Top 10 Disney Live-Action Remakes

The release of Alice in Wonderland (2010) changed everything for Disney by grossing more than a billion on the global box office. Was it a perfect movie? No way! However, it gave inspiration to the executives for adapting various classic Disney animated projects. Since then, we have watched the studio dispatching several high-budget remakes of the original animated masterpieces. Some of them performed decently while the remaining ones sucked big time. A lot of people strongly believe that Disney has converted this live-action remaking into a money-printing procedure.

Here are the top 10 Disney’s live-action remakes!

Lady and the Tramp

This movie became Disney’s first live-action remake that was not dispatched in the theatres. It was directly released on the Disney+ streaming service. The cast excels at delivering top-notch voice performances. The overall atmosphere of the movie also looks good. But it suffers from poor execution of the storyline. Additionally, it received strong criticism for its visual effects. The designs of the leading pair were lamented the most.

Maleficent

Maleficent completely belongs to Angelina Jolie, period! Her enthralling performance functions as this movie’s heartbeat! But there is no denying that its narrative and editing looks offbeat. But it shines in terms of visuals, battle sequences, and acting performances. It ended up earning more than $750 million on a worldwide scale.

Aladdin

Was Guy Ritchie the perfect man to direct this movie? We are sure you must have asked this question to yourself after watching it. And the answer is… no! He is a master when it comes to crime and action genres. But his inconsistent direction almost drowned it to death. Thanks to Will Smith’s winning and energetic persona! He handled Genie in his own way. His fresh approach towards the blue-coloured jinn literally saved this film. Plus, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott performed exceptionally well.

The Lion King

No other Disney live-action remake could have created the hype this one generated before its release. With a mega-budget of nearly $260 million and the talented Jon Favreau at the helm, it turned out to be one of the biggest disappointments of 2019. Despite becoming one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, it failed in recreating the magic of the original one. The lack of facial expressions and originality were condemned the most by the audience. However, the visuals and the vocal performances were some of its brilliant highlights.

Christopher Robin

Christopher Robin is the sweetest but also the most forgettable live-action remake ever! The soft and light-hearted comic tone looks adorable here. But that’s it! The fans of Winnie the Pooh are not going to find anything new and exciting in this film. However, it will definitely provide you with some hard-hitting nostalgia. The leading duo of Ewan McGregor and Hayley Atwell did a decent job in this one. Don’t expect too much from it!

Mulan

The live-action adaptation of Mulan got crushed under the weight of several controversies. The removal of Li Shang met with strong disapproval from the viewers. Additionally, Yifei Liu’s controversial comments on the Hong Kong protests sparked a serious chaotic atmosphere for Disney. Eventually, it also affected its revenue. But it works quite well despite consisting of many flaws. It received compliments for its performances, creative battle scenes, musical score, and overall representation of the Chinese culture.

Beauty and the Beast

This live-action adaptation is nowhere near the original animated product. But it enchants the viewers with its bright visuals, outstanding characters, elegant set pieces, and an excellent musical score from Alan Menken. Emma Watson stole the limelight with her mesmerizing performance as Belle. Her male counterpart, Dan Stevens, did an amazing job as well. However, Beast’s physical design met with severe backlash from the fans.

Cinderella

Cate Blanchett’s evil and committed performance might have overshadowed every other element of this movie. But still, it is a worthy addition to the directional filmography of Sir Kenneth Branagh. It gave a perfect launch to the movie careers of Lily James and Richard Madden. Its costumes, settings, and faithful adaptation from the authentic animated source were also praised.

Pete’s Dragon

This Disney remake proves why the simplest things are truly the best. David Lowery’s controlled but top-notch direction works like a charm here. He did not sacrifice its true essence for over-the-top visuals. The father-daughter duo of Robert Redford and Bryce Dallas Howard performed outstandingly well in this film. Oakes Fegley also did a fine job as Pete Healy, an orphan living with the dragon.

The Jungle Book

You are looking at the movie that revitalized the directional career of Jon Favreau! It cemented him as a “big deal” in the Hollywood industry. It is the only Disney live-action remake that actually surpasses its original animated instalment. Everything looks so perfect here! The voice performances, Debney’s musical score, visual effects, and direction received critical acclaim. The box office pundits originally predicted it as a big commercial failure. But its huge success forced Disney to bestow more concentration on their future live-action remakes.