Every Disney Live-Action Adaptation, Ranked

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Disney’s classic animated movies never go wrong, but live-action adaptations are hit-or-miss. That’s why many think Disney is better off staying away from the perfection created by its animated performances, but sometimes live action proves to be a worthy and faithful endeavour.

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Live-action adaptations date back to the 1990s and early 2000s, with famous ones like 101 Dalmation and 102 Dalmation, as well as the best live-action versions of Peter Pan. However, we’re talking about a more modern, newer live-action film here. We could take these movies on a different scale, but here’s a ranking of these movies.

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Ten Mulan

Mulan, who appears on the cover of the movie, is wearing a red robe, holding a blade, and her hair is blowing in the wind.

The live-action version of Mulan failed to achieve the success that critics and audiences had envisioned for such a highly anticipated story. A brave female warrior who rebelled against her family and disguised herself as a man to join the army and fight against the Huns. The action sequences were well choreographed, the cinematography was brilliant, and the new witch character Xianniang was a charming addition.

Unfortunately, many factors contributed to the film’s lack of success at the box office. Besides choosing to omit classic tunes and musical aspects entirely, the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to stream on Disney+. Additionally, there is controversy surrounding filming in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, which is home to egregious human rights abuses against Uyghurs and Muslims.

9 alice in wonderland

Alice in a blue dress stares down the rabbit hole and is about to plummet into Wonderland.

Tim Burton is no stranger to making movies with Disney, and his first live-action project was Alice in Wonderland. This is certainly not the best Tim Burton movie, but it is an iconic interpretation of the fantasy world and characters. It also stars Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, both of whom frequently work with Burton and co-starred in Sweeney Todd.

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The visual aesthetics and production design achieve the perfect dark and whimsical atmosphere for Wonderland. The opening with Alice chasing a rabbit down a hole, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the chemistry between Depp’s Mad Hatter and Alice, and the Red Queen’s signature cheeky “get out of my head!” The statements are all unforgettable parts of the film.

8 dumbo

A titular elephant on a circus podium. The spotlights shine and the crowd cheers in the background.

Critically and by audiences, Tim Burton’s live-action adaptation of Dumbo has received worse reviews than Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, but still better reviews than the Alice sequel. . The big-eared flying elephant’s live-action debut features an all-star cast of Danny DeVito, Colin Farrell, Eva Green, and Michael Keaton. Burton’s vision revisits assumptions involving humans and post-World War I settings.

The live-action Dumbo design remains as adorable as ever, and the flight animation is fantastic. This is a story full of heart and empathy, balanced with Tim Burton’s signature cinematography and talent. Colin Farrell plays Holt Farrier, a widowed World War I veteran amputee who works in a circus while raising children. You can always expect impeccable performances from Tim Burton’s ensemble, but Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, and Nico Parker (who plays Sarah in the live-action version of The Last of Us) stand out.

7 lady and trump

Trump and Lady are eating the same spaghetti strands from a plate and about to kiss.

2019 was a year full of new Disney movies, including Aladdin, The Lion King, and Dumbo. One that may have slipped under your radar is Lady and the Tramp, released directly to Disney+. The spaghetti sharing scene alone makes this one of the most iconic Disney animated movies. And that cute moment was reproduced in the live-action version.

This is a more faithful adaptation of the original film, featuring the titular Lady and Trump’s animated CGI dogs, along with “Westworld” and “Thor” actress Tessa Thompson and “White House”. Plumbers and Leftovers star Justin Theroux. Watching the romantic stories and adventures of these characters recreated in live action is a movie night treat for dog lovers and families.

6 Maleficent

Aurora and Maleficent confront the green flames coming from behind Maleficent.

In 2014, the story of Sleeping Beauty returned to the screen with Angelina Jolie as the evil fairy Maleficent. The focus isn’t entirely on Princess Aurora, but rather the perspective of Jolie’s misunderstood and tragic villain Maleficent, whose green flames, costume and horns, raven Diaval, and live-action menacing presence. Feeling was a well-executed component.

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The scene where the newborn Aurora is cursed by Maleficent is an exciting reenactment, and the final battle with King Stefan where Aurora frees her wings to help Maleficent is a nice twist on the original. His CGI of the dragon is Game of Thrones quality, the Moorish inhabitants are wonderful to watch, but the three fairies are a bit terrifying.

Five Aladdin

Will Smith as Genie dances and sings along with elephants and colorful backup dancers to introduce the new and improved Prince Ali.

When the live-action adaptation of Aladdin was announced, many were divided, especially considering the iconic performance of Genie by the late Robin Williams. Will Smith said he knew he had a big job and ultimately pulled off the role with a unique twist on the Genie that ended up being the movie’s biggest highlight. became.

Overall a colorful and vibrant production that really compliments the original story and music with great visual effects and set pieces. Director Guy Ritchie is known for his painstaking crime stories around thieves, which are well reflected in the storytelling of Disney characters who are thieves.

Four Cruella

Cruella is sitting with a cane and staring at the camera, sporting a distinctive black leather outfit and black and white hair.

Of all the live-action Disney films here, Cruella boasts the highest audience score on Rotten Tomatoes with 97%. It may not be as critically acclaimed as The Jungle Book or Cinderella, and it’s an adaptation of the prequel to 101 Dalmatians, but Emma Stone is an exception to the ambitious Cruella de Janeiro, an aspiring fashion designer. playing Will.

This story is a darker take on the origins of the Dalmatian-hating villain, and it’s easy to see why. An antagonist called the Baroness has a dalmation hound that pursues Cruella and pushed her mother off a cliff when she was a child. Her older Cruella plots her revenge in the midst of her life of crime with her friends Jasper and Horace and designs her fabulous costumes. The costume design is one of the best aspects of the film and it even won an Oscar.

3 Cinderella

In the 2015 live-action film, Lily James played Cinderella, who was rescued from the golden carriage and headed to the ball.

Cinderella is one of Disney’s most timeless tales, with more realistic versions such as 2004’s A Cinderella Story. An orphan girl who ends up living with her mean stepmother and her stepsisters dreams of attending a ball and finding Prince Charming with the help of the Fairy Godmother. It’s a gorgeous story seamlessly captured in the 2019 film adaptation.

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Iconic elements such as the glass slipper, the dazzling pumpkin carriage, Cinderella’s blue dress heading to the ball, the music, and the suspense of the magical effects fading as the clock approaches midnight are astonishing. Actress Lily James made a splash as Cinderella, but Richard Madden, the King of the North, is equally brilliant as Prince Charming.

2 beauty and the beast

Belle (played by Emma Watson) with the Beast dancing in her iconic yellow dress.

Like Cinderella, 2017’s Beauty and the Beast is also very faithful to the original animated film. The beats of the story and the musical number are interlocking with him one-on-one, and the costumes and casting of the iconic characters are impeccable as well. Josh Gad fits perfectly as LeFou, Emma Watson sings strong as Belle, and Luke Evans once again proves a good villain alongside Gaston.

From the Beast character played by Dan Stevens, to supporting anthropomorphic characters Lumiere, Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts, to the animation, visuals and ending makeovers, the film is stunningly beautiful and magical thanks to all the VFX and set design. I can feel it.

1 jungle book

Mowgli hugging Bagheera during the musical

Jon Favreau is truly a gift that Disney keeps giving. He made his MCU directorial debut with Iron Man and spawned original Star Wars his series, including The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and The Book of Boba Fett. And before 2019’s The Lion King, he directed the CG/live-action version of The Jungle Book, which gave him a high 94% rating on RT.

This retelling of Mowgli’s story retains popular songs like “The Bare Necessities” and “I Wanna Be Like You,” with thrilling new visuals and stunning CG animal character designs. Bill Murray as Baloo, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, Christopher Walken as King Louie, Giancarlo Esposito as Akela and Idris Elba as the antagonist Shere Khan are some of the talented voices here It’s just part of the acting.

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