Over the past 10 years, Disney has 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. Though Disney has been in the business of live-action remakes since the late 1990s, the trend of making these films didn’t pick up speed until 2015, with the successful release of Cinderella. Since then, Disney has reimagined classics like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Jungle Book, and Mulan to varying degrees of praise that 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 controversial Snow White, which was steeped in off-screen drama long before its premiere. Now, following Snow White’s dismal 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 about Disney’s live-action remakes is 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-action The Lion King and the live-action Aladdin. Both movies originally premiered in the 1990s, and both live-action remakes grossed a massive amount: over $1 billion for Aladdin and $978 million for The Lion King. This far exceeds other Disney live-action remakes from earlier periods. For one, Snow White didn’t even surpass $200 million.
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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. Aladdin may have raked in $1 billion, but its Rotten Tomatoes score is a mediocre 57%. The same goes for The 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 is The 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’s Alice in Wonderland and 2016’s The Jungle Book. However, more recent films like Dumbo, Pinocchio, and Snow White have left audiences not just disappointed, but frustrated with Disney. All three films received scores lower than 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Pinocchio and Snow White have 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 like Dumbo or Snow White are particularly hard to nail.
All of Disney’s live-action remakes have high standards to reach, but classic films like Dumbo or Snow White are particularly hard to nail. Disney has to decide how much of the original story they are going to keep and how much they will update for 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 like Dumbo, 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 like The Little Mermaid and The Lion King came out only a few decades ago, so those who watched them as children are still attached to them and may be interested in showing them to their kids. On the other hand, films like Snow White are 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 movies don’t need too many changes to feel modern. In both Aladdin and The 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 for Snow 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, so the 90s movies benefited from already having more modern leanings, whereas Snow White needed an overhaul to 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 of Snow 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, including Hercules, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Tarzan. 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 remaking Hercules with Guy Ritchie as the director. 2025’s Lilo & Stitch could also fall into this 90s category, despite originally premiering in 2002.
|
Every Upcoming Disney Live-Action Remake |
Release Date |
|---|---|
|
Lilo & Stitch |
May 23, 2025 |
|
Moana |
July 10, 2026 |
|
Hercules |
TBA |
|
Robin Hood |
TBA |
|
The Aristocats |
TBA |
|
Bambi |
TBA |
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 of The 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 & Stitch marks the first 2000s movie that Disney is remaking in live action. More than that, it is being followed up by Moana and Tangled, 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 for Lilo & Stitch looks quite promising, with the CGI settling into a solid mix of realism and animation. If this movie ends up doing well in May 2025, then Disney could be on the road to redemption post-Snow White. Moana and whatever comes next will also have to be good, but for now, having Lilo & Stitch be a win could be enough. Hopefully, Disney can turn its live-action remakes around.
