Disney’s Live-Action Remake of a 66-Year-Old Animated Classic Is Bad News for Its $1.2Bn Franchise

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Disney continues to remake its animated classics into live-action films. Despite some story changes that sparked debate, the 2025 release of Lilo & Stitch was a huge financial success, earning over $1 billion globally and securing a sequel. This success has encouraged Disney to move forward with another remake: a live-action version of Moana, scheduled for 2026. Although some fans question why a film that’s nearly ten years old is being remade, Disney is confident the movie’s performance in theaters will justify the decision.

Following the releases of Moana and the Lilo & Stitch sequel, Disney’s future plans aren’t very clear. A live-action remake of Tangled seems to be moving forward, but that’s the only solid project. Everything else is just speculation. However, one particular rumor could be seriously problematic, potentially ending a very successful film series.

Disney Is Apparently Looking to Remake One of Its Oldest Movies At the Cost of Another

Despite the disappointing performance of the recent Snow White film, Disney isn’t abandoning its classic princess stories. According to insider Daniel Ritchman, a remake of Sleeping Beauty is planned, but with a significant twist. Instead of being set in medieval France, this new version will take place in Mexico and draw on local folklore. Disney hopes this change will show they’re willing to be creative and avoid criticism that their remakes are simply uninspired rehashes of old ideas.

Revisiting the story of Sleeping Beauty could create some complications, especially considering Disney’s recent films. In 2014, Disney released Maleficent, starring Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning, which retold the story from the villain’s perspective. This version gave Maleficent a sad past, making her a more relatable character. Instead of being Aurora’s enemy, she becomes her ally, and together they defend their kingdom. The sequel, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, continued this narrative, strengthening the bond between Maleficent and Queen Aurora. While Mistress of Evil hinted at future stories, another remake would likely make a continuation difficult.

Disney Can Make Two Sleeping Beauty Franchises Work

Ever since Mistress of Evil came out, Angelina Jolie has expressed her desire to return for a third Maleficent movie. Disney appears open to the idea, with a script reportedly being developed as recently as March 2025. However, any setbacks could jeopardize the film, particularly if the upcoming live-action remake also plans to feature Maleficent and Aurora. Studios generally avoid having two different actors playing the same character simultaneously, as seen with DC’s handling of the Suicide Squad when both a movie and the Arrowverse TV series had their own versions of the team.

Disney doesn’t need to make the same quick decisions as DC. Because Disney’s characters are primarily for children, they have more flexibility. If a strong script for a third Maleficent movie surfaces, Disney shouldn’t worry about it clashing with a potential Sleeping Beauty remake, especially if the stories are told in different ways. Parents appreciate having choices and are fine with seeing multiple films that explore similar themes. That’s much better than simply getting a remake that doesn’t offer anything original.

Concerned that a new Sleeping Beauty movie might mean we won’t get Maleficent 3? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-11-29 21:41