For the past decade, Disney has been reinterpreting their well-known animated classics and turning them into live-action movies. Starting out as a mere experiment turned into a trend. Still, as the studio moves ahead with projects like a live-action version of Tangled and a new live-action Tinkerbell series, the reaction to these adaptations has been an overwhelming mix of popularity and divisiveness.
The Strategy Behind Disney’s Live-Action Era
Starting with movies like Cinderella in the 2010s, these remakes were aimed at attracting a new generation of viewers while using nostalgia to engage older audiences as well, and because Disney already had an established audience, the model was initially seen to be very successful. However, with the excessive amounts of live-action films produced, there have been some films that have struggled critically, financially, or both, while others have amassed billions at the box office.
When the Formula Works—and When It Doesn’t
The release of Snow White showed very plainly the unpredictability of Disney’s live-action approach. Although the remake had a high production budget and high expectations, it fell short in terms of earnings and was not received well by critics.
Reportedly, the financial failure of the movie caused Disney to rethink some of its future remake projects, but since there were already certain projects in motion, they will continue production, like the Tangled live-action film.
Rapunzel’s Return
According to reports about the live-action Tangled remake, Michael Gracey—most known for his work on The Greatest Showman—will be directing the film, and Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, known for Thor: Love and Thunder, will be writing the script.
It’s also been announced that Teagan Croft, who is no stranger to live-action remakes, as she has played Raven in the live-action remake of Teen Titans, will be playing Rapunzel. As well as new Disney It-boy Milo Manheim, who is set to take on the role of Flynn Rider, with the latest casting announcement being Kathryn Hahn, who has been confirmed to play Mother Gothel.
While these casting announcements sparked internet interest in the project, they also reignited discussions regarding Disney’s ongoing dependence on remakes instead of original storytelling.
Nostalgia vs. Innovation
All in all, the continuous wave of remakes highlights a bigger issue regarding Hollywood’s dependence on nostalgia in film. Disney finds in this method both risk and security. Familiar characters ensure some degree of audience curiosity and can even reduce some marketing costs as people are familiar with the characters and story. Each remake, however, can often lead to comparisons with the original animated films and can leave certain audiences unsatisfied.
Either way, Disney’s live-action experiment looks far from over, and the push for a live-action Tangled indicates the studio is still banking on audience willingness to scale the tower one more time.
