Disney has captured our imaginations for decades and continues to find new ways to return to stories that defined the studio. The company’s current strategy is revisiting animated classics such as CINDERELLA, SLEEPING BEAUTY, and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST through live-action and photorealistic CG remakes.

The success of MALEFICENT opened the door for the 2019 blockbuster sequel, and THE JUNGLE BOOK will also get a follow-up, establishing a new run of Disney stories. Meanwhile, the Mouse House is hard at work on a whole slate of live-action retellings of some of its most beloved classics. Let’s take a look at all of the remakes currently in development.

Mulan

This remake of Disney’s 1998 animated epic is directed by Niki Caro (THE ZOOKEEPER’S WIFE) and stars Liu Yifei as Mulan. Similar to DUMBO, MULAN is taking some liberties with its source material to craft a fresh take on the heroine and her world. Expect to see brand-new characters, such as Mulan’s sister (played by Xana Tang); Mulan’s love interest, Chen Honghui (Yoson An); and a villain named Bori Khan (Jason Scott Lee). The movie also features Jet Li as the Emperor of China and Donnie Yen as Commander Tung, Mulan’s mentor.

Remind Me

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Let’s pause for a beat to honor the magnificent fallen spire. Now, perhaps before the real monument can be rebuilt, the bells of Notre Dame will ring again on screen. In early 2019, Disney started developing a live-action remake of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME. Tony-winning playwright David Henry Hwang was hired to write the script, based on the 1831 Victor Hugo novel and Disney’s animated musical from 1996. Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, who wrote the music for that ’96 version (and got an Oscar® nomination for doing so!) are coming back for this live-action redo. Josh Gad is a producer on the remake, which immediately led to speculation that he might play the title character, but no cast announcements have been made. Initial reports say this project is queued behind MULAN, so we might not see it until at least 2021.

Pinocchio

A PINOCCHIO remake has been in the works for quite some time, with Sam Mendes (1917) originally signed on to direct. He was replaced by Paul King (PADDINGTON series), who also stepped away from the project in late 2019. As of now, Robert Zemeckis (BACK TO THE FUTURE) will direct and co-write PINOCCHIO with producer Chris Weitz, and development is expected to kick off by the end of the year... hopefully.

Cruella

Cruella de Vil is arguably one of Disney’s most popular baddies, so it’s no surprise Disney is lining her up to headline a movie, which will open May 28, 2021. Since 2016, Disney has been working on a live-action Cruella de Vil film written by Kelly Marcel (SAVING MR. BANKS). Expect the film to explore Cruella’s younger years, with Emma Stone playing the villainous fashionista and I, TONYA'S Craig Gillespie directing.

The Little Mermaid

Get ready to sing and dance with Ariel and Flounder once again! Jane Goldman wrote the script for this musical re-imagining of the 1989 underwater adventure. Lin-Manuel Miranda, a fan of the animated original, is writing new songs for the movie alongside legendary composer Alan Menken. In early July 2019, Disney announced R&B singer Halle Bailey will star as Ariel, and after months of rumors, the studio confirmed Rob Marshall, who helmed INTO THE WOODS and MARY POPPINS RETURNS, will direct.

Snow White

SNOW WHITE is in development with a script written by Erin Cressida Wilson (THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN). Like CINDERELLA and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, SNOW WHITE won’t follow its animated precursor beat for beat, but will expand upon the original plot of SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS. Of course, a proper SNOW WHITE film needs a charming musical repertoire. To that end, Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, songwriters for LA LA LAND, are writing new songs for the movie. Marc Webb, best known for THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN series, is in talks to direct.

Rose Red

We’ll also see an expansion of Snow White’s world, as Disney is working on a ROSE RED movie, written by Justin Merz and reworked by Evan Daugherty (DIVERGENT and TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES). The film focuses on Snow White’s sister, Rose Red, who goes on a quest alongside the Seven Dwarfs to save her sister after she falls ill from biting the poisoned apple. Rumors say Brie Larson has been approached to star. Nothing has been confirmed so far, however, and it remains unclear whether this project will tie into the aforementioned SNOW WHITE movie.

Tink

We know everything about Peter Pan, but what about Tinker Bell? Development on the live-action TINK was revealed in 2015, with Reese Witherspoon to star as the fairy. The film, written by Victoria Strouse (FINDING DORY), is expected to dive into Tinker Bell’s previously unexplored history. Updates on the project have been minimal since it was first revealed, so it remains to be seen when it could hit theatres.

Prince Charming

Don’t expect this to be your typical fairy tale movie. Written by Stephen Chbosky (THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER and WONDER), PRINCE CHARMING aims to take a new view of the title character by looking at the idealized royal through the eyes of his less-successful brother. Not much is known about the film at the moment, and a release date has yet to be announced, but its unique premise makes it a promising addition to Disney’s live-action slate.

Check back with the AMC Scene for Disney updates as news breaks!