A Complete Guide to Disney’s 20 Live-Action Movies
Mulan. The Little Mermaid. The Lion King. These are few classics on Disney’s live-action movies list. With so many live-action Disney remakes in the works (did we mention that Dumbo is also coming), it’s hard to keep track of when and what is coming to theaters, which is why we’ve compiled this guide to every live-action Disney film announced so far.
Disney’s live-action era started slow, with so-so reviews for films like Cinderella and Maleficent. But after the box-office success of The Jungle Book, starring Lupita Nyong’o, and Beauty and the Beast, starring Emma Watson, the childhood-favorite film studio seems to have worked out the kinks and found a way to translate their animated magic with real-life characters.
So what is in the Disney pipeline and which A-listers (and up-and-comers) will star as our favorite princes, princesses and talking animals? To find out, we’ve collected a list of every live-action Disney movie in the works, from ones coming out this year like Aladdin and The Lion King to others that are far, far in the future. It’s hard to say if these films will live up to the originals, but there’s no doubt that we’ll be the first ones in theaters to find out. Find out when every live-action Disney movie comes out ahead.
Dumbo (March 29, 2019)
Sixty-eight years after Disney’s 1941 animated film, Dumbo will return in 2019 with a live-action remake. Directed by Tim Burton, the film will star Collin Farrell as a war veteran and former circus star who takes in a newborn elephant. Problems start when a ruthless and money-hungry entrepreneur, played by Michael Keaton, comes and buys the circus that Dumbo is at, with plans to exploit the circus’s animals for more cash.
Aladdin (May 24, 2019)
Following in the footsteps of other live-action Disney princess films, like Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin will see its turn in 2019. The film stars Will Smith as a genie who is freed from his lamp by a street rat named Aladdin. In return, the genie grants Aladdin three wishes—the first of which is to become rich and royal. Power Rangers‘ Naomi Scott will star as Jasmine, a princess Aladdin becomes smitten with and uses his wishes to woo.
The Lion King (July 19, 2019)
Fifteen years after Disney’s animated film, The Lion King will return in 2019 with a star-studded live-action remake. The film, which stars Hollywood names like Beyoncé (!), Donald Glover and Seth Rogan, follows a lion cub name Simba who watches his dad be trampled to death by a stampede of wildebeest. Unbeknownst to Simba, the stampede was caused by his own uncle, Scar, so that he could take the throne.
Mulan (March 27, 2020)
Based on Disney’s 1998 animated film, which follows the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, a woman who disguises herself as a man to take her father’s place in a war, Mulan will see its live-action revival in 2020. Liu Yifei will star as Mulan, while Yoson An and Gong Li will star as two new characters. An will replace Li Shang, Mulan’s love interest and commander in the animated film. Instead, An will play Chen Honghui, Mulan’s rival who later becomes her ally and love interest. Li will play Xiang Lang, a witch who will serve as the movie’s villain and replace Shan Yu from the animated film.
Maleficent 2 (May 29, 2020)
After the box-office success of 2014’s Maleficent, the franchise will return in 2010 with a sequel. Based on characters from Disney’s 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent II sees Angelina Jolie reprise her role as Maleficent, a fairy-turned-witch hellbent on ruining a kingdom. Elle Fanning will also reprise her role as Princess Aurora, while Michelle Pfeiffer and Chiwetel Ejiofor are also set to star.
The Little Mermaid (TBA)
No release date has been set for the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, but it’s been confirmed Alan Menken, the animated movie’s original composer, will team with Lin-Manuel Miranda to write new songs for the adaptation. It’s been reported that Disney is eyeing Rob Marshall to direct the film and Jane Goldman to write it. It’s also rumored that Zendaya will play the lead role of Ariel, a mermaid who sacrifices her voice for legs, and Lady Gaga will play Ursula, a seawitch who strikes a deal with Ariel.
Lilo & Stitch (TBA)
In October 2018, Disney announced that there was a live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch in the works. The film will be produced by Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, who also produced Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin. No word on the cast, but the animated film follows a young girl named Lilo who takes in a dog-like alien named Stitch.
Lady and the Tramp (TBA)
Based on Disney’s 1955 animated film, Lady and the Tramp will star Tessa Thompson as Lady, a pure-bred upper-middle-class dog who falls in love with Tramp, a street-smart mixed-breed dog. The film, which also stars Kiersey Clemons and Nicole Yvette Brown, will likely include a mix of CGI and human actors, similar to Disney’s live-action remake of The Jungle Book.
James the Giant Peach (TBA)
Though 1996’s James and the Giant Peach includes a mix of live-action and animation, the story will see a second-live acton remake, directed by 007 director Sam Mendes. The movie is based on Roald Dahl’s book, which follows an orphan who lives with his two mean aunts and befriends human-like bugs who live inside a giant peach. They then trek to New York City.
Sword in the Stone (TBA)
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo will direct a live-action remake of Disney’s 1963 Sword in the Stone, with a script from Game of Thrones writer Bryan Cogman. The animated movie, which was the final Disney movie released before the death of Walt disney, is a lighthearted take on the tale of King Arthur. The film follows Arthur as a child, as he’s mentored by a magician named Merlin. There is also set to be a spin-off of the movie centered Merlin, titled The Merlin Saga, with Ridley Scott eyed to direct.
Snow White (TBA)
In 2016, it was announced that a Snow White live-action remake was in the works, with The Girl on the Train writer Erin Cessida on board for the script. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who wrote the music for La La Land, are also attached to write new songs for the movie. Mark Platt, who directed Disney’s recent Mary Poppins Returns, is rumored to produce. Considered one of the most successful animated films ever, Snow White follows a woman who eats a witch’s poison apple and falls asleep only to be awaken by true love’s kiss.
Cruella de Vil (TBA)
Following in the footsteps of Maleficent and Sleeping Beauty, Cruella de Vil, the villain from Disney 1961 101 Dalmatians, will take center stage in second live-action remake. (A first live-action remake was made in 1996, with Glenn Close as the villain.) The upcoming remake will star Emma Stone as Cruella de Vil, a dog-hating fashionista, while Craig Gillespie, who last directed Margot Robbie’s I, Tonya, is set to direct.
The Jungle Book 2 (TBA)
Following in the success of 2016’s The Jungle Book, which many believe to be Disney’s live-action runaway hit, the franchise will return with a sequel sometime in the future. Initially, The Jungle Book 2 was supposed to be released in 2019 and coincide with the premiere of The Lion King. However, that plan was put on hold to focus on The Lion King. Neel Sethi is set to reprise his role as Mowgli, a young boy raised in the jungle. It’s reported that the sequel will dive into rejected material from The Jungle Book‘s 1987 animal film.
Peter Pan (TBA)
There have been many live-action remakes of Peter Pan, a story about a boy who never grows up and lives in a fantasy world called Neverland, and Disney is about to add another. In 2016, it was reported that the studio is working on a live-action remake of its 1953 animated film. David Lowery is set to direct.
Tinkerbell (TBA)
In 2015, it was reported that Reese Witherspoon would star in Tinkerbell, a live-action movie based on a fairy and Peter Pan’s sidekick from Peter Pan. Witherspoon’s producing partner, Bruna Papandrea, will produce the film, while Finding Dory writer Victoria Strouse is set to write the script.
Pinocchio (TBA)
Disney’s A-list power keeps growing. It’s reported that Tom Hanks will star as Geppetto, the dad and creator of a puppet who comes to life, in Disney’s live-action remake of Pinocchio. Paddington director Paul Feig is set to direct. A competing, stop-motion musical version of Pinocchio is also set to premiere on Netflix, with Guillermo del Toro as the director.
Rose Red (TBA)
Along with a live-action remake of Snow White, Disney is also planning a movie centered on the princess’s sister, Rose Red, a character that wasn’t in Snow White’s animated movie but was included in Brother Grimms’s fairytale, which served as the source material for Disney’s 1937 film. Written by Justin Merz, the remake, which was originally planned to be a standalone feature, will now serve as a companion to the live-action Snow White planned.
Genie (TBA)
In addition to Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin, the studio is also set to spinoff the story with a second live-action movie based on the Genie, played by Will Smith. The spinoff is expected to be a backstory on Genie and how he ended up in the lamp in the first place.
Prince Charming (TBA)
Cinderella’s Prince Charming will see his time in the spotlight in a standalone film. Wonder director and writer Stephen Chbosky is set to write the movie, which actually doesn’t follow Prince Charming, but instead, follows his brother who “never quite lived up to the family name,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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