A movie based on the Disney Parks ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is apparently in the works - but is it really a good idea? This is far from the first attempt Disney has made at turning original theme park properties into blockbuster films, with Big Thunder Mountain being one of the few Disney has left to adapt. Depending on how Disney handles the film, the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad movie could either be a train wreck or an untapped goldmine.
Disney has reportedly hired Hawkeye and Our Flag Means Death directors Bert and Bertie to helm the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad movie, showing that the company is planning on taking the film very seriously. Disney has adapted other theme park rides in the past with varied results, but massive successes like Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise have proven that these movies can work with the right vision behind them. Surprisingly, this isn't Disney's first attempt at adapting Big Thunder Mountain, as a Big Thunder Mountain show for ABC was in the works in the early 2010s, although this project was eventually scrapped.
On paper, a movie based on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad doesn't sound like a great idea. Previous films based on Disney rides have failed critically, commercially, or both, with some examples being Mission to Mars, The Country Bears, The Haunted Mansion, and Tomorrowland. However, Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise have both been massive successes, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad seems more like these projects than Disney's failures. Like these successes, Big Thunder Mountain is a supernatural adventure period piece, with the potential to start a major franchise. While many of Disney's rides don't seem like they need film adaptations, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is one of the few attractions that really could succeed as a feature-length film.
What Would Big Thunder Mountain's Story Be & Could It Actually Work?
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad actually already has a pretty deep story, but its problematic elements could cause controversy for Disney. According to the Imagineers behind the ride, Big Thunder Mountain was discovered to contain gold sometime in the late 1800s, causing a mining town to pop up (made up of the real-life stores and restaurants surrounding the ride in the various parks). However, after a prolific mining operation was set up, it was discovered that Big Thunder was a sacred spot to Native Americans, who cursed the land and drove the miners out with floods, earthquakes, and more. Although the miners were gone, the cart trains still speed through the mine shafts unmanned, allowing guests at Disney Parks to ride it - if they dare. While a vengeful Native American curse is something Disney would definitely want to stay away from, the idea of a cursed mining town would work perfectly as another supernatural Disney movie based on a theme park ride.
So, with a compelling story, a major studio, and two talented directors behind the film, the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad movie has all the building blocks it needs to become a great movie. However, films like The Haunted Mansion failed despite their massive potential, meaning that the outcome of the Big Thunder Mountain movie is all down to execution. Disney's upcoming Big Thunder Mountain Railroad movie may not sound like the best idea, but it still has the potential to be great.