Disney reportedly has a new princess movie in development, but it comes with a controversial twist that is sure to have fans talking. Disney princess movie remakes have not had much luck in recent years, often being canceled before development begins or failing to find much success after their release. Now, a new take on a classic princess story seems to be in the works with some intriguing twists.
Disney is reportedly developing a movie titled Aurora, a reimagining of the classic Sleeping Beauty. However, according to scooper Daniel Richtman, the film will be set in Mexico, marking a stark departure from the original Sleeping Beauty story.
As of writing, no other details about this movie have been made public. However, the name Aurora originates from France, and the original Sleeping Beauty story is based on a French fairy tale. While Disney has changed the race of leading princess characters in the past (as seen in 2023's The Little Mermaid), this may mark a more significant shift from the original story than what fans have seen in past movies.
Sleeping Beauty was first released in 1959 as Disney's 16th animated feature (many of which have already been remade into live-action). Based on Charles Perrault's 1967 fairy tale, the story follows Princess Aurora after being cursed by Maleficent as a baby to die on her 16th birthday, before a group of three fairies and her true love fight to save her life. This movie is streaming on Disney+.
Will Changes To Sleeping Beauty Work For Fans?
Considering that Sleeping Beauty is based on a French fairy tale, altering the narrative to one set in Mexico may be jarring for fans of the source material. The significant connection here is that Aurora is a name used in both French and Spanish, so Disney may be leveraging this cultural fact to make the story work.
Unfortunately, not all of Disney's live-action remakes have been smooth sailing in terms of production, and a few have not performed well with fans upon release. While some of those issues were not story-related (as viewers saw with the controversy surrounding Snow White), making major changes to stories that fans are so familiar with has not always worked in Disney's favor over the years.
For now, nothing about this movie is confirmed, even its development, as the company works to retool its release schedule for the next few years. Hopefully, even if these changes stick, the media giant will do its best to deliver something that resonates with both old and new fans, while featuring a fresh take on this iconic legacy princess.
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.
