You may have noticed that Disney, not content with the success of its Pixar releases, Marvel movies, or massive Star Wars universe thanks to the Lucasfilm purchase, has started remaking its classic animated films in live-action form. It sort of began with Maleficent, the pricey retelling of the Sleeping Beauty tale from the villain’s point of view with Angelina Jolie taking on leading lady duties. The film was a sizeable success, but instead of continuing to put twists on older films, Disney instead started straight-up remaking them. Cinderella was re-envisioned as a lavish period piece by director Kenneth Branagh; The Jungle Book was brought to life by jaw-dropping visual effects courtesy of director Jon Favreau; Pete’s Dragon got a humanistic update via filmmaker David Lowery; and Beauty and the Beast was a mega-hit, grossing over $1 billion at the box office.
And now, with a winning formula, Disney has a bevy of other live-action adaptations in the works. With so many plates in the air with so many different details to remember, we’ve gone through and curated this here list that runs down the specifics on each and every live-action Disney remake currently in the works. The post will be regularly updated with the most current information, and as more redos are sure to be announced, we’ll be adding those as well.
So, without further ado, let’s get into it.
Cruella
Release Date: May 28, 2021
Director: Craig Gillespie
Writers: Aline Brosh McKenna, Kelly Marcel, Tony McNamara, and Dana Fox
Cast: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Mark Strong
Oscar nominee Emma Stone leads a Cruella de Vil movie aptly named Cruella. The Devil Wears Prada scribe Aline Brosh McKenna was the first to take a crack at the script, and then Saving Mr. Banks and Fifty Shades of Grey writer Kelly Marcel was brought in for a rewrite. The film is described as an 80s-set origin story with a "punk" vibe and I, Tonya filmmaker Craig Gillespie directed. The project wrapped before the COVID-19 shutdown. As of right now, it's targeted for a theatrical release.
The Little Mermaid
Release Date: TBA
Director: Rob Marshall
Writer: Jane Goldman and David Magee
Cast: Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, and Awkwafina
This one has been in the works for a long time but is finally coming together. Rob Marshall, fresh off the success of Disney's Mary Poppins Returns , was selected to direct The Little Mermaid and while Zendaya was previously rumored for the lead role, it was instead announced that singer Halle Bailey is playing Ariel. Meanwhile, Melissa McCarthy is in talks to play villain Ursula, with Jacob Tremblay in line to voice Flounder, Awkwafina set to voice Scuttle, and Daveed Diggs onboard to play Sebastian.
Original songwriter Alan Menken is returning to compose and write songs alongside Hamilton creator and The Little Mermaid superfan Lin-Manuel Miranda, who will also produce. The film will feature iconic songs from the original 1989 movie as well as new original songs. Production was about to begin in London right when the COVID-19 shutdown occurred. There is an untitled Disney live-action film slated for release in December 2021, so that date may be earmarked for this if The Little Mermaid gets completed in time.
Pinocchio
Release Date: TBA on Disney+
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writers: Jack Thorne, Chris Weitz, Simon Farnaby, and Robert Zemeckis
Cast: Tom Hanks
A new version of Pinocchio has been in the works at various studios over the years, with folks like Robert Downey Jr. and Paul Thomas Anderson flirting with various adaptations, but Disney has a live-action version of its own in development. In 2015, Dan in Real Life scribe Peter Hedges came on to pen the screenplay, but Chris Weitz (Rogue One) subsequently came aboard to rewrite the script and produce. Sam Mendes (Skyfall), who was previously attached to James and the Giant Peach, was attached to direct for a while but eventually exited the project.
Paddington and Paddington 2 director Paul Kingentered talks to direct with an eye towards beginning production in 2019, but King fell off the project due to family issues. Now Robert Zemeckis is firmly onboard to direct and co-write the film, and while the cast hasn't yet been set, before King left Tom Hanks was in talks to play Geppetto, and he's now set to reunite with his Forrest Gump and Cast Away director.
The film will be released directly on Disney+ and will skip theaters.
Peter Pan & Wendy
Release Date: TBA on Disney+
Director: David Lowery
Writers: David Lowery and Toby Halbrooks
Cast: Jude Law
Based on the strength of his work in bringing Pete’s Dragon to life, Disney quickly signed filmmaker David Lowery to craft a new take on the Peter Pan story. The project wasn't rushed, but now appears to have gained steam as Jude Law entered talks to play Captain Hook in July 2020, with the film's title revealed to be Peter Pan & Wendy.
The film will be released directly on Disney+ and will skip theaters.
Snow White
Release Date: TBA
Director: Marc Webb
Writer: Erin Cressida Wilson
Cast: TBA
Disney is also developing a live-action update of its first live-action feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson, who penned The Girl on the Train, was set to write the script in October 2016, when it was also announced that La La Land and The Greatest Showman songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul would be writing original songs for the movie. Marc Platt, who produced Into the Woods and the upcoming Wicked, is onboard to produce, and in 2019 Disney set The Amazing Spider-Man filmmaker Marc Webb to direct.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Release Date: TBA
Director : TBA
Writer: David Henry Hwang
Cast: TBA
While this project was announced in January 2019, it has sadly gained new relevance. This Hunchback of Notre Dame will be a new adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel of the same name, reconceived as a full-on musical with music by Stephen Schwartz. Josh Gad is onboard to produce, but no cast has been announced yet as this one is still in the early days of development.
Prince Charming
Release Date: TBA
Director: Stephen Chbosky
Writer: Stephen Chbosky
Cast: TBA
After scripting Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast and finding success as a director on films like The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Wonder, Stephen Chbosky was tapped to spearhead a live-action twist on Prince Charming. The idea is to offer a revisionist take on the character popularized in Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty by telling the story from the point of view of his brother, who never quite lived up to the family name. Chbosky is writing with an eye to direct so while this one isn't greenlit just yet, it's very much in the works.
Robin Hood
Release Date: TBA
Director: Carlos Lopez Estrada
Writer: Kari Granlund
Cast: TBA
A remake of Robin Hood is in the works, but is being developed to debut on the streaming service Disney+. Blindspotting filmmaker Carlos Lopez Estrada is onboard to take the helm, and the project is described as a musical live-action/animation hybrid.
Hercules
Release Date: TBA
Director: TBA
Writer: Dave Callaham
Cast: TBA
This one is in early development, but Avengers: Endgame filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo are producing a new adaptation of Hercules with Dave Callaham (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) writing the screenplay. This is early days, and they don't yet even know if it'll be a musical or not but have teased that it won't be a "literal translation."
Bambi
Release Date: TBA
Director: TBA
Writer: Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Lindsey Beer
Cast: TBA
This project is also early days, but Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Captain Marvel) and Lindsey Beer (Sierra Burgess Is a Loser) are writing the script for a Bambi remake that will employ the photorealistic technology used to bring The Jungle Book and The Lion King to life.
Oliver Twist
Release Date: TBA
Director: Tommy Kail
Writer: TBA
Cast: Ice Cube
So this is a weird one. Disney is developing a new spin on Oliver Twist with Ice Cube starring and producing, and Hamilton director Tommy Kail at the helm. The idea is to put a hip-hop spin on the Charles Dickens story, which was previously turned into the animated feature Oliver and Company. Cube will play fa*gin, but we haven't had an update on this project in years.
James and the Giant Peach
Release Date: TBA
Director: TBA
Writer: Nick Hornby
Cast: TBA
Live-action remakes aren’t relegated solely to 2D-animated films. Indeed, Disney is also developing a new adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic James and the Giant Peach, which was previously turned into a stop-motion animated film. Skyfall and American Beauty director Sam Mendes was in talks to take the helm with novelist/screenwriter Nick Hornby penning the script, but Mendes has subsequently departed the project. It’s unclear if this project is still on Disney's to-do list as we haven't heard an update in some time.
Tink
Release Date: TBA
Director: TBA
Writer: Victoria Strouse
Cast: Reese Witherspoon?
This one has also been in development for some time. A live-action Tinkerbell movie first materialized as a star-vehicle for Elizabeth Banks, but she dropped out due to her busy schedule. Reese Witherspoon was subsequently set to bring Tinkerbell to life with Finding Dory screenwriter Victoria Strouse penning the script, but we haven't had an update on this project in a long while. In the vein of Maleficent, the conceit attempts to tell audiences “the story you don’t know” about the Peter Pan character. It's been a long time since we've heard an update on this one, so it may be dead.
The Sword in the Stone
Release Date: TBA
Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Writer: Bryan Cogman
Cast: TBA
What better excuse for Disney to delve into the fantasy realm than a new version of The Sword in the Stone? There’s not much to go on here just yet aside from Game of Thrones scribe Bryan Cogman penning the screenplay, although we imagine his iteration of Sword in the Stone will feature far less graphic nudity than the HBO series. Most recently, Disney entered talks with 28 Weeks Later helmer Juan Carlos Fresnadillo to direct.
This film is reportedly being eyed to debut on Disney's streaming service, so it may not get a theatrical release.
Lilo and Stitch
Release Date: TBA
Director: TBA
Writer: Mike Van Waes
Cast: TBA
Disney has tapped Aladdin producers Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich to produce a live-action adaptation of the 2002 Disney animated film Lilo and Stitch, marking most recent remake in development at Disney so far. Mike Van Waes, who penned the upcoming Conjuring spinoff The Crooked Man, is on script duties, but no other details are known—including whether this will end up on Disney's streaming service or if it'll get a theatrical release.
