham replaced various assistants who fell ill and were unable to go to work.
Then he settled in with producer Craig Goering's crew.
He was promised that he would gather the contacts of many famous people in the industry and get access to a large number of materials, from scripts to specifications.
And it turned out to be true.
At one time, Callaham ’ s workplace was near the office of CAA President Richard Lovett.
When everyone was leaving for lunch, Callagham copied documents from his desk and read them at night.
Among others, there were secret ones: scripts that the studios secretly sent to Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise for consideration, correspondence with the authors about changes in the text and plot, and much more.
“I stole scripts from the tables and read them – and that ’ s how I learned to write, ” Callagham once told The Hollywood Reporter.
“I realized that most writers are guys who can be pretty good or not very good, but the main thing is that they are motivated and work hard, ” he summed up in an interview with Fresh Voices. – I saw the profession of a writer from the point of view of the buyer. <... > And importantly, I found that in most cases, the script is read first, like me, the assistant.
If you can't conquer it, the producer will never see your script.
So my goal is always to write a good first act <... > So that on the fifth page you will be interested in reading everything else. "
Tribute to the Apocalypse
He managed to work for Goering for eight months when he realized that he was tired of the CAA.
His next job was the production company Deep River Productions.
At the same time he continued writing.
First, he created a drama from the life of college students “My Generation ”.
He was, in his own words, pretentious.
Then a drama about the afterlife called "Koda".
She turned out to be absolutely terrible.
Then he wrote a comedy.
And it was liked by the people Callaham gave it to read.
The point is that the guy invents teleportation to get into the apartment of his beloved, living on the other side of the country.
They never saw each other: their romance began by correspondence and phone.
But the teleport was wrong.
Callahan's hero is stuck inside the wall.
Even though the girl was now not hundreds of miles, but a few centimeters, he still could not see and touch her.
By that time, Callaham himself had been dating his girlfriend for six years.
But she had to move to another city – why the idea of the script came up.
And then she dumped him.
And Callaham, abandoning the comedy, sat down to write a gloomy thriller to spill out his feelings.
He came up with the story of the detective whose wife died.
Immersed in his grief, he becomes more and more distant from his sons, and the only joy is work.
He relentlessly catches a killer maniac decorating a crime scene in accordance with the prophecy of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse.
“I would come home from work, drink, and then start writing.
“I had candles all over the room, I turned off all the lights, I listened to music and hung pictures of crying people and photos of corpses from movies. ”
It cost him a couple of times.
He brought home a new girl, she glanced at the photos and flew out of the apartment with a bullet.
In 2002, Callahum completed a script called Horsemen and sent it to everyone he had gathered while working for the CAA.
“Until now, people in the film industry tell me that they remember reading The Horsemen, ” he laughs.
As a result, talent manager Gaimon Cassidy became interested in the work.
He had just sold 20th Century Fox David Benioff ’ s psychological thriller Stay (2005) and was looking for a new author.
However, he honestly warned: to sell such a complex and gloomy scenario will not be easy.
And I got Callahan to rewrite.
Callaham doesn't like to rewrite.
One of his colleagues gives the script to lie down, and then, having a fresh look, refines it.
Callahan works differently.
Having put the last point, immediately hands over the script and, if it were his will, would leave it in its original form. But alas.
Almost every time he receives comments and corrections from the studio.
“If you throw a tantrum, you will earn a reputation as a difficult person.
And as soon as you get that reputation, there will be a million other aspiring writers in your place, ” he says. – The biggest problem, I think, is sometimes overcoming your pride.
Understand that this is not just my scenario, but someone ’ s investment.
So I have to do what they want.
I don ’ t always do that well. ”
The "Horsemen" script was eventually liked by Platinum Dunes.
It was founded just a year ago, in 2001, and just launched its first film – a remake of “Texas Chainsaw Massacre ” (the first“ Massacre ” was released in 1974).
But the studio wanted to produce original content, and the creation of Callahama seemed appropriate to them.
However, they released "Horsemen" only in 2009.
$20 million was spent on shooting, and the film collected 8 times less.
And Platinum Dunes for a long time earned mainly on the remakes of “Friday, 13 ”,“ Nightmare on Elm Street ”, “Ninja Turtles ”.
Horsemen / Platinum Dunes
How to defeat Stallone
In the same year 2009, another film based on the script of Callaham was released – “Tell-Tale ” (Tell-Tale) produced by the film company Social Capital Films.
It is based on the story of the same name by Edgar Poe.
The main character transplanted the heart of a murdered person, and he begins to see pictures from his past life.
That includes finding out the killer.
The film was produced by Tony and Ridley Scott, and directed by Michael Cuesta, who directed the series "Dexter" (began to appear in 2006) and tried to make a similar film.
It turned out so bad.
If “The Horsemen ” and“ The Convictor Heart ” took many years for the manuscript to reach the screen, then the film Doom all about everything took only two years.
Callaham was called to a meeting with people from the leadership of Warner Bros, not really explaining why.
He was asked if he had played Doom.
He was playing.
The next question was, what movie would he make based on it?
Callaham recalled the secrets of selling scripts learned during his time at the CAA, quickly formulated a few ideas – and was hired.
However, the film did not meet the expectations of a huge audience of fans of the computer game and collected less than $60 million spent on it.
Perhaps because there is nothing left of the game in the film – even the BFG weapon has little to do with the gun from the game except the name.
The contract for the script for Doom provided that Callaham would write another script for Warner Bros.
He did not wait until he was given a task, and he wrote a story about the dictator of a small island (“Barrow ”, Barrow), who is overthrown by American mercenaries – he was inspired to read an article in the newspaper about the Blackwater PMC in Iraq.
Management did not like the idea, and the script lay on the shelf.
A few years later, Sylvester Stallone wanted to shoot an action movie in the style of the good old 70s and began to look for material for him.
Someone at Warner Bros sent him a script for Callahan.
Stallone was fascinated by the idea, but he did not take the script, but wrote his own based on it, which he called "The Expendables" (The Expendables, 2010).
It didn't turn out very nice.
In 2009, the production of the film was in full swing when Callaham learned that his name would not be in the credits of the film and that he would not receive a cent for the fact that his script served as a starting point for Stallone.
I had to look for justice in the Writers Guild (WGA).
They listened to the arguments of the parties and decided that Callaham should be considered a co-author of the film and receive $102,250 (the film itself collected $274.5 million at the world box office).
Moreover, since Callaham was listed as one of the authors of the first film, he is entitled to pay for all subsequent films in the series and mentions with the wording "the film is based on characters created by Callaham".
Stallone was invited to star in the first “Expendables ” by Jean-Claude Van Damme.
He refused, which he later regretted.
So in the second “Expendables ” he was taken, but for the role of a bad hero, and at the end of the film Stallone personally killed him.
But Callaham again showed the viewer the good Van Damme.
In 2016-2017, the Amazon streaming service released the series “Jean-Claude Van Johnson ” (Jean-Claude Van Johnson) about the fact that the hero of the militants is actually a special agent named Johnson, who used his film career as a cover.
He returns from retirement to work.
Return failed: after the first season, the series was closed.
Chainsaw President
While working on the script for “Mound ” –“ Expendables ” Callaham read biographies of mercenaries, their memories of armed conflicts and other materials of this kind.
And for the next script, he read the official 600-page guide on disaster response and watched many nature documentaries.
After all, his next hero, he considered just a giant animal: it ’ s a remake of “Godzilla ” (Godzilla, 2014).
The monster there is more of a positive hero: he saves humanity from other monsters that are preparing to multiply in terrible numbers.
However, with a budget of $160 million, the film collected more than 3 times more.
Callaham managed to work on the remake of “Welcome to Zombieland 2 ” (Zombieland: Double Tap, 2019) together with the screenwriters of the original film, Rett Reese and Wernick Wernick.
And then, according to The Hollywood Reporter, accidentally made a name for himself in the superhero industry.
In fact, he agreed with director Patty Jenkins to work on the criminal comedy “Jackpot ” – a remake of the 2011 film, the script for which was written by Yu Nesbø.
But Jenkins went to another project - Wonder Woman 1984 (2020), and Callaham stayed to work on "Jackpot" with Will Gluck.
Jenkins and Jeff Jones wrote a draft of the script for several months, received approval from Warner Bros - and immediately after that, they dragged Callaham into their team to bring the plot to mind.
Alas, despite all their efforts, Gal Gadot as a superheroine turned out to be much less attractive than Godzilla.
With a budget of $200 million, the film grossed $166.5 million.
But the jackpot didn ’ t come out.
Callaham had previously worked with Marvel on several films.
For example, “The Wolfman ” (2010).
But it was rather a short consultation, and he was never offered to create something from scratch.
But Callaham managed to get acquainted with almost all the leaders of Marvel.
So when they needed an Asian writer for Shan-Chi, they knew who to call.
“My dream has come true! ” Callaham shared his joy with The Hollywood Reporter.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
This year has been very fruitful for Callahan.
In addition to Shan-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, two of his films were released.
Mortal Kombat (2021) is another film adaptation of the famous computer game.
Opinions of critics and viewers sharply divided, wrote the site Rotten Tomatoes.
The audience he scored quite a high rating – 87%.
Critics of the creation categorically did not like, and in the media were not uncommon such headlines as “The Last Disappointment from Hollywood ”.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the critical rating barely reached 55%.
However, as noted on the site, it still made it the fourth in the list of the best video game adaptations in the history of cinema.
The third novelty that year was the full-length cartoon “America: The Motion Picture ” (America: The Motion Picture, 2021).
Cullaham began working on it 10 years ago, deciding to tell how the United States gained independence in the fight against the British Empire.
That sounds dull.
But, as Callagham said in an interview with Inverse, “The [real] story isn ’ t as exciting as George Washington with two chainsaws. ”
In the cartoon, the American president really fights with two chainsaws.
And there is a centaur robocop, helicopters on pedal traction, football balls - cannibals.
The following of historical facts can be judged by such an example.
If you believe the cartoon, then Abraham Lincoln was killed, and in the theater.
He was killed by Benedict Arnold, who was actually a werewolf.
This is the first animated film made by Netflix that has an R rating (for persons under 17 years of age, the presence of an adult is mandatory).
“America: The Movie ” is proof that I can be funny.
I hoped that he would help me become an action comedy writer.
That ’ s what happened, ” Callaham explained on the pages of Inverse his plans for the future. – Now most comedies are comedic action movies.
In Marvel movies, for example, there is a lot of comical.
But for me, writing a comedy is somehow more fun than a story in which people die all the time. ”
In the films he is working on, there will be fights and humor.
The first project is a remake of the Spider-Man story.
This time a full-length animated film.
He doesn't even have a name yet.
Callagham writes with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
“Sometimes one of us works.
Sometimes two.
Sometimes all three depend on who can, ” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
The second project is the complete opposite of the first.
This is a remake of the 1997 animated film.
Hercules with real actors.
It ’ s hard to say anything about him, Disney approaches such remakes differently.
For example, the movie Lion King (2019) created on the computer repeats the original cartoon quite accurately.
But “Mulan ” (Mulan, 2020) with real actors is a fairly free interpretation of the source.

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The Little Mermaid earned an A CinemaScore and a mid-tier Rotten Tomatoes score, indicating divided but substantial approval.

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‘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.”

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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.