For decades, Walt Disney Studios has released live-action reimaginings of classic films, from the 90s’ “The Jungle Book” and “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” to recent retellings like “Mulan” and "The Little Mermaid”. While these films generate millions in box office revenue, debate continues over whether they should be made at all.

Breakdown of upcoming releases

Disney has several live action remakes in the works, though there are five that seem to be discussed widely across social media.

Disney’s next live action remake is “Snow White,” which is slated for release on March 21. Headlining the film is Rachel Zegler, who is bringing a new take to the story of “Snow White” as the first Latina actress to play the titular role. 

Next up, on May 23, is “Lilo and Stitch.” The film is set to follow the same plot line as the 2002 original. Chris Sanders is also reprising his role as the voice of the fan-favorite Stitch, a character he created.

Following that, the live action reimagining of “Moana” is set to release on July 10, 2026. Filming for this film just wrapped in November, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is set to play the character of Maui, the same character he voiced in the 2016 original as well as its 2024 sequel.

Remakes of “Hercules” and “Tangled” have also been announced, with Joe Russo, a producer on “Hercules,” saying that “Tik Tok will serve as an inspiration for the film.” 

However, both of these films are in the early stages of production, so there is no set release date at this time.

Viewer opinions

While these live action remakes are usually guaranteed to make the studio a solid profit, many fans are expressing some disappointment in live action films. Wright State University student, Miranda Stidham, discussed this.

While Stidham did express an excitement for live action retellings of classic stories, she also said, “I am sad that it seems like Disney has started to focus more on remakes than making new movies.”

Adjunct Professor Bobby Morgan also expressed some disappointment towards the issue.

“[Disney] is opting to not fund the production of an original film that could potentially stand beside the likes of ‘Snow White,’ ‘Lilo and Stitch,’ ‘Moana,’ ‘Hercules,’ and ‘Tangled’ as a cherished classic,” Morgan said. 

Morgan found this discouraging, especially when there are so many original stories being told by our own WSU students in the Motion Pictures department.

There is also some discussion around how much these live action films should imitate the originals, something Jacob Smith brought up.

Smith admitted that he is “generally a bit skeptical about the quality of live action remakes,” and that he “would want a live action remake to be an adaptation or new look at an animated film that plays to live film’s strengths, rather than a complete rehash of an already existing story in a new medium.”

With that being said, Morgan also mentioned a similar idea.

Morgan stated that, when discussing the live action films with colleagues or friends, “the overwhelming response is that they loved how the movie reminded them of the original film…[and] not that they loved the remake in and of itself.”

Both Smith and Morgan point out that Disney seems to be opting for “guaranteed hits” that are sure to make the studio some money.

While people seem to be frustrated that Disney is not leaning towards original films as much as they used to, there was some interest in certain announced projects, with Stidham voicing an interest in a live action “Tangled.” 

“‘Tangled’ was the start of my love for the genre of romance [and] I think the scene with the lanterns will be so magical in a live action version,” Stidham said.

Morgan and Smith, however, expressed an interest in “Hercules,” with Morgan making reference to the original 1997 classic.

“‘Hercules’ was the most uniquely visually-stylized, and relied heavily on then-current pop culture references,” Morgan said, while also voicing an interest in seeing how the famous social media platform, Tik Tok, will inspire the visuals of the remake.

Will Disney benefit from remaking such beloved classics? Or will audiences choose to watch these adaptations on Disney Plus for no additional cost? The debate is far from over.