Disney has been making live-action remakes for years now, meaning that they are starting to run out of their animated classics. Disney owns some of the most iconic animated movies of all time, which has caused some of their remakes to be massive box office successes. Unfortunately, the well of live-action remakes is starting to run dry, meaning that there are only a few popular classics that they haven’t remade yet.
For this list, we will only focus on movies made before 2010, as that is primarily where Disney has been pulling from when making live-action films. On top of that, the movies have to lend themselves to a live-action remake, meaning that movies like Chicken Little and Robin Hood won’t be on the list. Even with these criteria, there are still seven great candidates for Disney live-action remakes, and here they are, from least exciting to most exciting.
A live-action remake of The Fox and the Hound could work perfectly, as it would have two adorable live-action animals to market itself on. While the film isn’t Disney’s most popular franchise, it is still a great movie that is fondly remembered by children of the ’80s. Even if a live-action remake couldn’t add much to the original, it is still one of the better choices from Disney’s remaining filmography.
There have been countless Tarzan movies throughout the years, but if Disney remade its animated film in live-action, it would easily be the biggest one yet. 1999’s Tarzan was a major critical and commercial hit, and Disney has already proven that it can remake movies that feature a mix of humans and talking animals with The Jungle Book. While the Tarzan rights might be what’s holding this one back, it would still be a blast to see.
2009’s The Princess and the Frog was one of Disney’s last traditionally animated films. It was a return to tradition, hearkening back to the hand-drawn animated films of the Disney Renaissance. Unfortunately, it hasn’t had as much staying power as similar franchises like Tangled and Frozen. However, it is perfectly suited for a live-action remake, and a remake combined with the film’s theme park presence could easily put The Princess and the Frog in the spotlight once again.
Movies based on King Arthur always have potential, and luckily, Disney has one of their own. The Sword in the Stone tells the story of a young Arthur, his friendship with Merlin, and his path to becoming king. The film could easily be made into a live-action remake, and while one has been in various stages of development for years, The Sword in the Stone isn’t moving forward as of the writing of this article.
While most of Disney’s live-action remakes have been fairy tales, Atlantis: The Lost Empire would give Disney an epic sci-fi blockbuster. Atlantis has become a cult classic, meaning that it has more box office potential than the original film, but it would still be risky for Disney. However, if the remake is a success, it could easily become a franchise with tons of sequels telling original stories set in the Atlantis universe.
Treasure Planet is always brought up in conversations about potential Disney live-action remakes. The epic sci-fi fantasy story is perfect for a modern Disney blockbuster, as a remake can further bring the world of the film to life. Treasure Planet has great action scenes and tons of comedy, making it fit the mold of many of Disney’s modern live-action movies. Unfortunately, a remake would be incredibly risky for Disney, as Treasure Planet was famously a box office bomb.
Of all of Disney’s animated classics, The Hunchback of Notre Dame seems like the one most well-suited for a great Disney live-action remake. The film is a musical, meaning that it can bank its marketing on recognizable songs from the original film. There are still all kinds of source material and other Hunchback adaptations to pull from if the film wants to expand its story, as most other Disney remakes have. Plus, the film was popular in the 1990s, but is less popular now, meaning that Disney could introduce The Hunchback of Notre Dame to a whole new audience.
What makes a live-action Hunchback remake so exciting is that it could really lean into the dark tone of the original film. Compared to other Disney Renaissance movies, Hunchback told a fairly mature story. Unfortunately, the fact that it was a Disney cartoon caused it to have major tonal issues due to overly comedic scenes with the gargoyles and the goat. A Hunchback of Notre Dame remake can actually improve on this, as, unlike other movies that Disney has remade, this one isn’t a near-perfect film.
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