Disney is rumored to be remaking a fan-favorite 1990s musical into a live-action adventure. Disney's animated movies continue to dominate streaming charts to this day, and some of the company's live-action remakes achieved the same success on streaming platforms and at the box office. As the company looks for new ways to keep its place near the top of the entertainment world, one classic movie is reportedly being considered for a comeback.
A new rumor indicated that Disney's upcoming live-action remake of the 1997 animated Hercules movie will be a musical. As reported by scooper Daniel Richtman, while the film "might still be about Hades" rather than the original titular hero, directors Joe and Anthony Russo plan for this to be a remake, in the same vein as the original animated feature.
While many of Disney's recent live-action remakes are musicals, as were the movies on which they were based, this is not the case across the board. The news should also come as a relief for Hercules fans, as the original film has half a dozen songs created for it that remain popular to this day, including "Zero to Hero," "Go the Distance," and "A Star is Born."
Disney is reportedly in early development on a live-action remake of 1997's Hercules, marking the studio's next live-action remake after entries like 2025's Lilo & Stitch and Snow White. Joe and Anthony Russo, known for their work on Community and multiple MCU movies, are set to produce the film, and Aladdin's Guy Ritchie is in line to direct, but no cast members are attached as of writing. There is no release or production timeframe for Disney's live-action Hercules film.
Why Live-Action Hercules Should Be a Musical
While fans have had mixed reactions to many of Disney's live-action remakes, the studio's musicals have usually performed well by one metric or another. In recent memory, remakes that have stayed true to the spirit of their original counterparts while delivering great music have come to the front of the pack in terms of praise.
Having the Russo Brothers and Guy Ritchie involved should be positive signs, at least in the early stages. The Russos are known for their passion for bringing stories to life based on alternate sources (as fans hope to see with their work on Avengers: Secret Wars), and Ritchie already has one successful remake under his belt after his work with Mena Massoud and Will Smith on 2019's Aladdin.
While the news that Hercules is a musical is exciting, the public still has only minimal information about what this remake will bring to the table. Particularly since it is one of Disney's biggest hits from the '90s, fans wonder what may become of the Olympian demigod and his battle with the Lord of the Underworld, Hades.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
