Disney's live-action remakes, such as Aladdin and The Lion King, have grossed over $1 billion worldwide.

The remakes' success can be attributed to nostalgia, allowing people to share classic stories with the next generation.

Disney produces live-action remakes of animated films due to their financial success and audience demand.

The live-action remakes, like The Little Mermaid, promote diversity and inclusion in storytelling.

Disney's casting choices reflect its commitment to diversity, despite racist backlash.

The production team behind the live-action remakes balances authenticity and relevance by consulting diverse communities and incorporating modern themes.

The company's live-action remakes use nostalgia by recreating classic characters and stories with modern updates.

The Little Mermaid live-action remake updated Eric's character and allowed Ariel and Eric more time to get to know each other.

The remake aimed to resonate with a new generation while staying true to Ariel's original personality.

Disney's live-action remakes have sparked controversy over casting decisions and accusations of hypocrisy.

The company has consulted with diverse communities to avoid stereotypes from the original films.

The public reaction to the adaptations has been mixed, with some fans praising the updates and others criticizing the deviations from the originals.

The success or failure of live-action remakes depends on production quality, faithfulness to the original, and adaptation to contemporary realities.

CGI and special effects in live-action remakes have enhanced the visual and storytelling experience, enabling the creation of impossible fantasy universes.

Nostalgia significantly drives Disney's live-action remakes, aiming to appeal to both old and new audiences.

Disney's live-action remakes are driven by nostalgia, commercial considerations, and a desire to adapt beloved stories to contemporary realities.

Disney's live-action remakes, such as Aladdin and The Lion King, have grossed over $1 billion worldwide.

Title:

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

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

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

No idea where it's at

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

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

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

Other films

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

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

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

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 remakes' success can be attributed to nostalgia, allowing people to share classic stories with the next generation.

Title:

Content: The Little Mermaid has made a splash at the box office. For Memorial Day weekend, the live-action versions of The Little Mermaid brought in $118 million over the holiday weekend. $96 million of that total came in the three-day frame.

Visit streaming.thesource.com for more information

According to Vareity, the film will be the fifth highest Memorial Day opening in history.

“It’s a classic,” said Tony Chambers, Disney’s head of distribution. “You ask a lot of women or men of my age and it’s ‘Little Mermaid’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast’ that rank as their favorite animated movie. It’s a story that takes them back to their respective childhoods and this movie is the perfect opportunity for a lot of people to pass that love on to the next generation.”

Advertisement

Following The Little Mermaid was Fast X at $28.7 million and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 at $25.3 million.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

Disney produces live-action remakes of animated films due to their financial success and audience demand.

Title:

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

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, like The Little Mermaid, promote diversity and inclusion in storytelling.

Title:

Content: Advertisment

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.

Advertisment

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

Advertisment

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.

Advertisment
Advertisment

Disney's casting choices reflect its commitment to diversity, despite racist backlash.

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

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

The production team behind the live-action remakes balances authenticity and relevance by consulting diverse communities and incorporating modern themes.

Title:

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

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

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Staff / Getty Images

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

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

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

[via]

The company's live-action remakes use nostalgia by recreating classic characters and stories with modern updates.

Title:

Content: Filed under:

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

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

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

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

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

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

The character who really needed a change was Eric.

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

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

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

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

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

The Little Mermaid swims into theaters on May 26.

News

Disney to remove Willow, Y: The Last Man, and original movies from Disney Plus and Hulu to save cash

Movies

How The Good Dinosaur’s director found his perfect Elemental cast

A Century of Disney

50 years after release, Disney’s Robin Hood is still a life-changing furry phenomenon

View all stories in Disney

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for Patch Notes

A weekly roundup of the best things from Polygon

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

The Little Mermaid live-action remake updated Eric's character and allowed Ariel and Eric more time to get to know each other.

The remake aimed to resonate with a new generation while staying true to Ariel's original personality.

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

Disney's live-action remakes have sparked controversy over casting decisions and accusations of hypocrisy.

Title:

Content: Peter Dinklage is calling out Disney's remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Late last year, the House of Mouse revealed that Rachel Zegler would play the eponymous princess in an upcoming live-action remake, making her the first Latina to be cast in such a role. However, Disney's decision to remake the 1937 animated film in the first place is now being condemned by Dinklage, especially given the film's branding as a "progressive" remake thanks to Zegler's casting.

On Monday, the Game of Thrones star, who has a form of dwafism called achondroplasia, appeared on Marc Maron's WTF podcast to take Disney to task for even bothering with the story.

“I was a little taken aback when they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White, but you’re still telling the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Dinklage said, adding that while it's "all love and respect" to Zegler, he didn't appreciate the hypocrisy he believed was being demonstrated by Disney.

"Take a step back and look at what you're doing there. It makes no sense to me," Dinklage said. "You're progressive in one way and you're still making that fucking backwards story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together. What the fuck are you doing man?"

He went on to lament, "Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soapbox? I guess I'm not loud enough."

Not only that, but Dinklage also said that he would've been okay with a remake if the studio had put a "progressive spin on it," which Disney itself has now responded to in a new statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

“To avoid reinforcing stereotypes from the original animated film, we are taking a different approach with these seven characters," a spokesperson said, before mentioning that the studio's been "consulting with members of the dwarfism community" and that it's been cognizant of this since the beginning of production.

"We look forward to sharing more as the film heads into production after a lengthy development period,” the rep continued. Dinklage, however, has yet to respond to Disney's statement.

Photo via Getty / Steven Ferdman

You May Also Like

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

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

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

The company has consulted with diverse communities to avoid stereotypes from the original films.

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

Consulted members of the dwarfism community to avoid reinforcing stereotypes

How does Peter Pan and Wendy enhance inclusivity?

The public reaction to the adaptations has been mixed, with some fans praising the updates and others criticizing the deviations from the originals.

Title:

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.

Article continues after ad

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.

Article continues after ad

“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.”

Article continues after ad

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

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

Some positive reactions praising both changes and additions

The success or failure of live-action remakes depends on production quality, faithfulness to the original, and adaptation to contemporary realities.

Title:

Content: Culture > Entertainment

Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-Action Series Review

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Toronto MU chapter.

The fan favourite Avatar: The Last Airbender has returned to the small screen almost 20 years after its original premiere, reimagining the animated series as a live-action version to die-hard fans and introducing itself to a whole new generation.

The eight-part series has received loads of appreciation and criticism, both bound to come with a re-envisioning of a beloved franchise. So what has this adaptation done to gain the hatred of fans and the love of a new generation?

The series has gotten applause on social media for the culturally accurate cast, an extreme improvement from the 2010 film adaptation’s — The Last Airbender — white-washed casting. The new series, based on various Asian and Indigenous cultures, has successfully cast a diverse set of actors to represent the cultures, art, and traditions portrayed in the show.

They showcased that Asian and Indigenous cultures are not simply an aesthetic. It puts underrepresented and marginalized voices at the forefront of the entertainment with many newcomers and industry veterans joining together for the beloved cartoon.

The live-action has cast the principal characters according to the ages in the original series, keeping the cast young to allow them to grow with their characters in future seasons. Some cast highlights include Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, known for his role in Kim’s Convenience as Uncle Iroh, perfectly encapsulating the character’s wise, witty soul. Arden Cho, as June, grasps the dark aura of the cunning bounty hunter. Lastly, the star of the principal cast for this season was Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko, capturing his fiery, snappy attitude, perfectly channelling Zuko’s anger and sorrow. The rest of the cast is quite promising, with the hope that they can improve as the show continues, as it has already been renewed for seasons two and three.

So, why are critics and fans not fully pleased with this adaptation? Let’s get into where the live-action has failed to keep up with the original.

Chemistry is missing within the main cast, causing the show to lack the loving nature and humour of the original. One of the cartoon’s central themes is the meaning of friendship shown between the core characters, even during difficult times of genocide and war. This theme allows for the audience to feel more connected with the characters as it humanizes them, allows for comedic relief, and provides a refreshing break from the more serious aspects of the show.

This isn’t truly at fault with the acting itself, but the show’s structure, as it spends a majority of the time trying to keep up the original, with most of it spent on world-building. Trying to explain each character, various plot lines, and bouncing between the past and present, leaves the audience feeling overwhelmed at times with the amount of stuff happening within one episode.

The main protagonists of Aang, Katara, and Sokka don’t spend nearly as much time together on screen as the original, with many plots and storylines being split between the three characters to fit as much as possible within the hour-long episodes. The interactions between these characters lack flow and feel restricted at times, while the cartoon allows for filler episodes to show individual and group adventures.

These episodes helped expand on the character arcs and showed each character’s personal growth. Personally, the highlight of this adaptation for me was the on-screen relationship between Uncle Iroh and Prince Zuko. The chemistry and amount of screen time allowed for them together truly mirrored their relationship in the animated original. From the bickering to the advice, care, and love they have for each other, it could be felt from the screen.

Overall, whenever recreating a classic animated show, specifically in a whole new medium, it’s impossible to please everyone. From die-hard fans to new viewers who haven’t seen the original, everyone will have something to say.

Personally, I believe the show stayed true to the original, honouring key plotlines and bringing as much of the Avatar world to real life as possible. Considering the amount of first-time actors, the series did lack emotion from time to time. But I’m optimistic for the future.

From interviews with the cast, their love of the original show, and their chemistry with each other, it looks promising. Hopefully, the show can further channel each character’s true traits and help bring this classic the proper justice it deserves.

Shobi Siva

Toronto MU '25

Shobi is a third-year Economics student at Toronto Metropolitan University, minoring in English. With a passion for writing, hoping to connect young woman in post-secondary education through open, and candid conversations. All while keeping things light hearted, reassuring, and being unafraid to laugh at yourself.

CGI and special effects in live-action remakes have enhanced the visual and storytelling experience, enabling the creation of impossible fantasy universes.

Title:

Content: Visual effects.
The magic tool that made our favorite movies
Visual effects offer filmmakers the ability to create breathtaking fantasy universes that are impossible to capture in the real world.
In Hollywood, visual effects are an important part of filmmaking, and sometimes it may not matter how well a text is written, if its visual effects are not convincing enough, the audience will not believe it.
If you ’ re a fan of cinema, you ’ ve probably seen a lot of films that have particularly dazzled you visually, such as Star Wars or Avatar, which rely mainly on visual effects and make the fantasy real on screen.
Visual effects offer filmmakers the ability to create breathtaking fantasy universes that are impossible to capture in the real world, but these visual effects are not limited to high-budget fantasy or epic films, as directors use visual effects in their most realistic films in order to tell their stories more effectively.
What are visual effects?
Visual effects can be defined as the creation or processing of any on-screen images that are not physically present in real life.
Visual effects allow filmmakers to create environments, objects, creatures, and even people that may be impractical or impossible to capture in a live shot.
Visual effects in film often involve combining live shooting footage with computer-generated images (CGI).
However, a distinction must be made between two different terms that are easily confused: visual effects and special effects.
Unlike visual effects, special effects are made in real time during shooting; examples include fireworks and fake rain, while all visual effects are added after shooting in post-production.
History of Visual Effects
In 1857, some 40 years before the invention of cinema, Oscar Rieglander created the world's first visual effects by merging different sections of 32 negative copies of a photograph into one, creating the first composite print.
In film, the first visual effects were made in 1895 by Alfred Clarke in Mary, Queen of Scots, during the filming of the beheading scene, Clarke ordered the actress to sit at the level of the slaughter table in Mary's costume and when the executioner raised the axe over her head, Clarke stopped the camera, and all the actors froze. Her place, filming resumed, and the executioner cut off the doll's head.
This was not only the first use of visual effects in cinema, but also the first type of photography tricks possible only in motion pictures, this cinematic trick is referred to as "stop motion".
One of the pioneers of the film industry, Georges Meles, accidentally discovered the same trick: stopping the camera, then changing a detail in the cadre, completing filming to create illusion, and continuing the process of developing or inventing techniques such as multiple exposure to film copies, time-lapse photography, and his most famous film, Le Voyage dans la lune, adapted from a novel by Jules Verne with the same name. From live photography and animation.
Types of Visual Effects
There are many aspects to the process of designing and implementing visual effects, but they can be divided into three main types: CGI, computer-generated imagery, composition, and motion capture.
Each of these genres is done either after the main shoot or later in a dedicated studio, where visual effects artists use tools that help blending this line between "real" and "unreal."
Photographs by computer
CGI, or computer-generated images, is the term used to describe digitally generated visual effects in movies and series.
These computer graphics can be two-dimensional or three-dimensional, but CGI is generally referred to when talking about three-dimensional visual effects.
The most common process in which CGI is used is three-dimensional modeling, i.e. creating a three-dimensional representation of any object, surface, or organism.
CGI ’ s potential is most apparent when artists use it to create something that doesn ’ t exist, such as a dragon or a monster.
Visual effects specialists can also use it to fill a football field with a crowd of fans or make the actor look younger, such as Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's The Irishman.
Installation
Also called the Chroma Key, visual effects artists combine separate visual elements to make them appear as if they were in the same place.
This technique requires shooting on a green or blue screen that technicians later replace with another element using post-production installation software.
This type of visual effect is older than the use of CGI, having its origins in classic films when footage was combined with wallpapers that looked like landscapes, the most famous example being The Wizard of Oz.
Motion capture
Often abbreviated as "Mocap", motion capture is the process of digital recording of an actor's movements, then transferring those movements to a computer-generated 3D model, which involves recording the actor's facial expressions, also called "performance capture".
One common motion capture method involves placing an actor in a suit covered with special markings that the camera can track, and the data captured by the cameras is then placed on a 3D skeleton model using motion capture software.
One of the most famous films that used this triple technique is "Lord of the Ring" in presenting the character of Gollum, the man who turned into a monster after being obsessed with the magic ring and its superpower.
Visual effects are that magic key that makes movies like dreams, so we move from the future to the past, for it stops until the time that shapes the features of the actors, and the wonders appear from monsters unknown to man to his most brutal nightmares, only the filmmakers have to release their imagination, and adapt their tools to create their ideal cinematic world.
Source: The Island

Nostalgia significantly drives Disney's live-action remakes, aiming to appeal to both old and new audiences.

Title:

Content: How Disney Brought Back Robin Williams' Genie for 2023's Once Upon a Studio (Exclusive)

By Russ Milheim Posted:

Two key producers from Disney Animation revealed how they brought the late Robin Williams’ Genie back for the company’s newest short, Once Upon a Studio.

In 2023, Disney is celebrating its 100th anniversary. To do that, the studio is dipping into its extensive history to create a new short that pulls from over 85 of the company’s previous feature-length films and shorts.

This new project is called Once Upon a Studio, and it will see 543 Disney Animation characters come to life in a whole new way. Not only that, but it will even feature crossovers that fans have only ever dreamed of.

Have you ever wanted to see Moana and Flounder share a moment together, or Tinker Bell with Mickey Mouse?

Many things became possible when Disney set its eyes on making this impressive new short a reality, which also served as the opportunity to bring together scores of classic characters.

Bringing Back the Genie

Brad Simonsen and Yvett Merino, the producers for Disney Animation’s newest short, Once Upon a Studio, spoke exclusively to The Direct about the new project and revealed how they worked to bring Robin Williams’ Genie back for a brief moment.

Robin Williams debuted as the voice of the legendary Genie in 1992's Aladdin but refused to return for 1994's Aladdin 2 due to a merchandising-related fallout. The disagreement was later settled and the comedy icon returned as the Genie for the 1996 direct-to-video threequel, Aladdin and the King of Thieves.

Simonsen shared that “[they] knew from the beginning” that Williams’ iconic Genie needed to partake in the fun, so the team “reached out almost immediately to [the late actor’s] estate:”

“... We knew from the beginning that the Genie needed to be in this movie, right? So we reached out almost immediately to [Robin William's] estate. And we started sharing with them what we were up to. And then what we did is we actually looked at outtakes. Dan Abraham, our director, looked at outtakes from the recorded sessions and then chose those lines.”

He continued, noting that they quickly “went back to the family” to “[make] sure that [they] were on the journey together:”

“And then we went back to the family and the estate and shared, 'Hey, this is the specificity. [Disney animator] Eric Goldberg is going to be part of this.' So it was really a collaboration with them. And us making sure that we were on the journey together.”

As for the short itself, Merino added how the “first cut was about 12 minutes long” and figuring the final version out quickly became “a balancing act:”

“I think [the] first cut [with Directors Dan Abraham and Trent Correy] was about 12 minutes long. It was like, we can't make a 12-minute short in this amount of time. So we had to really make sure, be careful, that every interaction that we have was timed specifically to that interaction. It became as like, 'Oh, we're spending a little bit more time on this, and it takes away from this.' So, it became like a balancing act of doing that.”

But with such an ambitious short, Merino confirmed that Once Upon a Studio unsurprisingly posed “a lot of unique challenges,” namely in marrying multiple styles of animation while also taking place in a live-action setting:

“There were a lot of unique challenges in this one. I think bringing in the various styles of hand-drawn and CG into our studio and making it feel like they actually are walking in our studio and walking the halls and making them blend seamlessly.”

The producer continued, pointing out the shot with “Moana and Flounder,” an interaction that was “difficult to make them look like they’re living in the same world:”

“There's the shot… the Moana shot because that's in the trailer; like the Moana and Flounder shot, right. And when you're interacting, you're not only having them in the same scene, which is difficult to make them look like they're living in the same world, but they're actually interacting, holding, and touching. And so it's really a credit to the incredible talent of artists and technicians and production people that we have here in the studio to make sure it all works together.”

Simonsen jumped in to explain how they worked closely with production designer Ryan Long, the directors, and animator Eric Goldberg “to make sure that everything was working:”

“I was just gonna say, Ryan Lang, our production designer, we worked really, you know, closely, Dan and Trent worked really closely with him and Eric Goldberg to really do these tests. So we'd take, like, a single frame, and he'd paint over, and we'd really work with the artists to make sure that everything was working together. So each shot had kind of that love.”

One key element of many Disney animated projects is the musical elements. While there is a moment towards the end of the short, fans shouldn’t expect these many characters to be consistently singing tunes as they glide through the halls of the Roy E. Disney Animation Building.

But were more songs ever considered? Simonsen shared that maintaining the balance between all these character moments and musical numbers “would be very hard to do:”

“What we realized was with every second you're with a character, you're taking away time from another character when you're trying to get as many in as possible. So it would be very hard to do musical numbers and still keep that pace that we have.”

Merino expressed how Once Upon a Studio “was a fun one to screen [internally]” because many of the notes would center around adding new characters or moments into the story:

“This one… was a fun one to screen [internally] because the notes were more about like, 'Oh, well, remember this character? Oh, try to get this character.' And there were some good story notes about making sure that we keep a drive alive within the short. It was really fun because we have so many great directors and writers in our studio who have such a history here. They were like, 'Oh, you can put this character in there. Oh, what about this?' So it was a lot of fun. Yeah.”

Brad Simonsen added how they “did a survey to the entire studio” that encouraged people to pitch their ideas to the team:

“Yeah... And we even did a survey actually, after the original pitch, we did a survey to the entire studio and said, 'Hey, if you have ideas, please, please pitch them.' And one of those ideas that came out of that was the moment near the end of the short as they're all gathering. Where Oswald actually tips his hat to Mickey, and Mickey says, 'After you.' That was literally--someone suggested that as one of our team members, yeah.”

The conversation then pivoted to two of Disney Animation’s biggest franchises and their future.

The first topic at hand was Encanto, a film that quickly became a fan favorite after it debuted in 2021. The Direct asked the producers what audiences should expect from the franchise going forward, to which Yvett Merino confirmed that the team is “[continuing] to kind of look at different ways that [they] can keep the world alive:”

“I think we will continue to work on what that actually means. But we are so blown away by the reaction and how 'Encanto' kind of connected with so many people. We continue to kind of look at different ways that we can keep the world alive. I know they teased a little bit of Destination D23 about something 'Encanto' coming, possibly to one of the parks. And we love that…”

The producer continued, admitting she “[doesn’t] have anything official to say” but she’s excited to see the franchise “expand across the company:”

“… There's different—we're working closely with our friends in publishing and consumer products to make sure—there's always different ideas and needs and wants for, for it to stay alive out there. But I don't have anything official to say, but I love the 'Encanto' world and can't wait to see it expand across the company.”

The Direct then asked about the studio's upcoming animated sequel Zootopia 2 to see if the producers could share any fun teases.

Brad Simonsen was able to say he “know[s] that this next one’s going to take it to another level” compared to the original:

“We're all super excited about it. And it's a world that, you know, I was part of the first movie, and it was one of the most amazing experiences in my life, to be honest. And I know that this next one's going to take it to another level and be, as you know, as good or better than the first. So we're super excited about that project.”

More Disney Crossovers to Come?

Once Upon a Studio is definitely different than Disney Animation’s usual shorts, but fans are undoubtedly going to fall in love with it. Seeing all of these classic characters interact in previously inconceivable ways scratches an itch many never realized they had.

Maybe if the short really catches on, Disney Animation could commission a larger project that would allow Disney’s large library of characters to interact in similarly unique ways. Hopefully, fans won’t have to wait another hundred years before some more crossovers like this happen again.

The next step in celebrating Disney’s 100th anniversary will be the release of Wish, the company’s next animated movie, which will be released on November 22. The film follows Asha, a young girl who wishes for a star, only to get a much more direct and magical response than she ever would have thought.

Once Upon a Studio will make its Disney+ debut on Monday, October 16.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

Disney's live-action remakes are driven by nostalgia, commercial considerations, and a desire to adapt beloved stories to contemporary realities.

Title:

Content: Alert
Operation Blue Bird continues … 30,000 people surround the Legislative Yuan in the evening to protest against the delay of the Beijie Red Line and the Blue Line for 15 minutes.
“If you can ’ t afford it, don ’ t give birth to me ” … A middle school student laments that his parents will not be able to pay their tuition fees after remarriage.
Mobile signal analysis crowd provoking... Wang Yichuan shouted "Christmas City also did" blue committee exposed the New Taipei City government 's statement
Can't you watch it from your own family?
"Little Mermaid" director points to Disney's problems
Disney has been the first brand of American animation, bringing many beautiful memories to children around the world, including the early years of "Snow White", "101 loyal dogs", as well as described as the "Renaissance" period of "Beauty and the Beast", "Aladdin" and so on.
However, the recent Disney animation or live-action film, there is a big problem: each time in the casting and plot direction of the controversy, many people complain that too much "political correctness", or to put some ideas into the story arrangement, character layout and other basic details are put aside, turned into an alternative "educational film".
With such a big change, audiences can ’ t fail to feel that last year ’ s five most expensive movies, Disney Group accounted for four, even celebrating the centenary of their own animation as “Star Wish ”, both at the box office and in word of mouth have lost.
Recently, the director of "Little Mermaid", "Aladdin", "Hercules", "Treasure Island", "Ocean Strange" and other famous Disney animation director John Musk admitted at the seminar on animation and special effects, video games: "I think they should carry out a part of the course correction, put the concept of the secondary, the entertainment of the film, the story and whether the characters attract people should be more important." "
In John Musk ’ s eyes, the traditional Disney classic is not a concept that you want to put in, but rather an audience into the story and the characters and the world in the film, which he believes should still be the core of the current Disney film, “You don ’ t have to completely put aside the idea of putting in, but before that you have to create characters that the audience can empathize with and feel eye-catching. ”
"He said.
John ’ s past Disney animations also included “The Princess and the Frog, ” the first black princess to be the main character. Even so, he said the film was not built to promote an“ awakening culture, ” although he could understand the criticism.
As for the past few years, Disney has become more and more frequent remakes of old animations into live-action versions, he believes that the film companies are always looking at how to reduce the risk, and when they see that the audience likes something, they are thinking, is there a way to change the appearance and sell it to them again, or even do it better than the last time?
Just a few Disney classic animation remakes, audience word-of-mouth or film ratings are not as good as the original animation, based on their own history, John Musk did not take last year caused a lot of controversy of the live-action version of "Little Mermaid" to open: "They do not ink on the story of the father and daughter, that is the core of the whole movie, and that crab, you can see the real animal in the zoo, They all have a much richer expression than the ones in the movies, and so does the Lion King."
Extended reading
Who is the most handsome and beautiful Romeo and Juliet? Leonardo almost matched Natalie
"You made Johnson the Boulder look like Beckham," the wax image, the skin color, the deliberate whitening... he cited the little mermaid infarction controversy.
Rachel Zengler in "Snow White" was accused of not being white enough "Little Mermaid" to support her: the perfect princess
Related News
2 Responses to “Thank You, Brother. ”
A fire broke out in a community building on the 28th floor of Hsinchu City ’ s “Sky Tree ” on the 26th, resulting in the deaths of two firemen, Li Yongzhen and Zhou Lixin. Today (28th) Hsinchu City Fire Department...
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", and what has been described as "the Renaissance".
May Tian Xin said! Donate billions of dollars to Taiwan Kaohsiung, Hualien, Yilan
In May, Ahsin ’ s words, “We Chinese, come to Beijing to eat roast duck, ” set off a rift between netizens on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and was later poached to donate 9 million yuan (about 40.5 million NT dollars).
Huang Hao Ping shares the first step in fraud prevention
Fraud news layer is endless, accidentally fell into the trap of bad people, "Social Now What" invited artist Huang Hao Ping as a guest host, the first video was invited to the Bureau of Criminal Affairs Prevention Division...
"China has no market" by acid, can not earn RMB Yang Xiuhui counterattack
Recently, many artists have taken the initiative to express their support for mainland reunification of Taiwan, and Yang Xiuhui is shouting "I am Taiwanese", which has won a lot of praise from Taiwanese netizens, but there are also many people who question her in mainland China.
Korea 's first beautiful woman married for 17 years! Certified "love and marriage are not the same"
South Korea 's first beauty Kim Hee-sun' s latest suspense psychological drama "We, Home", partner Bawant film after Lee Hui-ying, about Kim Hee-sun 's famous psychologist "Lu Ying-yuan" is threatened by mysterious people,...
Product recommendation
udn Forum

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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