Disney is set on remaking many of its most popular films. With movies like Lady and the Tramp and Aladdin on the way, it begs the question: how many more of its old movies will get the live-action treatment?
RELATED: 15 Couples That Hurt Disney Movies (And 10 That Saved Them)
On the subject, there are a few Disney classics that could benefit from the remake treatment. This would give Disney the chance to capitalize on the potential that wasn't fully realized in their original release. However, plenty of Disney's movies shouldn't be touched, as they were made for animation and thrived in that style. To try and thrust them all into live-action would almost feel disrespectful to their legacies.
10. WANT: ROBIN HOOD
Robin Hood was a cute movie, filled with whimsical charm and colorful characters. However, it had some issues in pacing and some of its plot elements were a bit too ridiculous and felt tonally inconsistent with the rest of the film.
Not only would a "live-action" remake breathe new life into this story, but seeing the animal/human hybrid characters imagined with CGI would look stunning, making it worth a ticket if only for the novelty. It would also be an opportunity to clean up the plot and potentially tell a more mature story than the first time. Just keep Whistle Stop at the beginning.
9. DON'T WANT: THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Disney has expressed interest in giving The Nightmare Before Christmas the live-action treatment. The problem with that is the movie was so good and memorable because of its stop-motion animation. To adapt it into a CGI explosion with a blend of real people in bad makeup would take away the charm that was present in the film.
Furthermore, there isn't a lot that needs to be changed in The Nightmare Before Christmas. The movie succeeded in just about everything it tried to achieve. A live-action remake would just feel like retreading old territory at this point. It would be a big cash grab too.
8. WANT: THE RESCUERS
The Rescuers was a cute movie about a team of mice who were tasked with a mission. While it might be difficult to portray CGI characters as the protagonists (it's not as easy to convey emotion or make them relatable), there's some potential with a movie like The Rescuers.
RELATED: Myers-Briggs® Personality Types Of Toy Story Characters
There is a human character heavily featured in the movie, so it wouldn't be that difficult to alter perspectives a bit. Furthermore, it's the kind of adventure that would be visually stunning to see unfold in more realistic sets. Seeing Bernard and Miss Bianca riding an albatross with a sunset blazing in the background would be a beautiful shot for the trailer.
7. DON'T WANT: THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE
The Emperor's New Groove is one of Disney's best movies. Bar none. It's clever, interesting, and has a moral lesson without beating viewers over the head with it. Let's be real for a moment: Kuzco as a talking llama would not work as a CGI character. He is dynamic and expressive, and the 2D animation properly conveyed that.
CGI wouldn't give Kuzco the range of expression without it looking ridiculous. The movie likely wouldn't be a shot-for-shot remake, but when the original is so good, why change it and effectively make the final product worse? There's just no reason to touch this one.
6. WANT: THE BLACK CAULDRON
The Black Cauldron is a dark Disney movie, and it's no secret why it didn't do so well with critics. However, a live-action remake is another chance to give this cult movie the chance it deserves.
There are two ways to go about it: either lighten the entire story and change things around to fit that or lean into the darker elements and make more like a horror film. We're not talking making it pseudo-dark like Maleficent, but to fully lean into its tone one way or the other. That way, people know what they're getting into the moment they walk into the theater.
5. DON'T WANT: SWORD IN THE STONE
Sword in the Stone is Disney's version of the King Arthur story. The reason we don't need a remake of it is not that the movie is so untouchable, but more because of how many film adaptations of that myth there already are. If Disney remade it, it would immediately fall in the category of King Arthur movies, none of which have been particularly good.
RELATED: Ranked: The Most Heartbreaking Disney Films Of All Time
Furthermore, if Disney just follows the mold of the movie, it wouldn't be that good, thus giving almost no reason that the movie should be touched at all. It's a goofy children's movie and nothing more, and it should probably stay that way.
4. WANT: HERCULES
Hercules is an entertaining movie that has a few flaws, which gives it some potential when it comes to a live-action remake. It was interesting to see how Disney portrayed Roman gods in a way that was suitable for a children's film. However, a live-action remake could send them back to the drawing board with how to portray that side of mythology.
With a likable actor in the central role, it could be exciting to see how Pegasus, Phil, and Hades all look when given special effects and makeup. The battle at the end with the titans could look particularly stunning.
3. DON'T WANT: THE ARISTOCATS
The Aristocats is a fat and funky movie about how two cats from different walks of life end up together while a crazed butler tries to get rid of them all. There's a lot of charm and fun with a movie like this that would likely be gone if it were given the "live-action" treatment.
The majority of the characters (save for the one or two important humans) would all be recreated with CGI (they could use real animals, but the problem still stands). Imagine Thomas O'Malley without his suave facial expressions or cocky demeanor. Imagine Duchess' kittens without the spiteful looks they share with each other. Imagine the jazz group without their wacky movements.
2. WANT: POCAHONTAS
Pocahontas is a movie that was criticized for being historically inaccurate and having some less-than-desirable depictions of certain ethnic groups. If Disney were to give a movie a live-action remake, it's arguable that this should be the one it attempts.
There were notable flaws that could be corrected with a second attempt. For starters, Disney could make the movie more accurate, showing the titular character as she would've appeared rather than as an idealized woman. The animal friends could go through some much-needed changes themselves. Overall, a remake of this film is an opportunity to right Disney's wrongs.
1. DON'T WANT: THE FOX AND THE HOUND
The Fox and the Hound is both a heartbreaking yet beloved tale about a fox and a dog being best friends and then nature drawing them away from each other. While the movie is not perfect, Disney seemed to be firing on all cylinders when making it. It's simple yet effective, leading to moments where there was not a dry tear in the audience.
Not only would a live-action remake be another one of those situations where main characters would have to be realistic CGI models that can't emote as well as 2D animation, but there's no reason to retread this tale.