Disney is completely changing the way it is creating its live-action films, abandoning a strategy that the company has used for many years now, as a new era is ushered in for the entertainment giant. No one can argue that Disney is one of the most successful brands of all time, across any category. The House of Mouse is responsible for creating some of the most influential films of all time, both in live-action and in animation, and is at the top of the food chain in the theme park industry. However, Disney isn't perfect, and sometimes formulas don't yield the results many want them to, which is apparently what happened with the company's live-action movies.
With Disney's slate of upcoming live-action films, it is clear that Disney has completely abandoned its strategy for live-action movies, where they are essentially shot-for-shot remakes of classic animated titles. Starting sixteen years ago with 2010's Alice In Wonderland and followed up by films like Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, and Moana, the studio's live-action theatrical adaptations were all extremely similar to the original animated movies they were based on. In the future, Disney is going a different route.
Specifically, Disney is no longer creating these remakes of classic animated movies. Instead, the company will take those cherished stories and instead turn them into adaptations with different angles or new creative directions. In other words, the live-action versions of the animated stories will likely be set in the same locations and deal with the same characters, but the story will be different enough for the movies to feel fresh, so fans won't be watching something they are already familiar with.
Disney already has a few movies lined up for the near future that will test this new strategy out. For example, Dan Trachtenberg is developing a brand-new live-action film with Disney based on the classic Sleeping Beauty film. It is not going to adapt the events of that title, but will instead take those characters and the story in a completely different direction.
Similarly, Colman Domingo is co-writing a script for a live-action movie centered around Tiana. The movie is not going to be a remake of The Princess and the Frog. Instead, it has been described as more of a spin-off of that film, focusing on Tiana's family, adventure, and the culture of Mardi Gras and New Orleans.
Additionally, Disney is developing a movie about Gaston, the egotistical antagonist from Beauty and the Beast. Once again, this is not going to be a retelling of the events from that animated movie from Gaston's point of view, as it is set to explore Gaston at an earlier point in his life, similar to how Cruella portrayed Cruella de Vil.
Another live-action movie that is in the works at Disney is called Stepsisters, which is set to tell the story of Cinderella's evil stepsisters, who were prominent antagonists in the classic Disney princess tale. Like the other examples, this is not simply going to rehash the events of Cinderella in live-action, but will offer a new perspective on the established characters.
So, it is clear that Disney is abandoning its strategy for live-action films, and many fans are surely wondering why the company would make a decision like that. While Disney started off rather strong with its remakes (Alladin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King were all extremely successful, more recently, those pure remakes have not yielded the profits that Disney looks for with its films.
For example, Snow White grossed $205 million on a $271 million budget, making it one of the biggest box office flops of the modern era. Similarly, the live-action Moana film grossed $323 million on a $250 million budget. After taking marketing costs and theater percentages into the mix, Disney didn't even make its money back for that film.
So, it seems as though Disney feels that creative spins on some of these classic tales would be more profitable and more enjoyable for general audiences. That could be the case, but it could also end up backfiring, and only time will tell.
It is worth noting that Disney does have a direct remake of a classic movie set to be released in 2028. That film will be Tangled, which will star Teagan Croft as Rapunzel, Milo Manheim as Flynn Rider, and Kathryn Hahn as Mother Gothel. It will essentially be a shot-for-shot live-action remake of the animated Tangled movie, which was released in 2010.
Notably, Tangled was already in development before this strategy change at Disney, so that could be one reason the company is still moving forward with making that film. However, development was put on hold after Snow White's abysmal box office performance, seemingly indicating that Disney was re-evaluating Tangled and making sure it wanted to continue telling the same story that was told in the animated movie.
Disney ended up making the decision to keep Tangled a direct remake, likely due to fans voicing their support for the project. Essentially, the vast majority of Disney lovers approved of the casting choices, and Tangled is already one of the most beloved stories in Disney's library. More or less, it seems as though fans don't understand how Disney could mess the film up, so it is receiving a lot of support. Therefore, Disney most likely feels as though it will have a strong box office performance.
However, that is the only exception regarding Disney's new live-action movie strategy. Essentially, everything else in the works will act as a spin-off of one of the classic tales or will focus on a familiar character from a different point in their life.
Will Disney's New Movie Strategy Hurt or Help the Brand?
Obviously, with Disney now trying something it never has before with its live-action movies, everyone will be wondering if they will be successful, and if Disney will be restored to its former glory.
The answer is a rather simple one, as it all boils down to whether the stories these movies are telling will be compelling or not. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't necessarily matter what character a movie centers around, or if a movie takes a concept fleshed out in a past project and puts a different spin on it. If the script isn't strong, the final product is not going to be received well.
Disney could take its most beloved character and cast the most well-respected actor in the role, but if the script was weak and that character's arc was poorly written, fans would tear it down. However, Disney could also craft a movie about a brand-new character and cast someone in their debut role who no one knows, but if the script was good, fans would praise it.
Therefore, it all boils down to the story. In the past, Disney experimented with creating live-action projects where they took characters or a past concept and put a bit of a spin on it. In some cases, it worked, while it failed in others.
For instance, Mufasa: The Lion King had an extremely strong box office performance after it had a rather weak opening. For the most part, fans thought the story being told was a compelling one. Therefore, that movie is proof that Disney's new strategy can work and be successful.
However, in the case of something like Mulan, which also took the classic animated story and changed a majority of the details (just like Disney is doing with some of its upcoming movies that were mentioned), it was not received well, largely because, as mentioned, the story was weak and felt thrown together.
Therefore, it really boils down to whether Disney makes sure these stories are crafted the way they should be. If the scripts are well-written and compelling, Disney could enter another golden age. If they are not, Disney could find itself in a bit of trouble.
