As if animated blockbusters such as Frozen and Big Hero 6, the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars werent enough, Disney has found yet another cash cow: turning its animated classics from yesteryear into live-action films for a new generation.
So far, this has been nothing but a winning formula from a commercial standpoint. And with Kenneth Branaghs Cinderella, the process finally managed to yield a product as magical, perhaps, as the original.
Its no surprise, then, that in recent weeks Disney has been dropping announcement after announcement about new live-action adaptations of other classic animated films.
Heres a comprehensive list of everything announced so far and what we know about each one which in some cases isnt much.
The Jungle Book The next Disney classic audiences can look forward to seeing on the big screen, The Jungle Book is based on the stories by Rudyard Kipling and is being handled by Iron Man director Jon Favreau. Having also directed Elf and Zathura, Favreau is no stranger to family-friendly entertainment with a sense of wide-eyed wonder.
Of course, this isnt the first live-action Jungle Book Disney has done. Theres also the 1994 version directed by Stephen Sommers (The Mummy) and starring Jason Scott Lee and Cary Elwes.
Unlike that movie, though, the animals this time around will be able to talk, thanks to the magic of CGI, and Favreau has lined up quite the cast to bring Mowlgis companions to life. This includes a couple oddball (but potentially inspired) choices, such as Bill Murray as Baloo and Christopher Walken as King Louie. The film will feature Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, Lupita Nyongo as Raksha, Scarlett Johansson as Kaa and Idris Elba as Shere Khan. Meanwhile, Mowgli, the boy raised by animals in the jungles of central India, is being played by newcomer Neel Sethi.
Speaking with Screenrant, Favreau said that although the tone of his film will differ from the 1967 animated version, he hopes to channel some of the same spirit. Theres a lot of great images and feelings that I remember from being a kid that Id love to incorporate using todays technology and storytelling techniques," he said.
In typical Hollywood fashion, a competing version of Kiplings Mowgli stories is also in the works at Warner Bros., with motion-capture wizard Andy Serkis (Gollum from The Lord of the Rings) directing and co-starring alongside a similarly loaded cast of names such as Christian Bale, Benedict Cumberbatch and Cate Blanchett. Warner Bros. version, titled Jungle Book: Origins, is slated to hit theaters more than a year after Disneys, though, giving Favreau and Co. a huge leg up.
Release date: April 15, 2016
Beauty and the Beast With the recent additions of Ian McKellan as Cogsworth and Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, the last major roles have now been filled in what is probably the most highly anticipated of all of Disneys live-action reimaginings this despite the fact that, not too long ago, the thought of a Beauty and the Beast remake would have struck many as borderline sacrilegious.
A lot of the excitement no doubt has to do with the pitch-perfect casting of Emma Watson a real-life bookworm who just graduated last year with a degree in English literature from Brown University as Belle.
Interestingly, Beauty and the Beast, which is being helmed by Twilight: Breaking Dawn Parts 1 and 2 director Bill Condon, looks like its going to hew more closely to the animated source material than any of Disneys previous live-action adaptations, including Cinderella, which took a fairly straightforward approach to retelling the classic fairy tale. Unlike that film or Maleficent or Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast will follow in the footsteps of the 1991 original as a musical and will even feature the same iconic songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.
What isnt clear yet, however, is how exactly the filmmakers plan to do the Beast, played by Downton Abbey alum Dan Stevens whether theyll use practical effects (e.g. makeup, prosthetics, etc.) or motion-capture (a la Mark Ruffalos Hulk in The Avengers).
The rest of the star-studded cast includes Luke Evans as Gaston, Josh Gad as Le Fou, Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts and Kevin Kline as crazy old Maurice. Pitch perfect.
Release date: March 17, 2017
Dumbo In what seems like an odd mix, Disney announced (per the Hollywood Reporter) in March that Alice in Wonderland director Tim Burton will bring the studios 1941 classic about a circus elephant with oversized ears to life on the big screen with a script by Transformers writer Ehren Kruger.
Not a whole lot is known about Burtons plans for Dumbo at this point, but like Favreaus Jungle Book, it is expected to use a mix of CGI and live action i.e. no actual flying elephants.
Given its setting in a circus, Burton at least shouldnt have any trouble finding sufficiently quirky roles for his go-to collaborators Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.
Release date: N/A
Mulan Among the spate of Disney announcements to come out in the last few weeks was news of a live-action Mulan. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the new version of Disneys 1998 animated feature will be based on a script by a pair of relative unknowns, Lauren Hynek and Elizabeth Martin.
Especially with the recent push at the studio level for movies featuring strong female protagonists Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel being two high-profile examples "Mulan" seems like a natural choice to turn into a live-action epic. In fact, this is actually the second time Disney has had a non-animated "Mulan" film in the works. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star Zhang Ziyi was set to play the legendary heroine for the House of Mouse circa 2005. Obviously, that project didnt quite come together.
At 36, Ziyi is almost definitely too old for the role now, leading some to wonder if it might not go to an actress who has previous experience with it, namely Jamie Cheung, who recently played the character on ABCs Once Upon a Time.
Release date: N/A
Winnie the Pooh Disneys last trip to the Hundred Acre Wood in 2011 didnt exactly light up the box office, earning just north of $33 million on a $30 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo. Nevertheless, Winnie the Pooh remains one of the studios most beloved characters, so it isnt a complete shocker that he would be on the docket for the live-action treatment.
As of right now, the only information is that Sundance darling Alex Ross Perry, whose film Listen Up Philip premiered at the 2014 film festival, has been tapped to direct based on a script said to focus on an adult Christopher Robin returning to the Hundred Acre Wood.
Release date: N/A
Pinocchio Of all the live-action adaptations announced at Disney, Pinocchio is the only one that doesnt have a director officially lined up yet.
In fact, other than the announcement that there is a live-action Pinocchio movie on the way (per Variety), the only other thing thats really known at this point is that its being written by Peter Hedges, who wrote Whats Eating Gilbert Grape? and Disneys 2012 family film The Odd Life of Timothy Green.
Release date: N/A
Bonus round:
Cruella This one may or may not wind up happening, but back in 2013, it was announced that The Devil Wears Prada scribe Aline Brosh McKenna was writing on a movie that would do for 101 Dalmatians what Maleficent did for Sleeping Beauty. Glenn Close, who played Cruella de Vil in Disneys 1996 live-action 101 Dalmatians, was even on board as a producer.
Since then, however, there hasnt been any real movement, although an Entertainment Weekly story as recent as January said the project is still in development. Wait and see.
Release date: N/A
Nottingham & Hood While not an adaptation of the 1973 Robin Hood starring anthropomorphic animals, this could be the closest Disney will ever come.
Based on a script by first-timer Brandon Barker, Nottingham & Hood is being described as a Pirates of the Caribbean-style adventure comedy that could launch a new franchise.
Of course, with three other Robin Hood projects currently being developed at three rival studios (Lionsgate, Warner Bros. and Sony), Disneys will have to be pretty great to stand out from the crowd.
Release date: N/A
Petes Dragon The original Petes Dragon featured a combination of live action and animation, so it doesnt quite count, but thats still enough to get the upcoming remake a brief mention.
The new version, directed by another Sundance alum, David Lowery (Aint Them Bodies Saints), is set for release next year and stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Wes Bentley, Robert Redford and Karl Urban.
Release date: Aug. 12, 2016
So far, this has been nothing but a winning formula from a commercial standpoint. And with Kenneth Branaghs Cinderella, the process finally managed to yield a product as magical, perhaps, as the original.
Its no surprise, then, that in recent weeks Disney has been dropping announcement after announcement about new live-action adaptations of other classic animated films.
Heres a comprehensive list of everything announced so far and what we know about each one which in some cases isnt much.
The Jungle Book The next Disney classic audiences can look forward to seeing on the big screen, The Jungle Book is based on the stories by Rudyard Kipling and is being handled by Iron Man director Jon Favreau. Having also directed Elf and Zathura, Favreau is no stranger to family-friendly entertainment with a sense of wide-eyed wonder.
Of course, this isnt the first live-action Jungle Book Disney has done. Theres also the 1994 version directed by Stephen Sommers (The Mummy) and starring Jason Scott Lee and Cary Elwes.
Unlike that movie, though, the animals this time around will be able to talk, thanks to the magic of CGI, and Favreau has lined up quite the cast to bring Mowlgis companions to life. This includes a couple oddball (but potentially inspired) choices, such as Bill Murray as Baloo and Christopher Walken as King Louie. The film will feature Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, Lupita Nyongo as Raksha, Scarlett Johansson as Kaa and Idris Elba as Shere Khan. Meanwhile, Mowgli, the boy raised by animals in the jungles of central India, is being played by newcomer Neel Sethi.
Speaking with Screenrant, Favreau said that although the tone of his film will differ from the 1967 animated version, he hopes to channel some of the same spirit. Theres a lot of great images and feelings that I remember from being a kid that Id love to incorporate using todays technology and storytelling techniques," he said.
In typical Hollywood fashion, a competing version of Kiplings Mowgli stories is also in the works at Warner Bros., with motion-capture wizard Andy Serkis (Gollum from The Lord of the Rings) directing and co-starring alongside a similarly loaded cast of names such as Christian Bale, Benedict Cumberbatch and Cate Blanchett. Warner Bros. version, titled Jungle Book: Origins, is slated to hit theaters more than a year after Disneys, though, giving Favreau and Co. a huge leg up.
Release date: April 15, 2016
Beauty and the Beast With the recent additions of Ian McKellan as Cogsworth and Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, the last major roles have now been filled in what is probably the most highly anticipated of all of Disneys live-action reimaginings this despite the fact that, not too long ago, the thought of a Beauty and the Beast remake would have struck many as borderline sacrilegious.
A lot of the excitement no doubt has to do with the pitch-perfect casting of Emma Watson a real-life bookworm who just graduated last year with a degree in English literature from Brown University as Belle.
Interestingly, Beauty and the Beast, which is being helmed by Twilight: Breaking Dawn Parts 1 and 2 director Bill Condon, looks like its going to hew more closely to the animated source material than any of Disneys previous live-action adaptations, including Cinderella, which took a fairly straightforward approach to retelling the classic fairy tale. Unlike that film or Maleficent or Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast will follow in the footsteps of the 1991 original as a musical and will even feature the same iconic songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.
What isnt clear yet, however, is how exactly the filmmakers plan to do the Beast, played by Downton Abbey alum Dan Stevens whether theyll use practical effects (e.g. makeup, prosthetics, etc.) or motion-capture (a la Mark Ruffalos Hulk in The Avengers).
The rest of the star-studded cast includes Luke Evans as Gaston, Josh Gad as Le Fou, Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts and Kevin Kline as crazy old Maurice. Pitch perfect.
Release date: March 17, 2017
Dumbo In what seems like an odd mix, Disney announced (per the Hollywood Reporter) in March that Alice in Wonderland director Tim Burton will bring the studios 1941 classic about a circus elephant with oversized ears to life on the big screen with a script by Transformers writer Ehren Kruger.
Not a whole lot is known about Burtons plans for Dumbo at this point, but like Favreaus Jungle Book, it is expected to use a mix of CGI and live action i.e. no actual flying elephants.
Given its setting in a circus, Burton at least shouldnt have any trouble finding sufficiently quirky roles for his go-to collaborators Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.
Release date: N/A
Mulan Among the spate of Disney announcements to come out in the last few weeks was news of a live-action Mulan. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the new version of Disneys 1998 animated feature will be based on a script by a pair of relative unknowns, Lauren Hynek and Elizabeth Martin.
Especially with the recent push at the studio level for movies featuring strong female protagonists Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel being two high-profile examples "Mulan" seems like a natural choice to turn into a live-action epic. In fact, this is actually the second time Disney has had a non-animated "Mulan" film in the works. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star Zhang Ziyi was set to play the legendary heroine for the House of Mouse circa 2005. Obviously, that project didnt quite come together.
At 36, Ziyi is almost definitely too old for the role now, leading some to wonder if it might not go to an actress who has previous experience with it, namely Jamie Cheung, who recently played the character on ABCs Once Upon a Time.
Release date: N/A
Winnie the Pooh Disneys last trip to the Hundred Acre Wood in 2011 didnt exactly light up the box office, earning just north of $33 million on a $30 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo. Nevertheless, Winnie the Pooh remains one of the studios most beloved characters, so it isnt a complete shocker that he would be on the docket for the live-action treatment.
As of right now, the only information is that Sundance darling Alex Ross Perry, whose film Listen Up Philip premiered at the 2014 film festival, has been tapped to direct based on a script said to focus on an adult Christopher Robin returning to the Hundred Acre Wood.
Release date: N/A
Pinocchio Of all the live-action adaptations announced at Disney, Pinocchio is the only one that doesnt have a director officially lined up yet.
In fact, other than the announcement that there is a live-action Pinocchio movie on the way (per Variety), the only other thing thats really known at this point is that its being written by Peter Hedges, who wrote Whats Eating Gilbert Grape? and Disneys 2012 family film The Odd Life of Timothy Green.
Release date: N/A
Bonus round:
Cruella This one may or may not wind up happening, but back in 2013, it was announced that The Devil Wears Prada scribe Aline Brosh McKenna was writing on a movie that would do for 101 Dalmatians what Maleficent did for Sleeping Beauty. Glenn Close, who played Cruella de Vil in Disneys 1996 live-action 101 Dalmatians, was even on board as a producer.
Since then, however, there hasnt been any real movement, although an Entertainment Weekly story as recent as January said the project is still in development. Wait and see.
Release date: N/A
Nottingham & Hood While not an adaptation of the 1973 Robin Hood starring anthropomorphic animals, this could be the closest Disney will ever come.
Based on a script by first-timer Brandon Barker, Nottingham & Hood is being described as a Pirates of the Caribbean-style adventure comedy that could launch a new franchise.
Of course, with three other Robin Hood projects currently being developed at three rival studios (Lionsgate, Warner Bros. and Sony), Disneys will have to be pretty great to stand out from the crowd.
Release date: N/A
Petes Dragon The original Petes Dragon featured a combination of live action and animation, so it doesnt quite count, but thats still enough to get the upcoming remake a brief mention.
The new version, directed by another Sundance alum, David Lowery (Aint Them Bodies Saints), is set for release next year and stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Wes Bentley, Robert Redford and Karl Urban.
Release date: Aug. 12, 2016
