These Animated Disney Movies Will Never Be Remade in Live-Action (Probably)

These Animated Disney Movies Will Never Be Remade in Live-Action (Probably)

As a longtime Disney enthusiast and someone who’s spent countless hours watching these timeless classics, I must say that while some of the films on this list might seem like obvious choices for a live-action remake, there are indeed valid reasons why they may not be suitable for such treatment.

It’s evident that the director of “The Greatest Showman,” Michael Gracey, is discussing a live-action adaptation of “Tangled” with Walt Disney Pictures, suggesting they are keen on remaking numerous movies from their own animation studio catalog. Regardless of any criticism or creative drought these projects may face, they continue to bring in substantial box office revenue, which excites Disney executives. Upcoming remakes include “Snow White” and “Lilo & Stitch” in 2025, while adaptations of “Moana,” “Hercules,” and “Bambi” are at different stages of production. This cinematic trend shows no signs of slowing down.

Although Disney is planning to adapt some of the films from their 2010s animation studio catalog into live-action versions, it’s important to note that not all titles will receive this treatment. In fact, certain Disney Animation Studios releases have complex circumstances that make it highly unlikely they’ll be made into live-action movies. While there’s always the possibility that history may prove us wrong, for now it seems these productions won’t be appearing in live-action format at your local cinema anytime soon.

These Animated Disney Movies Will Never Be Remade in Live-Action (Probably)

Pocahontas

The film “Pocahontas” has not aged gracefully, as it was criticized and found problematic by Indigenous viewers from the start. The way the movie handled the encounter between colonizers and the Native American community is so outdated that reworking it to fit modern standards would be nearly impossible. In essence, creating a new film might be more feasible than trying to revamp the old one. Composer Alan Menken himself has stated that a live-action remake of “Pocahontas” is off the table. Therefore, unless Pocahontas makes a brief appearance in another movie like she did in “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” audiences should not anticipate seeing her or “All the Colors of the Wind” on the big screen anytime soon.

These Animated Disney Movies Will Never Be Remade in Live-Action (Probably)

Atlantis: The Lost Empire

Periodically, sensational websites announce that Tom Holland or another popular young white actor might be cast as Milo Thatch in a real-life version of Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Nevertheless, it’s highly unlikely that Walt Disney Pictures would consider reviving this title or the other early 2000s action animated feature, Treasure Planet, for live-action remake. The most successful of Disney’s remakes are fantasy musicals. Abandoning that formula for special effects didn’t work well for Atlantis in the early 2000s, and it wouldn’t lead to box office success as a live-action film in the 2020s either.

These Animated Disney Movies Will Never Be Remade in Live-Action (Probably)

Zootopia

Given that Walt Disney Pictures has started refreshing animated films from the 2010s like Moana and Tangled, there might be a possibility of a Zootopia remake in the vein of The Lion King or The Jungle Book at some point. However, it’s important to note that this is speculative, as simply creating another CG-animated version of Zootopia with fewer colors and limited facial expressions doesn’t seem appealing or innovative, especially compared to Disney remakes. Moreover, such a remake wouldn’t offer a fresh platform for characters like Judy Hopps to flourish, unlike the recent CG adaptations of The Lion King that elevated Simba and his companions.

These Animated Disney Movies Will Never Be Remade in Live-Action (Probably)

Home on the Range

Initially released in April 2004, the animated film “Home on the Range” was met with criticism and poor box office performance, and over time, its reputation has not improved. Unlike other Disney Animation flops from the early 2000s such as “Treasure Planet “and “Atlantis: The Lost Empire“, which have cultivated dedicated fanbases, “Home on the Range” remains largely forgotten. This suggests that a live-action remake of “Home on the Range” may not be successful. Furthermore, as a Western-themed film, it has limited international box office appeal, making it unlikely to generate the $1+ billion needed for a successful live-action remake.

These Animated Disney Movies Will Never Be Remade in Live-Action (Probably)

The Black Cauldron

A direct reboot of Disney’s “The Black Cauldron” doesn’t seem very interesting, considering the original movie was a flop and not well-known today. However, if Disney were to adapt the source material, “The Chronicles of Prydain,” into a more authentic live-action series, that could be promising. In fact, Disney had planned such a project in the past, but it seems like progress on this has stalled for quite some time. If a live-action version of “The Black Cauldron” was ever going to materialize, it would have been done by now.

These Animated Disney Movies Will Never Be Remade in Live-Action (Probably)

Tarzan

As a movie critic, I must confess, the latest addition to our cinematic lineup – the reimagined Tarzan – stands out as an intriguing anomaly. Initially, one might expect this to be a no-brainer for a live-action update, given its rich source material and the enduring popularity of the 1999 rendition, whose tunes still resonate in the collective consciousness.

Unlike most characters created by Walt Disney Animation Studios, Tarzan is not owned freely by the studio due to copyright held by the estate of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Since early Tarzan stories are part of the public domain, a new live-action movie would necessitate working with an external party. Given this situation, it’s unlikely that Disney will be producing new versions of songs like “Son of Man” in the near future.

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2024-12-15 20:09