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May 17, 2023

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When it comes to deciding what constitutes a theatrical live-action remake of a

When it comes to deciding what constitutes a theatrical live-action remake of a Disney animated classic, every film fan seems to have an opinion, with many voicing them loudly following the release of Rob Marshall's "The Little Mermaid" (2023). For those of us at Gold Derby, however, we are strict constructionists as to what constitutes a genuine example, so here are the rules for our photo gallery of Disney live-action remakes ranked:

ELIGIBLE:

*Any live-action theatrical remake of the story of the original animated film. Where animal characters are depicted, computer-generated images are acceptable. (No cartoons!)

NOT ELIGIBLE:

*Sequels or prequels to Disney remakes. Same characters but different story? Not a remake.

*Original films based on characters from the remakes. So "Cruella," "Maleficient" and "Christopher Robin"? Bye.

*Remakes designated for Disney+ premieres, such as "Lady and the Tramp," Robert Zemeckis’ "Pinocchio" and "Peter Pen and Wendy." The sole exception is "Mulan" (2020), which was just days away from its theatrical release when theaters shut down due to COVID. It was forced to premiere on Disney+ as a pay-per-view option, though it did play theatrically in theaters around the world where the streaming service was not yet available. Given the circumstances, the Motion Picture Academy ruled it eligible as a theatrical release and nominated the film for two Oscars. We’ll follow the academy's lead here.

Director: Tim Burton.

Writer: Ehren Kruger.

Starring Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Eva Green, Alan Arkin, Nico Parker.

Tim Burton, who had directed 2010's "Alice in Wonderland" to enormous box office success, returned to Disney to try his hand at turning the beloved 1941 animated classic "Dumbo" into another live-action crowdpleaser. The results, however, were decidedly mixed, with many critics questioning whether Burton's audacious visual style was the right fit for the sweet, whimsical tale of a big-eared elephant who, with the help of a magic feather, is able to fly. Burton veterans Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito are around to add color, but the film's best performance is by Colin Farrell as Dumbo's trainer who captures the enchanting spirit of the 1941 original.

Director: Jon Favreau.

Writer: Jeff Nathanson.

Voices: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Billy Eichner, Alfre Woodard, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, James Earl Jones, John Kani, John Oliver.

From its Oscar-winning animated triumph to its Tony Award-winning stage musical, "The Lion King" has been met with critical acclaim at its every incarnation. Those cheers ended, however, when Disney asked Jon Favreau, who remade "The Jungle Book" to much acclaim, to bring his live-action skills to this, one of its most beloved properties. Upon its release, however, the 2016 remake was widely dismissed as a familiar rehash without a real reason for being, while lacking much of the heart and soul of the original. Only Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner, voicing Timon & Pumbaa, were perceived as bringing something fresh and worthy to the film.

Director: Tim Burton.

Writer: Linda Woolverton.

Starring Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Anne Hathaway. Voices: Michael Sheen, Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry, Timothy Spall.

For a director celebrated for his elaborate world-building, Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" was something unexpected, even for Burton. Burton's Wonderland is a trippily immersive world in which Lewis Carroll's memorable characters — the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter and the bloodthirsty Queen of Hearts — romp in what look like pages torn from an elaborately designed storybook. Some critics grumbled, however, that more care seemed to have been devoted to the film's look than to depicting its characters. "Alice in Wonderland" was nominated for three Academy Awards, winning two — Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design.

Director: Stephen Herek.

Writer: John Hughes.

Starring Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels, Joely Richardson, Joan Plowright, Hugh Laurie.

Glenn Close earned a Golden Globe nomination for her wild performance as notorious puppy-napper Cruella de Vil in this live-action remake of the 1961 "One Hundred and One Dalmatians." One of the few Disney animated films of the time that captured contemporary life, the original's simple designs were transformed in the remake into a more extreme look, much to the surprise of many critics. The film, however, became a box-office success, spawning both a 2000 sequel ("102 Dalmatians") as well as an original spinoff "Cruella" (2021) which traced the origins of the young Ms. de Vil (Emma Stone) in the fashion world.

Director: Guy Ritchie.

Writers: John August, Guy Ritchie.

Starring Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Will Smith, Marwan Kenzari, Nasim Pedrad, Billy Magnussen.

The director of "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" might have seemed to be an unusual choice to direct a lighthearted Arabian-set musical fantasy, but Guy Ritchie was more than up to the task with this 2019 remake. The signature action skills of the British filmmaker were put to good use in the film's many chases and action sequences, although critics noted that the move to live-action did constrict much of the shape-shifting that helped to make Robin Williams’ animated Genie so memorable. Still, audiences responded to the spectacle and to the performances of Will Smith, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott.

Director: Niki Caro.

Writers: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Lauren Hynek, Elizabeth Martin.

Starring Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Gong Li, Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An, Jet Li, Tzi Ma, Rosalind Chao.

The folktale of a young woman who disguises herself as a man in order to take her father's place during the conscription of Chinese men into war, "Mulan" is one of the Disney animated features that was actually enhanced with its move to live-action, with its big-screen action sequences bringing to life its heroine's courageous actions in fighting for China. In addition, Disney decided not to use the many Stephen Schwartz songs that were such a part of the original animated film, a move that only helped to emphasize the story's dramatic impact. Directed by Niki Caro, "Mulan" was nominated for two Academy Awards — Best Costume Design and Best Visual Effects.

Director: Bill Condon.

Writers: Stephen Chbosky, Evan Spiliotopoulos.

Starring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad. Voices: Ewan McGregor, Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci.

Twenty-six years after it earned the first Best Picture nomination for an animated film, "Beauty and the Beast" came once again to the screen in this colorful live-action remake. The legend of a cursed prince (Dan Stevens) who was turned into a beast for his arrogance and who can only be freed by the love of a young woman (Emma Watson) who offers him a kiss, is told solidly, enlivened by its acclaimed score. While Bill Condon's remake did not receive as rapturous a critical reception as the widely-beloved original, the new film was popular worldwide and received two Academy Award nominations for its costume design and production design.

Director: Rob Marshall.

Writer: David Magee.

Starring Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Noma Dumezweni. Voices: Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina.

Though Rob Marshall's "The Little Mermaid" preserves most of the strengths of the beloved 1989 original, his rendition deserves its place in the upper tier of Disney's live-action remakes for two key new additions. First, there's a more developed growth of the romance between young mermaid Ariel (Halle Bailey) and island prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) that raises the stakes of the life-and-death struggle at the film's climax. More important, however, is the casting of Bailey, a young actress who has the voice to dazzle an audience as Ariel (her "Part of Your World" will give you goosebumps) as well as the acting chops to make us all care about this little mermaid.

Director: David Lowery.

Writer: David Lowery, Toby Halbrooks.

Starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Oona Laurence, Robert Redford.

Among Disney live-action remakes, "Pete's Dragon" is a bit of an anomaly. Its source material — a 1977 musical fantasy starring Helen Reddy — does contain live-action, with actors befuddled by a goofy cartoon dragon. But director David Lowery ("The Green Knight") had a very different kind of remake in mind. He ditched both the tunes and the toons, creating a more realistic CGI dragon named Eliot, which serves as friend and protector of the newly-orphaned Pete (Oakes Fegley). "Pete's Dragon" is a true remake — creating a moving family drama from a childish musical — that remains one of Disney's most acclaimed live-action remakes.

Director: Jon Favreau.

Writer: Justin Marks.

Starring Neel Sethi. Voices: Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Ben Kingsley, Lupita Nyong’o, Scarlett Johansson, Giancarlo Esposito, Christopher Walken.

Jon Favreau's "The Jungle Book" is actually Disney's third remake of their 1967 musical animated favorite based on the classic Rudyard Kipling tale after 1994's "Rudyard's Kipling's The Jungle Book" and 1998's "The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story." But Favreau's visionary take is the keeper. Though shot in its entirety on computers in downtown Los Angeles, the jungle world that Favreau creates in telling the adventures of a young Indian orphan living among the animals is breathtaking in its realistic detail and moving in its storytelling. Academy Award winner for Best Visual Effects.

Director: Kenneth Branagh.

Writer: Chris Weitz.

Starring Lily James, Richard Madden, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Stellan Skarsgård, Sophie McShera, Holliday Grainger, Derek Jacobi.

Arguably more than any other Disney live-action remake, Kenneth Branagh's 2015 "Cinderella" struck that elusive balance between a respect for the past and a contemporary freshness that makes a remake version worthwhile. Though surrounded by the castles and carriages of tradition, this Cinderella is no typical headstrong Disney heroine. Instead, Branagh depicts her as a young woman fueled by a strength from within — determined to make a better life for herself and willing to do everything that she can (with the major help of her fairy godmother) to find the happiness she is seeking. Enriched by performances by such accomplished actors as Lily James, Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham Carter, this Cinderella complements rather than duplicates the strengths of its predecessor.