Live-action remakes have taken the animation industry by storm in recent years. Disney's first was Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book (1994), a moderately successful rendition of the popular 1967 movie. However, the same can't be said for every Disney remake — 101 Dalmatians (1996), Aladdin (2019), and The Lion King (2019) were criticized as tasteless updates.
Live-action remakes tend to be unpredictable, especially if they deviate too much from the original script. On the other hand, reimagining animation through a photorealistic lens allows viewers to experience their beloved classics from a different perspective. Remaking animated movies doesn't always work, but there are a few Disney films that merit an attempt.
10 Treasure Planet (2002) Would Look Rather Impressive As A Live-Action Feature
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R.L. Stevenson's Treasure Island (1883) has been adapted dozens of times — movies, TV shows, theater productions, radio broadcasts, comic books, video games, and so on. Disney's Treasure Planet shifts the setting of the original novel to a "beautifully rendered vision of outer space."
Critics enjoyed the animated adaptation, praising "the artful way it combines the futuristic and the retro. Treasure Planet would certainly look impressive in live-action, particularly with the advanced cinematographic techniques floating around 2020s Hollywood.
9 The Fox And The Hound (1981) Deserves A Live-Action Adaptation, Even If It Means Extra CGI
The Fox and the Hound can be watched by viewers of any age. Despite a heartbreakingly poignant narrative and sympathetic characters, this animated drama was initially panned by reviewers, who called it a "relentlessly cheery, old-fashioned sort of Disney cartoon feature."
Retrospective reviews have been much kinder to the film, writing that it "develops into a thoughtful examination of friendship" that can be viewed as "an important lesson for younger audiences." Converting The Fox and the Hound to live-action will require considerable more CGI than a movie with real actors, but it's certainly a worthwhile endeavor.
8 Moana (2016) Can Retain Dwayne Johnson And Auli'i Cravalho In The Live-Action Adaptation
Moana, starring the vocal talents of Auli'i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson, is the first Disney film depicting Polynesian traditions and culture. The movie was a stupendous success at the box office and earned two Oscar nominations. Moana's "dazzling visuals, catchy tunes, enjoyable performances, clever running gags and overall sense of fun" are reminiscent of the Disney Renaissance.
Moana forges her own path through the vastness of the ocean, or to quote Variety, "her journey is about finding herself, not landing a husband." The live-action version of this film can retain many of its voice actors, including the two leads.
7 Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) Can Fix Its Character Development Issues In A Live-Action Version
Directed by Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale, Atlantis: The Lost Empire stars an ensemble voice cast including Michael J. Fox, John Mahoney, Cree Summer, Leonard Nimoy, and James Garner. The movie revolves around the myth of Atlantis, a fabled city located somewhere along the Atlantic Ocean bed.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire underperformed at the box office, allegedly due to competition from Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Shrek. The story's "fast-paced spectacle" failed to camouflage its limited character development, something a live-action adaptation might be able to fix.
6 Tangled (2010) Would Work As A Live-Action Adaptation, As Long As It Maintains Its Old-Fashioned Disneyness
Tangled is roughly based on the Brothers Grimm's Rapunzel, although the movie deviates from the folk tale at several notable points in the narrative. Interestingly, Disney "changed the name" from Rapunzel "to the gender-neutral Tangled," in a bid to expand its marketing base and attract a wider audience.
With a production budget of $260 million, Tangled is likely the most expensive animated feature of all time. Critics applauded the movie for taking a jab at "the Dreamworks style of sitcom gags and anachronistic sass." The live-action version might just work, as long as it doesn't sacrifice the "unmistakable quality of old-fashioned Disneyness" present in the 2010 film.
5 The Princess And The Frog (2009) Could Star Letitia Wright And Dev Patel As Tiana And Naveen, Respectively
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The Princess and the Frog, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, is set during the 1920s in New Orleans. Unlike The Frog Prince by the Brothers Grimm, the curse in this story backfires on Tiana because she isn't a princess by blood.
The Princess and the Frog has obtained acclaim for "uphold[ing] the great tradition of classic Disney animation," and for "break[ing] the color barrier for Disney princesses." Casting the live-action adaptation is simple enough — Letitia Wright as Tiana and Dev Patel as Prince Naveen fit the bill.
4 The Emperor's New Groove (2000) Live-Action Feature Starring Marcel Ruiz And Rita Moreno Already Sounds Delightful
The Emperor's New Groove is riotously funny, gorgeously designed, and reminds viewers "that the classic cartoon look is a beloved style of its own." With a flawless voice cast containing the legendary Eartha Kitt as Yzma and Patrick Warburton as the adorably oafish Kronk, The Emperor's New Groove is a stunningly authentic accomplishment for Disney.
The Emperor's New Groove has a narrative rhythm reminiscent of Looney Tunes animators Tex Avery and Chuck Jones, making it more farcical than most Disney movies. Marcel Ruiz and Rita Moreno are the ideal choices for live-action Kuzco and Yzma — the actors already share a heartwarming dynamic on One Day at a Time.
3 Merida's Fiery Personality And Rebellious Streak In Brave (2012) Are Inspirational Enough To Remake A Live-Action Version Of Her Story
Brave follows Merida, a Scottish warrior from the fictional kingdom of DunBroch. Loosely based on director Brenda Chapman's daughter, Merida is officially the first Pixar-made Disney Princess. The movie won Best Animated Feature at both the Oscars and the Golden Globes.
Since Brave's storyline is heavily skewed towards young viewers, "parents will be disappointed if they're hoping for another Pixar groundbreaker." Nevertheless, Merida's fiery personality and rebellious streak are inspirational enough to remake a live-action version of her story.
2 The Live-Action Adaptation Of The Black Cauldron (1985) Could Expand On The Chronicles Of Prydain
The Black Cauldron takes place in the fictional kingdom of Prydain, and centers around a magical cauldron with the power to create an army of dead, nigh-invulnerable warriors. Princess Eilonwy, Taran, Gurgi, and Fflewddur Fflam go on a life-changing journey to save the world from the malevolent Horned King.
The Black Cauldron was particularly acclaimed for "the richness of its characterizations," with reviewers referring to the film as "a technological work of art." The movie narrative comprises events that take place in The Book of Three (1964) and The Black Cauldron (1965), the first two installments in Lloyd Alexander's pentalogy. A live-action adaptation could incorporate all five novels.
1 Live-Action Pocahontas (1995) Demands A Cast Filled With Native American Actors
Pocahontas is a romance-heavy retelling based on the experiences of its titular protagonist with colonists from England. The film won two Oscars, and went on to inspire strong female heroes like Fa Mulan and Elsa of Arendelle. Pocahontas had a few exceptionally harsh detractors, who complained that it "perpetuate[d] a dishonest and self-serving myth at the expense of the Powhatan Nation."
At the same time, critics applauded the movie's "progressive attitude when it came to interpreting history." A live-action remake of Disney's Pocahontas demands a cast filled with Native American actors — Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs is an excellent option for the lead role.