What’s Next for Disney Live-Action Films

Not only has Disney released a multitude of classic TV shows and animated films, but it has also released many live-action films as well. These types of live-action films include original storylines and remakes too. In fact, some live-action films have been remakes in which popular animated characters come to life.

As many Disney fans know, Mulan was among the latest animated Disney films to release a live-action edition. The new movie was released on Disney Plus on September 4th. That is the most recent one though. And The Jungle Book was among the first Disney animated films to get a live-action edition. That version was released all the way back in 1994.

After that, other films like 101 and 102 Dalmatians followed, along with Alice in Wonderland in 2010. However, things picked up in 2014 when animated film remakes from Disney were seemingly being released every year. This includes Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo, The Lion King, and Aladdin. Many of those films performed well in the box office as well, getting hundreds of millions of dollars.

With all the success these live-action remakes have gotten, are any other popular animated Disney characters going to get their own live-action film? The short answer is yes!

One upcoming film in the crime/adventure genre is Cruella. It centers around a younger Cruella de Vil. And is set as a prequel film to give viewers a background of how she became the antagonist who is after the dalmatians’ fur in 101 Dalmatians. Cruella will be played by popular actress Emma Stone. And the film has a scheduled release date of May 28, 2021.

As of this writing, Cruella is the only live-action Disney film remake that has a scheduled release date and has wrapped up filming. There are quite a few other live-action films set to release by Disney. But not all the details have been combed out yet, such as release date, doing the filming, and even casting actors/actresses.

In the musical/fantasy genre, The Little Mermaid will be getting a live-action edition. Ariel will be played by actress Hallie Bailey, who is also known as Sky Forster in the Freeform sitcom Grown-ish. In addition, actress Melissa McCarthy has been linked to play Ursula, a sea witch who is the antagonist.

Unlike Mulan, which only has instrumental versions of the songs from the animated film, The Little Mermaid will feature songs from the animated version and some new ones were also reported to be crafted for this film too! With the COVID-19 pandemic delaying many productions and release dates, it remains to be seen when this film will finally release, though it could be over a year away. A report in Radio Times specified a potential release slot could be November 19th of next year.

There are quite a few other Disney live-action films that could release. But they are still only in pre-production or developmental stages as of now. In the next few years, fans could also be treated to live-action film editions of Peter Pan, Pinnochio, Lilo & Stitch (will release on Disney Plus), Bambi, Hercules, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and more!