Over the past 10 years,Disneyhas released a number of live-action remakes which have ranged in reception from strong successes to controversial flops, yet weirdly enough, the most popular movies have one thing in common. ThoughDisney has been in the business of live-action remakessince the late 1990s, the trend of making these films didn’t pick up speed until 2015, with the successful release ofCinderella.Since then,Disney has reimagined classics likeThe Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Jungle Book,andMulanto varying degrees of praisethat seemingly follow no real pattern.
The unfortunate truth of the matter is that, regardless of the quality of the films, Disney’s live-action remakes tend to get a bad rap. There are several reasons for this, ranging from resentment about casting decisions to use of CGI. More than anything, though,Disney’s backlash increases whenever one of its movies does poorly.The prime example right now is the controversialSnow White,which was steeped in off-screen drama long before its premiere. Now, followingSnow White’sdismal reception, many are wondering what other details affect the success of Disney’s live-action movies.
Disney’s Most Successful Live-Action Remakes Adapt 90s Animated Movies
Disney’s 90s Remakes Are Big Box Office Earners (Regardless Of Critical Reception)
One interesting fact aboutDisney’s live-action remakesis that the films originally released in the 1990s have tended to do much better at the box office than those that are significantly older. For example, in 2019, Disney released the live-actionThe Lion Kingand the live-actionAladdin.Both movies originally premiered in the 1990s, andboth live-action remakes grossed a massive amount: over $1 billion forAladdinand $978 million forThe Lion King.This far exceeds other Disney live-action remakes from earlier periods. For one,Snow Whitedidn’t even surpass $200 million.
It’s important to note that these 90s live-action remakes have been successful at the box office, but not always in the eyes of critics.Aladdinmay have raked in $1 billion, but its Rotten Tomatoes score is a mediocre 57%. The same goes forThe Lion King,which has a 51%. While these scores aren’t miserable, they do imply that, even at their best, Disney is lacking something. Really,the only 90s live-action remake that has made a solid dent in both the box office and critical reception isThe Little Mermaid,which grossed $569 million and has a 67%.
Disney’s Live-Action Remakes Of Older Animated Movies, Like Snow White, Are Tougher Sells
What Disney Has Done Wrong & Right With Its Older Remakes
Disney’s 90’s live-action remakes have done quite well, but their older remakes have been iffy. True, there have been some definite winners, such as 2010’sAlice in Wonderlandand 2016’sThe Jungle Book.However,more recent films likeDumbo, Pinocchio,andSnow Whitehave left audiences not just disappointed, but frustrated with Disney. All three films received scores lower than 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, andPinocchioandSnow Whitehave been panned as some of Disney’s worst live-action films ever. It may not be a coincidence that all three of these movies premiered in or before 1940.
All of Disney’s live-action remakes have high standards to reach, but classic films likeDumboorSnow Whiteare particularly hard to nail.
All of Disney’s live-action remakes have high standards to reach, but classic films likeDumboorSnow Whiteare particularly hard to nail.Disney has to decide how much of the original story they are going to keep and how much they will updatefor modern audiences. More often than not, these changes can cause backlash. On top of that, all three of these remakes include quite a lot of CGI, which hasn’t settled too well with viewers. The use of hyperrealistic CGI has erased a lot of the magic from movies likeDumbo,making them far less likable.
Why Disney’s Live-Action Remakes Of 90s Movies Are Better Set Up To Succeed
Disney’s 90s Movies Already Have A Modern Flair
Execution aside, Disney’s 90s movies definitely have a leg-up over older films because they’re more accessible.Films likeThe Little MermaidandThe Lion Kingcame out only a few decades ago, so those who watched them as children are still attachedto them and may be interested in showing them to their kids. On the other hand, films likeSnow Whiteare Disney classics, but definitely don’t feel as compelling or relatable as the new stuff. In this way, Disney has a much wider set of audience members for their 90s movies than their 40s ones.
On top of that,Disney’s 90s moviesdon’t need too many changes to feel modern. In bothAladdinandThe Little Mermaid,the lead female characters are opinionated and independent, often making decisions for themselves despite what others demand of them. The same cannot be said forSnow White,whose main wish is to have a prince come and take her away. Disney receives flack for just about any change they make to their original stories, sothe 90s movies benefited from already having more modern leanings, whereasSnow Whiteneeded an overhaulto appeal to 2025 sensibilities.
Disney Still Has Other 90s Animated Movies They Can Do Live-Action Remakes Of
How Disney Can Improve Their 90s Remakes' RT Scores
After the failure ofSnow White,Disney may want to return to their 90s movies. They clearly bring in a lot of box office cash, and at times, have proven to be critical favorites. Fortunately,the company has plenty of options to choose from, includingHercules, The Hunchback of Notre Dame,andTarzan.With incredible music, colorful settings, and compelling stories, any of these movies could make for a successful live-action remake. Currently, Disney is planning on remakingHerculeswith Guy Ritchie as the director. 2025’sLilo & Stitchcould also fall into this 90s category, despite originally premiering in 2002.
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That being said,Disney definitely still has some work to do in terms of making their live-action remakes spectacular. A strong box office performance is a good thing, but it can be marred by less-than-stellar reviews. Therefore, Disney needs to focus on making sure their live-action remakes satisfy the desires of critics and audiences. If the movie is good, then solid box office earnings should naturally follow. Considering the success ofThe Little Mermaid,it is definitely possible for Disney to make their strongest live-action remakes even stronger.
Disney Is Already Starting To Move Past 90s Live-Action Remakes Too
Lilo & Stitch Could Be A Welcome Change For Disney
Disney may have found success in their 90s remakes, but as it stands, the company may be moving onto bigger and better things. Namely,Lilo & Stitchmarks the first 2000s movie that Disney is remaking in live action. More than that, it is being followed up byMoanaandTangled,though the latter may not premiere for a while, since it has been delayed. Regardless, Disney is transitioning into a new era of live-action remakes, which could be a good move, or could be equally disastrous as their previous attempts.
At this point, there is reason to be optimistic. The trailer forLilo & Stitchlooks quite promising, with the CGI settling into a solid mix of realism and animation. If this movie ends up doing well in May 2025, thenDisney could be on the road to redemption post-Snow White.Moanaand whatever comes next will also have to be good, but for now, havingLilo & Stitchbe a win could be enough. Hopefully,Disneycan turn its live-action remakes around.
