Top 10 Most Shocking Changes in Disney Live-Action Remakes
#10: Sad Geppetto “Pinocchio” (2022)
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Disney’s live action adaptation fleshes out Pinocchio’s maker, Geppetto, with a heartbreaking backstory. Apparently, he had a son who died before the magical wooden puppet was created. The emotionally charged addition is handled well by expert actor Tom Hanks; however, it doesn’t have much of an effect on the story overall. Besides Geppetto’s son being the inspiration for Pinocchio’s look, his existence ends up feeling a little pointless. Guillermo del Toro’s take on the children’s tale, which premiered about a month after Disney’s more recent version, makes the same change but with greater success.
#9: Li Shang Is Absent “Mulan” (2020)
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Shang and Mulan are one of Disney’s most classic couples, so it’s pretty surprising that he, like Grandmother Fa and Mushu, doesn’t appear in the live adaptation. One of the film’s producers, Jason Reed, explained that his character is essentially split into two, inspiring both Mulan’s commander Tung and another soldier named Honghui. In the wake of the
#MeToo movement, the filmmakers felt uncomfortable telling a love story between a soldier and a commanding officer, a decision that was met with mixed reactions. That said, Shang is a bit of a queer icon among fans and his presence is sorely missed.
#8: Peter Is (Kinda) the Bad Guy “Peter Pan & Wendy” (2023)
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This film does something really unexpected: it casts Peter Pan in the wrong and holds him accountable for his mistakes. The mischievous child is controlling, stubborn, and unwilling to accept help even when he could use it. In his single-minded pursuit of eternal childhood, he alienates some people and holds others back. From Wendy to the Lost Boys to Captain Hook, Peter needs to make amends to practically every other character in the movie. This new perspective allows for unexpected dynamics to play out between Peter and the others, and informs his story arc brilliantly. Although we were surprised by this turn at first, we’re happy to say that in the end, Peter redeems himself.
#7: Gaston Leaves Maurice to Die “Beauty and the Beast” (2017)
Gaston’s descent from pompous jerk to full-blown villain is pretty gradual in the 1991 animated film. He starts out by not taking no for an answer, then hatches a plan to get Maurice committed, and lastly resorts to violence when he leads the attack on the Beast’s enchanted castle. Things play out pretty differently in the live action adaptation. His morality takes a nosedive halfway through the film when he hits Maurice and leaves him to die in the forest. Him getting physical so fast is shocking and feels a little out of left field. We’re not sure how attempting to kill her father would help him in his pursuit of Belle’s hand in marriage but we suppose that’s the villain madness for ya.
#6: Dark & Muted Colors Various
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One thing we love about Disney’s animation is the use of bright, bold colors. The vivid hues suit the enchanting style well and always add to the film’s fantastical vibes. While we understand the more muted palettes for the realism of live actions, we can’t help but feel some of the magic is lost because of it. To be fair, not all the live action films are sucked dry of color. That being said, many of our favorite animated scenes are dramatically different in the more recent versions, in part thanks to a dialed down palette. Maybe it’s because Disney intended these films to be for an older audience, but as adults, we’re sad to see the new movies appear so lifeless in color.
#5: Scar's Motivation “The Lion King” (2019)
We never had a problem believing that Scar’s hunger for power and his all-consuming jealousy of his brother would be strong enough to make him kill not only Mufasa, but also his young nephew. After all, things are done differently in the animal kingdom. The live action film further fleshes out Scar’s motivation, adding a component to his jealousy that we didn’t see coming. It turns out, Scar has feelings for Mufasa’s queen, Sarabi. Some Disney fans might recall a deleted scene from the animated original which would hint at this. Other fans subscribe to the theory that Scar is gay, which is rather complicated by this revelation.
#4: The Grand Duke & Stepmother's Partnership “Cinderella” (2015)
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The 2015 live action film is significantly different from its animated counterpart, and the change that takes us most off guard is a pretty big one. Cinderella’s stepmother, Lady Tremaine, comes up with a plan to not only secure a good future for herself and her daughters, but also to ruin Cinderella’s chance of being with the prince. Shockingly, she involves the Grand Duke in her plan, making him a secondary villain. It further illustrates to what lengths Lady Tremaine would go to in order to come out on top, and involving a palace official is a great way to add even more dramatic tension.
#3: Maleficent's Tragic Backstory “Maleficent” (2014)
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Disney’s 1959 film “Sleeping Beauty” got a “Wicked”-esque spin with this 2014 live action film. Starring Angelina Jolie as the titular character, it tells Maleficent’s origin story which is more heartbreaking than we could have imagined. From a star-crossed romance to a brutal amputation, the fairy goes through a lot, experiencing both emotional and physical pain. In this version, it’s easy to understand her resentment against Aurora and her family, especially her father, the king. We never expected to find ourselves sympathizing with the villain, yet here we are.
#2: Not Being Musicals Various
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The music from Disney’s animated films are top notch and essentially the soundtrack of our childhoods. That’s why whenever a live action remake skips the musical numbers, we can’t help but feel a bit sour. The newer versions of “The Jungle Book,” “Sleeping Beauty,” “Cinderella,” and “Mulan,” lack all the integrated musical numbers their animated originals have. To be fair, many of the newer films take a more serious tone and don’t lend themselves to being musicals. Plus, audiences are likely to be more partial to the original soundtracks, so if people are going to try to recreate these beloved songs, they need to bring their A-game in order to compete. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. The Genie Falls in Love, “Aladdin” (2019) We Never Considered That the Lovable Side Character Would Get a Love Interest of His Own Alice Is the Chosen One, “Alice in Wonderland” (2010) We Absolutely Love Seeing Her as the Heroic Knight Tramp's Backstory, “Lady and the Tramp” (2019) This Stray’s Past Breaks Our Hearts New Story Arcs for Side Characters, “Peter Pan & Wendy” (2023) The Villain Gets a Tragic Origin Story and Practically Everyone Gets a New Ending
#1: Realistic-Looking Animals Various
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Add Flounder to the list of lovable animal characters who shocked us with their appearance in a live action adaptation. When it comes to animated Disney films, we’re used to seeing anthropomorphized creatures. Heck, we’re even fine with an entire cast composed exclusively of animals. However, the prioritization of realism in newer adaptations strips animal characters of what makes them so endearing in the original films. They may be anatomically accurate, but they lose pretty much all of their appeal. They don’t move or emote the same, which takes away pretty much all of their expressive personalities. And, they end up existing somewhere in the uncanny valley, next to Will Smith’s appearance as the Blue Genie.