As a movie enthusiast who’s seen more films than I care to count, I must admit that the news of Dreamworks venturing into live-action remakes has left me somewhat divided. On one hand, as someone who grew up with the magical world of animated films, the idea of revisiting my favorite stories in a new light is intriguing. However, as a seasoned viewer who’s been through Disney’s recent string of live-action remakes, I can’t help but feel a tinge of apprehension.
On Tuesday, Dreamworks stirred up excitement worldwide with a sneak peek at their upcoming live-action version of How to Train Your Dragon, leaving fans speculating if this could signal a new direction for the studio. Reminiscent of Disney’s recent string of live-action adaptations, opinions on social media ranged from praise to criticism. In terms of financial prospects, it appears that such movies might become more commonplace, but creatively, this move could potentially not serve Dreamworks well.
Disney has been producing live-action films for a while now, but it was Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” in 2010 that really kicked off the trend of reimagining classic stories. While these films are called “live-action,” they heavily rely on computer-generated imagery (CGI), with human actors added in to create an illusion of reality – except for movies like “The Lion King.” It seems that viewers are aware that these remakes are not exactly the same as their original animated versions, and yet they continue to be drawn into them. These reboots do well financially and garner a lot of attention on streaming platforms, but they often fail to capture the enchantment of the originals and tend to be rather forgettable. However, they do serve as an effective way to introduce today’s children to their parents’ beloved movies.
The movie “How to Train Your Dragon” initially hit screens in 2010, making its upcoming live-action version arrive in only 15 years. This is a quicker timeline compared to any Disney remakes thus far, but Disney will reclaim that record in 2026 with the release of their live-action “Moana” adaptation. Given the immense popularity of “HTTYD”, it’s not surprising that the success of its live-action version seems imminent. The franchise is a household name, and children within its intended age range are continually bombarded with movies, TV shows, video games, and merchandise in every direction.
Changing Mediums
It seems challenging to envision how this reboot will surpass the initial version, given that the appearance of the dragons in the teaser remains largely unaltered, suggesting at least half of the film’s visuals will be identical. The human actor, Mason Thames, could potentially make viewers relate more to the story and feel like they are stepping into Hiccup’s shoes. However, he might also appear mismatched alongside a cartoon dragon, and he may find it tough to convey emotions as effectively as his animated counterpart. Since this is essentially a frame-by-frame remake, it’s hard to see where this movie can set itself apart from the original.
A significant variation lies in the origin of the stories. In contrast to many of Disney’s live-action remakes, which are often adaptations of timeless fairy tales with unknown original authors, “How to Train Your Dragon” is derived from a children’s book by Cressida Cowell, published in 2003. This difference makes it simpler for audiences to appreciate Disney revisiting familiar stories when they didn’t originally create them, especially since these tales have been retold countless times over centuries. The absence of such a historical backdrop might result in less shared nostalgia, and there won’t be any older brothers murmuring about the original “Little Mermaid” drowning herself to death.
Revisions
One major concern about these remakes is modernizing them to suit contemporary audiences, which Disney has faced criticism for. However, it’s not just about catering to “woke” viewers; the changes made in these remakes often address long-standing criticisms that have grown over time, many of which were unnecessary alterations. In some instances, these modifications dilute the original charm, while in others they significantly disrupt the narrative and introduce new plot inconsistencies where none existed before. A prime example is Aladdin, where a new ballad for Princess Jasmine was added, blurring her pursuit of agency with a desire for tangible political power.
In the context of “How to Train Your Dragon”, there’s little chance of encountering this problem. However, if Dreamworks decides to focus more on live-action productions, potential adaptations could face some challenges in the future. For instance, a live-action version of “Shrek” might need to eliminate certain risqué jokes and replace them with something fresh, but it wouldn’t have the advantage of Michael Eisner’s timely critiques. Similarly, a live-action “Kung Fu Panda” would face questions about representation for Asian actors that have been ongoing for years, making it difficult for the new cast to gain acceptance – and so on.
The upsides are much simpler – these movies would probably make money for the studio, and would get young viewers interested in movies in general. Whether you like the idea or not, we’ll probably have to focus on this silver lining because How to Train Your Dragon (2025) seems destined to be a box office hit. It is scheduled to premiere on June 13, 2025. The original is streaming now on Max.
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2024-11-20 02:39