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Disney has invested heavily in the idea of live-action remakes, with mixed results. Some have become box office hits like Aladdin and Lilo & Stitch, while others received strong reviews from critics like Beauty and the Beast and Cruella. Then there are the ones that were poorly received by critics and disappointed at the box office as well, with the most notable being Moana. Due to the recent bomb that is Moana, it’s interesting to consider what Disney’s future should be with live-action remakes. Moana flopping shows that it was way too soon to do a remake.
That means that future remakes shouldn’t get released too soon after the original. It also shouldn’t just be a shot-for-shot remake, especially since those shots are always going to look better in an animated format. What Disney should focus on are remakes of animated films that aren’t considered true classics. It’s hard to top what the original Beauty and the Beast or The Lion King pulled off, so don’t even try to do that. They should try to bring us a new version of more underrated or hidden gem animated films.
5) Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
As noted, it’s incredibly difficult to have something look better in live-action than it does in animation. The latter medium has endless possibilities and there isn’t much in the way of worrying about CGI expenses, which can drive up a budget.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a movie that would likely use CGI to make the underwater city come to life, yet it’s something that could look very cool if handled properly. The movie is a hidden gem, so there aren’t millions out there who have something timeless to compare it to, which allows it to stand on its own. The remake could work in the same vein as something like Pirates of the Caribbean, delivering a huge adventure in a fantastical world. That said, the animation style of Atlantis was one of its strongest selling points – and it would take a visionary filmmaker to recreate that same aesthetic in a live-action world (especially where Avatar already has three movies under its belt).
4) The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1996)
Unlike the other movies listed, this comes from the Disney Renaissance Era. The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a beloved film that is adapted from a classic story, yet it’s also one of Disney’s darker projects. That’s the kind of thing that translates well to live-action, especially given the Notre Dame setting. Also, some elements from the original, like the gargoyle characters, could do with improvements. In fact, it’s exactly these kinds of elements that make a live-action retelling worth it – improving or enhancing animated characters in ways that heighten what was present all along rather than simply converting them into live-action.
Music plays a big part in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, including “Hellfire,” which is one of the greatest Disney villain songs ever. A lot of the live-action adaptations that have kept the songs in have been among the best, like Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. If they can do that here and make sure the actors can belt out the tracks, it could be a special remake.
3) The Black Cauldron (1985)
Almost everything about The Black Cauldron is ripe for a live-action adaptation. The story centers on a farm boy and his quest to destroy the mythical titular cauldron and defeat the Horned King. It had plenty of parents in the ’80s concerned about the dark themes and ended up flopping, which makes it ideal to attempt again. It’s the kind of movie that Disney was willing to take a chance on and break from more familiar templates – but what made it different and risky at the time might actually be a strength as a modern live-action remake.
In recent years, projects like Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and Masters of the Universe have proven that this kind of adventure can work in live-action (even if they weren’t as successful at the box office as the studios might have hoped). The Horned King could even be adapted similarly to how Skeletor was brought to life. With the right director, the eerie atmosphere could make for a fantastic dark fantasy movie.
2) Meet The Robinsons (2007)
Meet the Robinsons arrived during the 2000s, which wasn’t exactly a great time for Disney. Their projects struggled financially during that time and that’s actually a great reason to try remaking some of them. They aren’t held close to the hearts of people like the Renaissance Era films, so there’s more freedom to do intriguing things with them. Meet The Robinsons lands squarely in that spot, it’s a fun movie with a great premise but got lost in the transition from traditional animation into 2000s Pixar box office dominance.
Meet the Robinsons could be adapted to something along the lines of Back to the Future. It could be a stellar sci-fi comedy that involves time travel. It helps that this is a case where the visuals could be improved because the CGI animation from 2007 wasn’t all that polished – meanwhile plenty of scenes have the potential to be memorable in live-action. Who wouldn’t laugh at a photorealistic T-rex lamenting, “I have a big head and little arms.” When you add in the heart to the story, this is a great choice for a potential remake.
1) Treasure Planet (2002)
The best options for Disney live-action remakes are films that are in the sci-fi genre and could make good use of a big budget. Treasure Planet fits that criteria. The story is adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, yet it’s set in a futuristic world where spaceships are shaped like classic sailing vessels. Visually, it would be breathtaking to see this brought to life and, like many of the other entries on this list, what made it weird at the time is exactly what would make it awesome to see brought to life in live-action.
A live-action Treasure Planet could lean into steampunk style vibes. Space adventures have always been pretty big hits at the box office, especially recently with Project Hail Mary. There’s also a relatability factor with Treasure Planet due to the heartwarming father-son dynamic between John Silver and Jim Hawkins. That’s the kind of story that anyone can relate to – and set it a steam-punk sci-fi world, it’s also the kind of movie that a lot of moviegoers would turn out to see.