Disney's live-action remakes of classic animated films have been a prominent feature of the company's production pipeline in recent years, with films like Cinderella, The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King being reimagined for modern audiences.

The company's decision to produce live-action remakes is driven in part by nostalgia, as these films play into the nostalgia of older audiences who grew up with the original animated classics.

Disney also commits to turning its animated catalog into live-action movies, with big-budget adaptations influencing future remakes.

The use of advanced technology is another key factor in Disney's live-action remakes, allowing the company to bring stories to life in new and innovative ways.

Directors are given the freedom to bring their unique visions to live-action remakes, resulting in films that can be both faithful to the original and innovative in their approach.

Disney incorporates modern themes and diversity into its live-action remakes, making the stories more relevant to contemporary audiences.

The company also uses cultural consultants and incorporates cultural exchange and open-mindedness into its films, aiming to promote gender equity and social awareness.

The live-action remakes have had a mixed reaction from the public, with some films receiving poor word-of-mouth and ratings, while others have been more successful.

Disney's approach to live-action remakes has been criticized by some, including director John Musk, who believes that the company prioritizes "political correctness" over storytelling and entertainment.

Despite these criticisms, Disney's live-action remakes continue to be a major part of the company's strategy, with the goal of balancing authenticity and relevance in its adaptations of classic animated films.

The company's use of director vision, incorporation of modern themes and diversity, and commitment to cultural sensitivity are all key techniques and strategies used to achieve this balance.

By updating stories and characters, incorporating diversity and inclusivity, and promoting gender equity and social awareness, Disney aims to make its live-action remakes relevant to contemporary audiences while still maintaining the authenticity of the original stories.

The success of these remakes will depend on the company's ability to balance these competing demands and create films that are both faithful to the original and innovative in their approach.

Disney's live-action remakes have sparked conversations about nostalgia, representation, and the role of classic stories in contemporary society.

The company's approach to storytelling has evolved over the years, and the live-action remakes reflect a desire to adapt classic stories to modern audiences and sensibilities.

Despite the criticism, Disney's live-action remakes continue to be popular and successful, with many of them grossing hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office.

The company's motivation for producing live-action remakes is complex and multifaceted, driven by a combination of financial, creative, and cultural factors.

Ultimately, the live-action remakes reflect Disney's ongoing efforts to balance nostalgia and innovation, tradition and progress, in its storytelling and filmmaking.

The live-action remakes often feature big-budget productions and A-list stars and directors.

Disney's live-action remakes have been criticized for lacking originality and for making changes to the original stories and characters.

The company has been accused of prioritizing representation and diversity over faithfulness to the original material.

The live-action remakes have generated backlash for various reasons, including changes to the story, characters, and casting.

The Little Mermaid live-action remake, for example, features a diverse cast, including Halle Bailey as Ariel, and has been praised for its representation and inclusivity.

However, the remake has also been criticized for changing the story's core and for its handling of certain characters.

The public reaction to the live-action remakes has been mixed, with some fans appreciating the updates and changes, while others have expressed disappointment and frustration.

Disney's live-action remakes have been successful in updating beloved stories for modern audiences, while also introducing classic characters and themes to a new generation of fans.

The company's understanding of their brand and characters' appeal has allowed them to create successful live-action remakes that blend traditional storytelling with contemporary themes and characters.

The evolution of characters and storylines in Disney live-action remakes reflects a shift towards more diverse and inclusive representation, with a focus on empowering female characters and promoting positive values.

Overall, Disney's live-action remakes have been a commercial success, with the company continuing to produce new adaptations of their classic animated films, using cutting-edge technologies and production techniques to bring the stories to life.

The live-action remakes have undergone significant changes to the original stories and characters, with some adaptations incorporating new characters, plotlines, and themes to appeal to contemporary audiences.

The changes made to the original stories and characters have been driven by a desire to make the remakes more diverse, inclusive, and relevant to modern society.

The public reaction to the adaptations has been varied, with some fans praising the updates and others criticizing the changes made to the original tales.

Disney's live-action remakes have been a key part of the company's strategy, with the goal of creating films that are both faithful to the original and innovative in their approach.

The company's use of nostalgia, representation, and diversity has been a key factor in the success of their live-action remakes.

The live-action remakes have sparked conversations about the role of classic stories in contemporary society, and the company's approach to storytelling has evolved over the years.

Disney's live-action remakes continue to be popular and successful, with many of them grossing hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office.

The company's motivation for producing live-action remakes is complex and multifaceted, driven by a combination of financial, creative, and cultural factors.

Ultimately, the live-action remakes reflect Disney's ongoing efforts to balance nostalgia and innovation, tradition and progress, in its storytelling and filmmaking.

Disney's live-action remakes of classic animated films have been a prominent feature of the company's production pipeline in recent years, with films like Cinderella, The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King being reimagined for modern audiences.

Title:

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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.

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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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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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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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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.

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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

The company's decision to produce live-action remakes is driven in part by nostalgia, as these films play into the nostalgia of older audiences who grew up with the original animated classics.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

Disney also commits to turning its animated catalog into live-action movies, with big-budget adaptations influencing future remakes.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

The use of advanced technology is another key factor in Disney's live-action remakes, allowing the company to bring stories to life in new and innovative ways.

Directors are given the freedom to bring their unique visions to live-action remakes, resulting in films that can be both faithful to the original and innovative in their approach.

Disney incorporates modern themes and diversity into its live-action remakes, making the stories more relevant to contemporary audiences.

How does Peter Pan and Wendy enhance inclusivity?

The company also uses cultural consultants and incorporates cultural exchange and open-mindedness into its films, aiming to promote gender equity and social awareness.

Title:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She’s a good kid.

Photo courtesy of DISNEY

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

Photo courtesy of DISNEY

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

The live-action remakes have had a mixed reaction from the public, with some films receiving poor word-of-mouth and ratings, while others have been more successful.

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

Worldwide revenues exceeded one billion dollars

Disney's approach to live-action remakes has been criticized by some, including director John Musk, who believes that the company prioritizes "political correctness" over storytelling and entertainment.

Despite these criticisms, Disney's live-action remakes continue to be a major part of the company's strategy, with the goal of balancing authenticity and relevance in its adaptations of classic animated films.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

The company's use of director vision, incorporation of modern themes and diversity, and commitment to cultural sensitivity are all key techniques and strategies used to achieve this balance.

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Content: Skip to main content

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By updating stories and characters, incorporating diversity and inclusivity, and promoting gender equity and social awareness, Disney aims to make its live-action remakes relevant to contemporary audiences while still maintaining the authenticity of the original stories.

The success of these remakes will depend on the company's ability to balance these competing demands and create films that are both faithful to the original and innovative in their approach.

Disney's live-action remakes have sparked conversations about nostalgia, representation, and the role of classic stories in contemporary society.

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Content: Actually, Black Mermaid Folklore Has Been Around Long Before Disney’s The Little Mermaid

The moment I feel even remotely vulnerable —be that the fragile morning after an inhibition-free night, the familiar shiver of cold and flu symptoms or the helpless pit of despair that engulfs me when my mental health begins to plummet —you’ll find me curled up on the settee, under a protective layer of blankets, shamelessly watching movies filled with childhood nostalgia. Movies like Disney’s The Little Mermaid (1989) have sat firmly in this arsenal of self-care classics ever since I can remember, enveloping me in a carefree hug at a moment's notice.
But movies that transported me to a place of innocence and ignited my imagination without having to strain to envision myself within these fantasy worlds, however, are in short supply. As a dual heritage Black kid growing up in the 90s, opportunities to feel represented in my escapism were limited. Slightly too old to be impacted by Disney’s Princess and the Frog, I found meaning, and myself, in classics such as Roger and Hammerstein's Cinderella (starring Brandy, Whitney Houston and Whoopi  Goldberg) and Motown’s The Wiz (an adaption of the Wizard of Oz starring Diana Ross and Micheal Jackson). It’s for these reasons that I am unashamedly excited for Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, in which Ariel is played by Halle Bailey.
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There’s no shortage of discourse on representation politics, the ongoing need for fairer representation in the media we consume and the ways the lack of it impacts people of colour of all ages. This importance can be felt most viscerally via a quick TikTok search of The Little Mermaid where endless streams of reaction videos showcase the unadulterated joy of Black children when seeing the latest trailer.
Move over to Twitter, however, and you’ll likely be bombarded by bigotry and bias. The hashtag #NotMyAriel is trending amongst outrage and disgust at a Black actor being cast to play a fictional character. To quote writer and academic Saidiya Hartman, “So much of the work of oppression is policing the imagination”, and whilst simultaneously comical, embarrassing and triggering to witness, this backlash served as a reminder that no matter how frivolous our sources of joy may be, whiteness will attempt to steal every ounce of it.

The fantasy of merpeople lived in the cosmologies of our Black and indigenous ancestors long before Hans Christian Anderson coined his fable in the 19th century

In decolonizing our imagination —  by challenging the Eurocentric erasure of Black and Indigenous wisdoms, creativities and experiences —we’re able to recognise that whilst the remake of The Little Mermaid is important to many (myself included), we can also find ourselves represented in our own cultural storytelling, folktales and mythologies. We don’t need to rely on the white gaze of Western capitalism to feel seen and heard. In letting go of that gaze, we are reminded that the fantasy of merpeople lived in the cosmologies of our Black and indigenous ancestors long before Hans Christian Anderson coined his fable in the 19th century, and certainly before Disney offered our generation a capitalist mascot in their 1989 animated adaptation.
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“All children, irrespective of race, creed, religion, deserve to see themselves reflected in books and films. We owe it to their self-esteem, to their creativity, to their imaginations. The imagination of a child is boundless, and it is the imaginations of this current generation of children that will ultimately provide solutions to some of the most pressing crises faced by the world today,” writer and doctoral candidate at the University of Cambridge, Mary Ononokpono tells Unbothered.
A final year doctoral candidate, Mary’s ongoing research into the lives of coastal Biafran women during the Atlantic Age and Age of Abolition has sparked an informal interest in the ways that pre-colonial African communities were informed by a belief in and fear of water spirits. Known colloquially as ‘Orishas’ or ‘Ndem’ these deities were thought to have been sent by a supreme or higher god to populate, protect and service the earth, and continue to be worshipped today.
“Racial injustice is ultimately rooted in historical illiteracy. If people don’t understand how we got to this point as a society, injustice will persist. In that respect, the decolonization of the cosmologies, mythologies and folklore of Black Atlantic societies has a really important part to play” she continues.
Some pre-colonial water spirits include Yemaya — a goddess of the ocean, who, legend has it, created the seven seas. Believed to be a fierce protector of women, this water spirit is still worshipped across the world,such as by those of Santería faith in Cuba who were transported across waters during the transatlantic slave trade. It is said that to connect with Yemaya, holding a shell to our ears will carry her messages in the sound of waves.
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Another pre-colonial deity is Oshun, the goddess of divinity, femininity, fertility, beauty and love. Considered to be one of the most powerful orishas, she’s both heralded as the nurturer of humanity and feared as a benevolent being, whose earthly punishments come in the forms of floods and droughts. In Nigeria, annual celebrations continue to take place along its Oshun river, where pilgrims pay homage, make sacrifices, and ask the deity to grant wealth, health and happiness. Often depicted in yellow robes, Oshun is rumoured to be the ethereal muse behind Beyonce’s numerous works, referenced in both the lyrics and symbolisms of her visual album Lemonade and her ode to the African diaspora, Black is King
Photo by YAMIL LAGE/AFP/Getty Images.
A follower of the Orisha sea goddess Yemaya, of the Yoruba religion, gives offerings at Havana's harbour during the Yemaya Day celebrations in Cuba
Elsewhere in Brazil, the Tupi people celebrate Iara, commonly referred to as “the Lady of the Lake”. A great warrior who was betrayed by her brothers, Iara is a water spirit with a princess-like origin story — minus the damsel in distress trope. Often likened to other South American tales of sea witches and goddesses, over time Iara manifests in recent imaginations as a merging of the two, feared and revered for her power to lure men to the bottom of the ocean.
Perhaps one of the more infamously depicted deities however is Mami Wata.  Also known as  Watramama or ‘Mother of the Water’, this water spirit is part human, part fish, and is often depicted as interchangeable genders. Considered to hold the important role of blessing the souls who died at sea, Mami Wata has held cultural and religious significance to the African diaspora for centuries. Mami Wata is celebrated in festivals such as the Epe-Ekpe festival in Togo for example, and is commemorated across multiple artforms; from exhibitions in the Smithsonian and Knockout Centre to featuring as the protagonist in Natasha Bowen’s young adult fiction, Skin of the Sea.
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Another work of fiction which draws sources from Indigenous histories is Monique Roffey’s The Mermaid of Black Conch, a book I have read and reread numerous times. Here, Aycayia, a mermaid of Taíno legend, who has the lower torso of a fish and a human upper torso adorned in tribal tattoos, is reimagined. Drawing inspiration from the Taíno population who inhabited Hispaniola (now the Republic of Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and were made extinct after being ‘discovered’ by Christopher Columbus in the 15th Century, Aycayia’s tale is one of colonialism, displacement, belonging, love and violence.
Photo by Education Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images.
Entrance to the Shrine of Oshun, the water dwelling fertility goddess of the Yoruba religion in southwestern Nigeria
It’s through the honest and respectful retellings and reinterpretations of pre-colonial imaginations that diasporas of colour of all ages can truly see ourselves represented. As an avid wild swimmer who has always felt an affinity and attraction to merpeople despite being relatively disinterested in fantasy and sci-fi genres, I feel more at home in these nature-adoring narratives that offer an insight into my heritage than I ever have in any Disney movie.

Chantay is a London-based tattoo artist who specialises in Black depictions of ethereal deities. Her merpeople, fairies, cupids and nymphs sit amongst rockpools, toadstools and flowerbeds, sporting voluminous afros, cascading dreadlocks and woven cornrows.

It's for these reasons that I’d always craved a mermaid tattoo, but after one wildly uncomfortable experience involving a white tattooist and a failed attempt at depicting afro hair, I’ve been cautious of finding an artist who could dream up a mermaid that actually looks like me. So, when I stumbled across Chantay Blue’s Instagram I was overjoyed! Chantay is a London-based tattoo artist who specialises in Black depictions of ethereal deities. Her merpeople, fairies, cupids and nymphs sit amongst rockpools, toadstools and flowerbeds, sporting voluminous afros, cascading dreadlocks and woven cornrows. Earlier this year, I had the honour of getting one of Chantay’s merpeople inked on my forearm. There she sits, glistening as bubbles rise around her, her billowing curls trailing to the part of her waist where scales meet skin.
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Catching up over Zoom, Chantay and I discuss her approach to tattooing — itself a form of expression rooted in Indigenous practices that predates colonialism — and its revolutionary potential to reclaim a sense of identity and belonging.  “When you get artwork tattooed on your skin you want something beautiful, something that reflects what beauty is to you, but most of the time we’re only offered images of white faces and features,” she says.
“All this does is reinforce the same beauty stereotypes that were forced on us in stories about merpeople and fairies when we were growing up. It doesn’t sit right with me, that you go for a beautiful tattoo and a white artist inks another white person on your arm or leg,”  she continues, “I want people to be able to see their own beauty in my tattoos — it helps me feel beautiful when I’m drawing these stunning creatures that look like me too. I think it speaks to my inner child who was always into mermaids, but never saw myself in them.”

Through a decolonizing lens we can reclaim our voices, stories, perspectives and imaginations and enjoy a blockbuster movie for what it is...

Whether through feature-length movies, fictional novels, tattoos, exhibitions, music or oral histories, when we are able to access ourselves in our own cultural storytelling, we’re reminded that we never needed the approval of whiteness to do so. With the racist rantings of grown adults on social media reframed as inconsequential white noise, we can also relinquish ourselves from the politics of representation, and no longer rely on white-dominated industries to dictate when and how our valid need to feel seen is met. Much like the ways that Ursula steals the voice of Ariel in the classic story, the commercialised capitalist legacies of colonialism silence the narratives of our ancestors. Through a decolonizing lens, we can reclaim our voices, stories, perspectives and imaginations and enjoy a blockbuster movie for what it is, without feeling uncomfortably reliant on it to speak to our sense of self. So, whilst you’ll most certainly find me tucked up on the sofa, my cat secured in the little spoon position, embracing the 2023 remake with childlike wonderment, I can’t help but wonder: wouldn’t it have been nice if we could’ve seen the tales of our own water spirits — Aycayia’s, Mama Wata’s or Oshun’s perhaps — depicted on the big screen too?
This article was originally published to Unbothered UK

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How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

The company's approach to storytelling has evolved over the years, and the live-action remakes reflect a desire to adapt classic stories to modern audiences and sensibilities.

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

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

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

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

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

'Technology and the artistry are merging'

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

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

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

Building foundations

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

Despite the criticism, Disney's live-action remakes continue to be popular and successful, with many of them grossing hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office.

Title:

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

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

BNN Correspondents
New Update

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

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Reimagining Inclusion in Fantasy

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

Standing Firm Against Racism

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

Attending to Details for Authentic Representation

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

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

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How 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 company's motivation for producing live-action remakes is complex and multifaceted, driven by a combination of financial, creative, and cultural factors.

Ultimately, the live-action remakes reflect Disney's ongoing efforts to balance nostalgia and innovation, tradition and progress, in its storytelling and filmmaking.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

The live-action remakes often feature big-budget productions and A-list stars and directors.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

Disney's live-action remakes have been criticized for lacking originality and for making changes to the original stories and characters.

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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.

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

Adding redundant and uninteresting elements

What does Disney's reliance on sequels and spin-offs instead of new IP suggest about its creativity?

A stalling of the company's creative engine.

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

The company has been accused of prioritizing representation and diversity over faithfulness to the original material.

Title:

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

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

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

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

The live-action remakes have generated backlash for various reasons, including changes to the story, characters, and casting.

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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

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

The Little Mermaid live-action remake, for example, features a diverse cast, including Halle Bailey as Ariel, and has been praised for its representation and inclusivity.

However, the remake has also been criticized for changing the story's core and for its handling of certain characters.

The public reaction to the live-action remakes has been mixed, with some fans appreciating the updates and changes, while others have expressed disappointment and frustration.

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

Some positive reactions praising both changes and additions

Disney's live-action remakes have been successful in updating beloved stories for modern audiences, while also introducing classic characters and themes to a new generation of fans.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

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 company's understanding of their brand and characters' appeal has allowed them to create successful live-action remakes that blend traditional storytelling with contemporary themes and characters.

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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

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

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

Worldwide revenues exceeded one billion dollars

The evolution of characters and storylines in Disney live-action remakes reflects a shift towards more diverse and inclusive representation, with a focus on empowering female characters and promoting positive values.

Title:

Content: There’s a lot going down in the world of Disney princesses right now, I’ll have you know.

The sheer excitement over it all makes it clear we’re no longer entertaining that simpering, old-fashioned stereotype anymore: The one that says Disney princesses are just for kids.

From Amy Adams’ delightful return as Giselle in Disenchanted to Anne Hathaway’s potential third outing as Mia Thermopolis, aka Princess of Genovia, in a now-confirmed Princess Diaries 3, fans have been aquiver over the developments in recent days.

This supports the argument that dismissing these characters as ‘only for little girls’ is something that needs to be firmly left in the rear-view mirror.

When the first Disney princess came along in 1937, a massive 85 years ago, yes, Snow White did sing/wish/wait for her prince, while making it a point of pride to cook and clean the house for the seven bachelors’ whose pad she had just crashed.

The world-leading animation studio then leant heavily into princesses more in the intervening years, offering Cinderella and Aurora from Sleeping Beauty in the 1950s, before delivering a whole new glut of leading ladies from 1989 at the beginning of the so-called Disney Renaissance, when they produced a big string of hits.

These movies brought us Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Belle in Beauty and the Beast and Jasmine in Aladdin, who were then hastily added to make the original Disney princess line-up of six. Their profiles subsequently went stratospheric thanks to the magic of the mouse’s merchandising machine. Dolls, dresses, pencil cases, backpacks, stickers, lunchboxes – you name it, they were on it.

An entire generation of people were raised on this stuff (hi), and over time, many aged out of it and moved on. It’s always been easy to dismiss Disney princesses as reductive, especially when Disney themselves went so hard-core on the accompanying pink and sparkles; it was Disney themselves that ruthlessly zeroed in on young girls in particular with their marketing.

However, now we live in a society less constricted by rigid gender rules and far more supportive of independence, representation and leadership as ideals, the Disney princess has slowly been evolving to keep up with the times via Disney’s first Black princess Tiana, as well as Pocahontas, Mulan, Rapunzel, Merida and Moana all being added to the ‘official’ princess line-up.

Not all Disney films with female leads revolve around relationship with men now, either (see: Elsa in Frozen, Brave, Encanto, Turning Red and new family-focused, LGBTQ-led release Strange World).

This leads us to Adams and Hathaway’s involvement in the latest excitement around Disney princesses, encouraging a celebration of their past work.

When Adams debuted as Giselle in Enchanted back in 2007, her pitch-perfect performance as a glorious pastiche of a Disney princess was met with rave reviews and Oscars-buzz (that sadly failed to materialise). It was the first time Disney had knowingly acknowledged the more ridiculous aspects of the princess trope they had created – likely helped along by Princess Fiona turning the whole thing on its head first in Shrek, back in 2001. They then subsequently began to freshen things up.

Now Adams is back in Disenchanted, 15 years later, and has lost none of her magic in the meantime. What has happened in the interim though is the 48-year-old is now a six-time Academy Award nominee. Only one of those nominations had been bestowed prior to Enchanted’s release, but today she’s one of Hollywood’s most celebrated and admired stars.

Her dramatic chops prove that Disney princesses aren’t just for children.

Enchanted is accepted as quality filmmaking by everyone who has bothered to see it – why else would the long-gestating sequel finally see its release now, and with the full roster of its original stars – and, despite mixed reviews for Disenchanted, I don’t see why we can’t pick up that Academy Awards conversation again we were having back then for Adams. How poetic if she finally picked up that iconic statuette for playing a Disney princess?

Hathaway must also be brought in here. Although she is not yet confirmed for a return as Mia, Disney has finally confirmed they have a threequel to The Princess Diaries in the works, which is reported to be a continuation of the story they covered in the first two films rather than any kind of reboot. Also – most promisingly for the fans – the actress has on multiple occasions over the years signalled her desire to return to the role.

She may now be an Academy Award-winner herself after Les Misérables, but to a whole subsection of her fans (and probably the largest) she will always be known as gawky American high-schooler-turned-princess Mia Thermopolis, an extremely relatable character to the film’s tween and teenage audience compared to the old-school Disney princess type – and Hathaway is just fine with that.

With these powerhouse actresses back in the Disney princess conversation, let’s step away from the cliched dismissal of them as only for kids and out of touch with the times. As Disney knows all too well, there will be a generation of fully-grown adults delighted for these films (hi again).

On that note, we’ve also got the reinvention of two of the company’s original six princesses coming up (the last two remaining) with The Little Mermaid and Snow White. Disney did some gently increasing refreshing in recent years with Cinderella, Aurora (although really it was more about Maleficent), Belle and Jasmine in their live-action remakes, but there’s a lot more to be said about these two forthcoming titles.

The casting of Black singer and actress Halle Bailey and Latinx West Side Story star Rachel Zegler speaks volumes over what the studio has planned for the new takes on these classic princesses, with representation front and centre, as well as reports of updates to storylines to keep in step with modern times.

It’s no longer all about the pink and sparkly cookie-cutter princess – Disney doesn’t make them like it did decades years ago. As the company moves with the times, so should we, and re-embrace the Disney princess for everything they are today.

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Overall, Disney's live-action remakes have been a commercial success, with the company continuing to produce new adaptations of their classic animated films, using cutting-edge technologies and production techniques to bring the stories to life.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

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 live-action remakes have undergone significant changes to the original stories and characters, with some adaptations incorporating new characters, plotlines, and themes to appeal to contemporary audiences.

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

Adding redundant and uninteresting elements

The changes made to the original stories and characters have been driven by a desire to make the remakes more diverse, inclusive, and relevant to modern society.

How does Peter Pan and Wendy enhance inclusivity?

Down syndrome child included
Tiger Lily avoids stereotype
The Lost Boys are portrayed as diverse

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

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

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

The public reaction to the adaptations has been varied, with some fans praising the updates and others criticizing the changes made to the original tales.

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

Some positive reactions praising both changes and additions

Disney's live-action remakes have been a key part of the company's strategy, with the goal of creating films that are both faithful to the original and innovative in their approach.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

The company's use of nostalgia, representation, and diversity has been a key factor in the success of their live-action remakes.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

The live-action remakes have sparked conversations about the role of classic stories in contemporary society, and the company's approach to storytelling has evolved over the years.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

Disney's live-action remakes continue to be popular and successful, with many of them grossing hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

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 company's motivation for producing live-action remakes is complex and multifaceted, driven by a combination of financial, creative, and cultural factors.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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