In recent years, Disney has been on a journey to bring its animated classics to life. This trend has not only captured the attention of audiences all around the world but also shown Disney’s ability to combine classics with modern filmmaking technology. In this article, we are going to dive into live-action remakes, exploring their budgets, characters, and storylines.
Cinderella (2015)
Directed by Kenneth Branagh, “Cinderella” was one of Disney’s first live-action remakes. With a budget of approximately $95 million, the film starred Lily James as Cinderella and Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother. The storyline remained similar to the original, with a few modern changes. The visual and beautiful costume designs, particularly Cinderella’s iconic ball gown, were things that grabbed the attention of audiences, making the film a success.
The Jungle Book (2016)
Jon Favreau’s “The Jungle Book” combines live-action with CGI. With a budget of around $175 million, the film brought Rudyard Kipling’s characters to life. Neel Sethi played Mowgli, the human boy raised by wolves, while the voices of Bill Murray (Baloo), Ben Kingsley (Bagheera), and Idris Elba (Shere Khan) were the voices of the animal characters. The storyline follows Mowgli’s journey of trying to find out about himself. This film stayed true to the spirit of the original while adding visual effects that earned the film an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
Beauty and the Beast (2017)
“Beauty and the Beast,” directed by Bill Condon, had a budget of approximately $160 million. Emma Watson starred as Belle, and Dan Stevens played as the Beast. The film followed the original animated storyline, in which Belle’s love breaks the curse that transformed the prince into a beast. The musical numbers were a standout. The songs in this film were also amazing. The film grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide.
Aladdin (2019)
Guy Ritchie’s “Aladdin” brought the vibrant world of Agrabah to life with a budget of around $183 million. Mena Massoud played Aladdin, Naomi Scott was Jasmine, and Will Smith took on the iconic role of the Genie. The film followed the original story, with Aladdin using the magic lamp to win Jasmine’s heart and defeat the evil Jafar. The live-action version went more into detail about Jasmine’s character, showing her desire to lead her people. The colorful sets, amazing music, and Smith’s performance as the Genie made the film a hit, grossing over $1 billion globally. This was my personal favorite.
The Lion King (2019)
Directed by Jon Favreau, “The Lion King” was a remake with a budget of approximately $260 million. This film used a lot of photorealistic CGI. The film featured an amazing voice cast, including Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé as Nala, and James Earl Jones retaking his role as Mufasa. The storyline mirrored the original, following Simba’s journey from a cub to the king of the Lands. The visual effects were impressive, though the film received mixed reviews for its lack of emotional expression in the animal characters. Nevertheless, it was a box office win, earning over $1.6 billion worldwide.
These live-action remakes have demonstrated Disney’s ability to create remakes while honoring their classic tales. By investing and technology, it is safe to say that Disney has successfully reintroduced these classic stories to a new generation, ensuring that the magic endures for years to come.
