Between 2015 and 2024, Disney released numerous live action remakes of its animated classics, including Cinderella (2015), The Jungle Book (2016), Beauty and the Beast (2017), Dumbo (2019), Aladdin (2019), The Lion King (2019), Mulan (2020), Pinocchio (2022), The Little Mermaid (2023), and the upcoming Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (delayed to 2025).

These films achieved significant commercial success; notably, The Lion King (2019) grossed approximately $1.66 billion worldwide, and The Little Mermaid (2023) surpassed $550 million globally.

Critical reception varied: for example, The Little Mermaid holds a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with generally positive audience scores, while other remakes received more mixed reviews.

The Lion King remake stands out as a photorealistic CGI adaptation rather than a traditional live action film, generating discussion about its classification.

Anticipation for remakes such as Snow White has sparked debates, particularly about casting and storyline changes .

Disney executives and industry analysts identify nostalgia, intellectual property (IP) value, and financial strategy as primary drivers of the live action remake initiative.

This approach leverages stories with established brand recognition, reducing market risk and appealing to a multigenerational audience familiar with the originals.

CEO Bob Iger has emphasized that Disney balances high-quality storytelling with strategic content distribution, blending exclusive theatrical releases with streaming availability to maximize returns.

Live action remakes like The Little Mermaid and The Lion King are positioned not only to attract existing fans but also to broaden diversity through updated casting and narratives.

This strategy exemplifies how Disney leverages its IP portfolio as “event” content driving theatrical revenue while expanding brand engagement across platforms .

Nostalgia plays a crucial psychological and commercial role in Disney’s remake strategy.

Audiences are drawn to familiar narratives that evoke childhood memories and emotional comfort, which mitigates financial risk and enhances audience engagement.

Scholarly and market analyses confirm that remakes, sequels, and franchise adaptations generally outperform original stories at the box office because nostalgia activates strong emotional connections and loyalty.

Disney combines this nostalgic appeal with contemporary updates to engage both longtime fans and new generations, effectively blending comfort with relevance to sustain broad audience interest and encourage repeat viewings .

To maintain relevance for modern viewers, Disney’s live action remakes frequently incorporate significant narrative, character, and thematic changes reflecting current cultural values.

The 2023 The Little Mermaid remake, for example, cast Halle Bailey, a Black actress, in the iconic role of Ariel, challenging traditional racial casting conventions and stimulating both praise for inclusivity and controversy.

This version extended Ariel's age to 18 and emphasized themes of independence and diversity.

Similarly, The Jungle Book remake introduced nuanced character development, while other remakes like Peter Pan and Wendy (2022) expanded representation through diverse casting choices.

The Lion King prequel Mufasa (2024) is expected to enrich character backstories.

Creators have consciously updated gender roles, cultural references, and social messaging across remakes, aiming to deepen characterization and reflect evolving societal expectations .

Public and critical reactions to these remakes are mixed and often polarized.

Audiences appreciate the high production values and the nostalgic draw but sometimes criticize remakes for apparent overemphasis on political correctness, perceived originality deficits, or significant departures from the original stories.

John Musker, co-director of the original Little Mermaid, criticized the 2023 live action adaptation for insufficient emotional depth and for prioritizing sociopolitical messaging over character development, particularly the father-daughter relationship.

Casting decisions, such as Bailey’s role as Ariel, generated racist backlash as well as support.

Upcoming remakes like Snow White have also ignited debates over modernizing classic characters and narratives.

Despite critical controversies, many remakes have achieved remarkable box office success, underscoring the enduring commercial power of nostalgia balanced against evolving cultural norms .

In summary, Disney’s live action remake initiative is a strategically designed combination of leveraging nostalgia-driven audience engagement and managing financial risk through familiar IP.

The company balances maintaining authenticity with making culturally and socially relevant updates to appeal to a contemporary, diverse audience.

Public and critical reception reflects a complex tension between appreciation for nostalgia and calls for modernization, with the commercial results demonstrating the financial upside of this approach despite occasional controversies.

This blend of reverence and reinvention continues to define Disney’s successful remake strategy in the current entertainment landscape.

Between 2015 and 2024, Disney released numerous live action remakes of its animated classics, including Cinderella (2015), The Jungle Book (2016), Beauty and the Beast (2017), Dumbo (2019), Aladdin (2019), The Lion King (2019), Mulan (2020), Pinocchio (2022), The Little Mermaid (2023), and the upcoming Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (delayed to 2025).

Title:

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

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

These films achieved significant commercial success; notably, The Lion King (2019) grossed approximately $1.66 billion worldwide, and The Little Mermaid (2023) surpassed $550 million globally.

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

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

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

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

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

A Handful of New Releases Opened Low

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

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

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

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?

Critical reception varied: for example, The Little Mermaid holds a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with generally positive audience scores, while other remakes received more mixed reviews.

The Lion King remake stands out as a photorealistic CGI adaptation rather than a traditional live action film, generating discussion about its classification.

Title:

Content: Pixar is back on top. Their latest film, Inside Out 2, is not only a hit, it’s not the top-grossing animated film in history — with a fairly substantial asterisk.

Disney and Pixar are touting that Inside Out 2, with its $1.462 billion in grosses worldwide, is now the biggest animated hit ever. Its ticket sales put it ahead of the previous record holder, 2019’s Frozen II, also from Disney, which grossed $1.453 worldwide.

Disney is also touting the fact that Inside Out 2 is the fastest animated film in history to $1 billion. (It took the movie 19 days to cross that threshold.) It’s also the top-grossing movie of 2024, as well as the only movie of the year to date to gross $1 billion.

READ MORE: The Wildest Pixar Fan Theories That Might Actually Be True

Now, with all that said, what is the asterisk? It is this: In making this bold claim, Disney is essentially ignoring its own animated movie, 2019’s remake of The Lion King. If you include The Lion King as an animated movie, then it is the highest-grossing animated movie in history, with $1.663 billion in worldwide ticket sales.

Why does Disney not count it? They apparently view the movie as a “live-action” remake of the original Lion King, akin to the studio’s live-action versions of CinderellaAlice in WonderlandBeauty & the Beast, or The Jungle Book. The difference, though, is that while all of those films did include digitally-animated characters, they also featured real flesh-and-blood actors. 2019’s The Lion King does not. All of the “live-action” animals were actually computer generated.

In fact, according to The Lion King’s own director, Jon Favreau, there is just one “real shot” in the entire movie, plus “1490 rendered shots created by animators and CG artists.” Favreau joked on Twitter in 2019 that he “slipped in one single shot we actually photographed in Africa to see if anyone would notice.”

Despite all of that, Disney does not consider this Lion King an animated movie. And if you don’t consider it an animated movie, then yes, Inside Out 2 is the box office champ.

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Anticipation for remakes such as Snow White has sparked debates, particularly about casting and storyline changes .

Title:

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

in Disney, Movies

Credit: D23

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

in Disney, Movies

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How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

Disney executives and industry analysts identify nostalgia, intellectual property (IP) value, and financial strategy as primary drivers of the live action remake initiative.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

This approach leverages stories with established brand recognition, reducing market risk and appealing to a multigenerational audience familiar with the originals.

Title:

Content: Interview

Kabam’s Mark Raham on the creation of Disney Mirrorverse

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And that involves working closely with Disney?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Edited by Paige Cook

Features Editor

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

As a safer option
As a risk-reduction strategy

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

Lower risk but smaller long-term returns.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

CEO Bob Iger has emphasized that Disney balances high-quality storytelling with strategic content distribution, blending exclusive theatrical releases with streaming availability to maximize returns.

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Disney CEO Iger: The first priority is to make the streaming platform profitable
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Walt Disney ’ s newly appointed chief executive, Bob Iger, said today that one of his top priorities is to monetize the company ’ s streaming platform business.
Iger pushed Disney to fully develop its streaming platform and launch Disney +, the company ’ s signature business.
But Iger admits that the measure of success has changed, and Wall Street investors are now focusing on profitability, not just subscriber growth.
Speaking at a conference at Disney ’ s headquarters in Burbank, California, Iger said, “Instead of pursuing [subscriber growth] through aggressive marketing and aggressive spending on content, we might as well start pursuing profitability. ”
“To achieve this, we have to look very, very seriously at the cost structure of all of our businesses. ”
Disney ’ s board of directors announced the appointment of Iger as CEO on November 20, following the firing of former CEO Bob Chapek.
Bao was previously the CEO of Iger ’ s choice before he left the job in 2020, but after two years at the helm of the company, he lost the support of senior executives.
Speaking on stage at Disney Studios, Iger said he returned with a sense of urgency to the Disney he had led for 15 years.
He said he had recently been listening to Lin-Manuel Miranda ’ s musical “Hamilton, ” and he was struck by the song“ What'd I Miss? ”
Iger said: “Things are not going back, things have changed a lot.
But the sun still shines brightly. "
In response to a question, Iger said it was an “unexpected surprise ” that he was asked to return to work at Disney for two years.
And first, he is most concerned with originality.
His predecessor, Bao Zhengbo, had a rough time at the helm of Disney, though it is believed that Bao had led the company through the worst of the epidemic.
Mr. Iger said he intends to maintain the hiring freeze imposed by Mr. Bao while evaluating Disney ’ s cost structure.
Iger did not disclose a timeline for the restructuring of its main business unit, Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution.
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Live action remakes like The Little Mermaid and The Lion King are positioned not only to attract existing fans but also to broaden diversity through updated casting and narratives.

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.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE : Legendary Disney animator Floyd Norman reminisces over working with Walt Disney during The Jungle Book and his incredible 66-year career

MORE : Bob Iger returns as Disney CEO, replacing predecessor Bob Chapek in stunning move

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

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

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

This strategy exemplifies how Disney leverages its IP portfolio as “event” content driving theatrical revenue while expanding brand engagement across platforms .

Title:

Content: DIS

2 Stocks to Hold for the Next 20 Years

You want to build your long-term investment portfolio. Holding on to a successful stock for 20 years or more could be the key to making serious money. Master investors like Warren Buffett and Peter Lynch built their fortunes through the magic of compound returns over many years -- and you can follow their example.

But don't just go buying any old stock, dear investor. You should look for certain key factors in a company to ensure you're making a wise choice.

First and foremost, you want to find companies with a strong competitive advantage. It could be their killer brand, some innovative technology, or even operating in a market that's tough to break into. Next, you want to see the company operating in a large and growing market with plenty of room for expansion. The bigger, the better! Also, strong financials are an absolute must-have. I'm talking about solid balance sheets, healthy revenue growth, a manageable debt load, and reliable cash profits.

Last but not least, keep your eyes peeled for innovation and adaptable business plans. These qualities allow the company to stay ahead of competitors and keep up with changes in the market. Without them, the business may struggle to survive in the long term.

So if you want to be a successful long-term investor, do your research and look for companies that check all the boxes of a durable winner. Let me show you two household names that fit the bill.

You can't beat the real thing

When it comes to a killer brand, Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) has got it covered. It has one of the most recognizable and valuable brands in the world, with a long history of successful marketing campaigns.

The soft drink industry is massive and Coca-Cola has a dominant share of it. Coke controls nearly half of the domestic carbonated soft drink market. Runners-up PepsiCo and Keurig Dr Pepper split the remaining half almost evenly, leaving just crumbs for other competitors to fight over. While this market may not be growing as fast as it used to, there is still plenty of room for expansion, particularly in developing countries.

Moreover, Coca-Cola has a hand in many adjacent target markets. For example, the company manages Glaceau Smart Water and Dasani -- two of the four best-selling bottled water brands in the U.S. Coke sold its energy drink brands to Monster Beverage in 2014, but stayed invested in that market by owning 19% of Monster's stock and managing its partner's distribution. Then there are coffee-based drinks, fruit juices, non-dairy milk alternatives, and more. Name a type of non-alcoholic drink, and Coca-Cola probably owns at least one of the most popular brands in that category.

As for financials, Coca-Cola is a solid company with healthy revenue growth and consistently positive free cash flows:

KO Revenue (TTM) data by YCharts

The balance sheet carries $36 billion of long-term debt, offset by $11.6 billion in cash equivalents and liquid short-term investments. Management is comfortable with this level of financial leverage, and Coca-Cola's credit rating sits in the upper echelons of investment-grade bonds.

Overall, Coca-Cola fits the criteria I set up earlier, with a strong competitive advantage, a large and growing target market, solid financials, and a proven history of innovation and adaptability. Check, check, checkity-check.

I'll admit that the stock isn't cheap, trading just 11% below its yearly highs at 27 times trailing earnings. However, I don't mind paying a premium for a durable market leader like Coke.

The House of Mouse is no Mickey Mouse business

Let's move on to Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS) -- another household name that should add value to your stock portfolio for the next two decades and beyond.

Disney has a strong competitive advantage, thanks to its incredible brand recognition with beloved franchises like Mickey Mouse, Marvel, and Star Wars. This rich portfolio of premium story material gives it a leg up on competitors and makes it stand out in the crowded entertainment industry. Not to throw Disney's rivals under the bus, but when was the last time you got excited about the latest Columbia or Universal movie? Disney runs several studio brands that actually get fans excited about new material, sight unseen.

Next, the market for entertainment is huge and growing, with endless expansion opportunities. Disney has done a great job of capitalizing on this, with acquisitions like Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel, and 21st Century Fox expanding its reach and allowing it to create even more content for fans. Together with the core Disney Studios operation, these buyouts have built an entertainment colossus for the ages.

When it comes to financials, Disney also looks strong. In the recently reported first quarter of 2023, sales rose 8% year over year to $23.5 billion. Operating profits increased by 11%, right alongside the unadjusted bottom-line earnings. Trailing sales are setting all-time highs again after the dramatic dip during the theme park closings and shuttered movie theaters of the early COVID-19 crisis.

Finally, Disney is definitely innovative and adaptable. It is constantly finding new ways to reach audiences and create memorable experiences, from its theme parks and resorts to its streaming services led by Disney+ and Hulu. It has also shown the ability to pivot when necessary, as evidenced by their successful shift to a direct-to-consumer model during the pandemic.

And don't forget that legendary leader Bob Iger is back in the driver's seat after a couple of rough years under ex-CEO Bob Chapek. Iger has already reversed some of Chapek's most problematic policies. Under Iger's steady hand, I'm convinced that the media empire is back on track for a long and successful future, where the original stories behind its theme parks, cruise ships, pajamas, and lunch boxes start life in the digital streaming realm.

Disney also checks off all the boxes for a savvy long-term investment. I would gladly buy either Coke or Disney today and hold them for several decades.

10 stocks we like better than Walt Disney
When our award-winning analyst team has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*

They just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Walt Disney wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.

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*Stock Advisor returns as of February 8, 2023

Anders Bylund has positions in Walt Disney. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Monster Beverage and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool recommends Comcast and recommends the following options: long January 2024 $145 calls on Walt Disney, long January 2024 $47.50 calls on Coca-Cola, and short January 2024 $155 calls on Walt Disney. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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Nostalgia plays a crucial psychological and commercial role in Disney’s remake strategy.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

Audiences are drawn to familiar narratives that evoke childhood memories and emotional comfort, which mitigates financial risk and enhances audience engagement.

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

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

As a safer option
As a risk-reduction strategy

Scholarly and market analyses confirm that remakes, sequels, and franchise adaptations generally outperform original stories at the box office because nostalgia activates strong emotional connections and loyalty.

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

Disney combines this nostalgic appeal with contemporary updates to engage both longtime fans and new generations, effectively blending comfort with relevance to sustain broad audience interest and encourage repeat viewings .

To maintain relevance for modern viewers, Disney’s live action remakes frequently incorporate significant narrative, character, and thematic changes reflecting current cultural values.

How does Disney's live-action Pinocchio modernize the story according to Robert Zemeckis?

The 2023 The Little Mermaid remake, for example, cast Halle Bailey, a Black actress, in the iconic role of Ariel, challenging traditional racial casting conventions and stimulating both praise for inclusivity and controversy.

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

Debate over both Ariel's casting and racial representation.

This version extended Ariel's age to 18 and emphasized themes of independence and diversity.

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.”

Similarly, The Jungle Book remake introduced nuanced character development, while other remakes like Peter Pan and Wendy (2022) expanded representation through diverse casting choices.

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

How does Peter Pan and Wendy enhance inclusivity?

The Lion King prequel Mufasa (2024) is expected to enrich character backstories.

Creators have consciously updated gender roles, cultural references, and social messaging across remakes, aiming to deepen characterization and reflect evolving societal expectations .

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

Public and critical reactions to these remakes are mixed and often polarized.

Title:

Content: Home Movies

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

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

Image via Marvel Studios

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the author

Tom Meisfjord

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

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

Some positive reactions praising both changes and additions

Audiences appreciate the high production values and the nostalgic draw but sometimes criticize remakes for apparent overemphasis on political correctness, perceived originality deficits, or significant departures from the original stories.

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

John Musker, co-director of the original Little Mermaid, criticized the 2023 live action adaptation for insufficient emotional depth and for prioritizing sociopolitical messaging over character development, particularly the father-daughter relationship.

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

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

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

Which Disney remakes did John Musker criticize for downplaying emotional storylines?

Casting decisions, such as Bailey’s role as Ariel, generated racist backlash as well as support.

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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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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.

Upcoming remakes like Snow White have also ignited debates over modernizing classic characters and narratives.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

Despite critical controversies, many remakes have achieved remarkable box office success, underscoring the enduring commercial power of nostalgia balanced against evolving cultural norms .

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Content: What's Going On With The Moana TV Show? Everything We Know About The Announced Project

So, whatever happened to that Moana: The Series TV show? Well, have no near, because we have some info that you might want to know about it.

When Moana was released back in 2016, it was a huge hit. While there were plenty of great 2010s Disney movies, the film was a massive box office success and brought upon new songs written by Lin Manuel Miranda, and created another Disney princess that young women and little girls everywhere look up to.

It was only a matter of time before a live-action version of Moana was announced – which the original movie's co-star Dwayne Johnson confirmed himself. But what some people might have forgotten is that there was a Moana television series that was announced several years ago, way back in 2020. And we haven't gotten much news on it since.

So if you're wondering what is happening with Moana: The Series, you're not alone. Here is what we know about it – and what you should know, too.

Moana: The Series Was Announced In 2020 And Originally Set To Premiere In 2023

As mentioned above, Moana: The Series was announced in December 2020, according to Variety. The new series was revealed along with several other major shows and features from Walt Disney. This included the already-premiered Dug Days on Disney+ and other shows that have yet to see the light of day – such as Tiana, a series based on the movie The Princess and the Frog, and a series based on the world of Cars.

This isn't that surprising, considering Disney tends to bulk together their major announcements and let them all out at once, but often, things will fall under the radar as they enter production hell. For example, the supposed Lando TV show from the Star Wars universe was also announced in 2020, and we only recently got an update on that – it's now turning into a movie.

So what does this mean for Moana: The Series? Is it in production hell? The Variety article said the series would air in 2023, but that's no longer true.

The Premiere Date Was Pushed Back To 2024

In August 2021, Deadline confirmed that Moana: The Series had been pushed back to 2024. This is because Walt Disney Animation Studios opened a new facility in Vancouver that would focus specifically on long-form series and special projects for Disney+. Moana: The Series was the first to get looked at.

Later on in the article, it was confirmed that the series was pushed to debut in 2024. We're all sad that this won't be on the 2023 TV schedule, but if it means they'll be given more time to work on the series, I'm OK with waiting for a bit.

This would be the last time we heard about the series until six months later.

The Series Was Meant To Act As A Sequel To The Original Movie

We received some news regarding the show in January 2022. The Twitter page of Disney Animation confirmed that the series was meant to continue Moana's story through a statement that David G. Derrick Jr, the chosen director of the series, released:

See more

The Moana ending left plenty of room for more stories. We didn't see much of Maui after he took off, and I would have loved to see the exploration of Moana and her people learning how to navigate the seas again. So, I understand why a sequel TV series would be the best way to explore that.

And It Was Confirmed To Still Be In The Works In April 2023

When we got that update in January 2022, it felt like some life breathed into the series, but everything went dark again for over a year. We didn't get many updates, we didn't hear anything, and we were just sitting ducks waiting for some news to come out.

And then, April 2023 came around, and suddenly, we were bombarded with the news that a new live-action version of Moana was in the works, where Dwayne Johnson would return as Maui and play the demi-god in real-life form.

Why The Live-Action Moana Doesn't Interest Me, Even Though The Original Is One Of My Favorite Disney Movies

Disney's live-action movies have been a relative success. Some have performed exceptionally well at the box office. Others have been critical and commercial failures – or pushed right to streaming. Regardless, there are plenty of upcoming live-action Disney movies coming out, including Moana.

But a live-action Moana was something I'm sure no one was expecting because the movie is not even a decade old. Why adapt something so young?

Regardless, the film was announced, and with barely any news about the series, people started to wonder if it was happening. However, Moana screenwriter Jared Bush confirmed it's still in the works.

Bush announced that he would be back to write the script for the live-action adaptation of the movie on his Twitter page. In his mentions, he responded to a fan who asked about the Moana series and if it was still happening. His reply was simple:

After not hearing about the show for some time, seeing him say that the series is still in the works was refreshing. And thankfully, it was only a short time before we got another update on the subject.

While News Has Been Sparse, Jennifer Lee Said In September 2023 They Are 'Doing' The Series

Jennifer Lee, who is the chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, confirmed that the series was very much being worked on in an interview that she did with eCartelera (via The Direct) in September 2023. She also said it was fun that the streaming platform (Disney+) allowed them to experiment and explore different ways to tell stories:

This is significant news; honestly, it makes me feel like everything might be on track. We may get that 2024 release date if the series is in the works. Here's hoping we get more updates soon.

While 2024 isn't that far away, it still pains me that we have to wait to learn more about this series that I'm sure all of us are looking forward to. Until we hear more, we'll just have to rewatch Moana, have all the thoughts, and sing all the songs – oh no, "You're Welcome" is stuck in my head now.

Content Producer

Big nerd and lover of Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire. Will forever hate season eight. Superhero and horror geek. And please don't debate me on The Last of Us 2, it was amazing!

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?

In summary, Disney’s live action remake initiative is a strategically designed combination of leveraging nostalgia-driven audience engagement and managing financial risk through familiar IP.

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

As a safer option
As a risk-reduction strategy

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

Lower risk but smaller long-term returns.

How has Disney leveraged nostalgia in recent years?

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

The company balances maintaining authenticity with making culturally and socially relevant updates to appeal to a contemporary, diverse audience.

Public and critical reception reflects a complex tension between appreciation for nostalgia and calls for modernization, with the commercial results demonstrating the financial upside of this approach despite occasional controversies.

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

Some positive reactions praising both changes and additions

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?

This blend of reverence and reinvention continues to define Disney’s successful remake strategy in the current entertainment landscape.

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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

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