Disney (and others) at the Box Office - Current State of Affairs

[AdventureHasAName]

Well I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t make lots of money, regardless.

The original doesn’t have enough material to fill the time of a live-action film. No one is going to want to see an extended scene of Snow forcing the dwarfs to wash up before she would feed them.

Also, the prince is in the original for less than 3 minutes. I imagine it would be hard to find an actor willing to take on such a short role.

The whole point of live action is to have more nuanced interaction between the characters than is possible in animation.

I think that if they had stuck to the original story, found an actress that looked like Snow White, included all the music from the original film, used CGI animals (like The Lion King) and used seven human dwarf actors ... the film would have made a ton of money.

 

[Chi84]

I think that if they had stuck to the original story, found an actress that looked like Snow White, included all the music from the original film, used CGI animals (like The Lion King) and used seven human dwarf actors ... the film would have made a ton of money.

I couldn’t disagree more. And I’m not sure why Disney would want to do it.

If they were both the same, why would a live action version make a ton of money?

 

[erasure fan1]

If they were both the same, why would a live action version make a ton of money?

How would you explain the lion king then? That was basically the same film with some slight changes and it made bank. Even being as terrible as it was.

 

[Chi84]

How would you explain the lion king then? That was basically the same film with some slight changes and it made bank. Even being as terrible as it was.

There is so much more of a story line in the Lion King! And it was made 64 years later which makes it much less outdated.

I’m sure if Disney made a live action version of Snow White it would be just as terrible but without the amazing music.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

I liked live action Aladdin because things like a big group musical number really pop in live action. It also worked because the Genie lends himself to different jokes and style - you're never going to succeed copying Robin Williams so it has to be a new take.

Beauty and the Beast was good mostly because the source material was good. A good animated movie tends to be a good live action movie.

They don't enthrall me in any way though.

 

[Chi84]

I liked live action Aladdin because things like a big group musical number really pop in live action. It also worked because the Genie lends himself to different jokes and style - you're never going to succeed copying Robin Williams so it has to be a new take.

Beauty and the Beast was good mostly because the source material was good. A good animated movie tends to be a good live action movie.

They don't enthrall me in any way though.

I’m a romantic so I love the live action films with an interesting love story. Both of the ones you mentioned fit that description.

 

[DKampy]

The problem with the remakes is, damned if you do, damned if you don't. No matter what you do, you're going to tick off one of 3 groups. Shot for shot remake, like you said, what's the point. Change it a bunch, you're not respecting the ip. Just remaking it at all, you're creatively bankrupt.

No matter what, they're going to get criticized. They don't really care, they just want to get as many from each group as they can. That's why most seem to follow the, it's the basically the same, but look at these new things we added! approach.

I don’t recall Cruella being an issue… maybe some thought it was just ok… but I have seen no one dislike the film outright

 

[Fox&Hound]

I still say the biggest problem with the remakes is the Disney got greedy (big surprise) and pumped them out one after the other. Had they waited a few years between releases and made it a major event (which film is getting the live action treatment this year?!?!) they would be better received.

I also think they should have focused on films that would benefit from a new angle or a new life (Rescuers, Black Cauldron, Robin Hood, Olliver) instead of their MOST successful films, it would have gone better for them.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So we already have moved on to fighting over Snow White?

Multiverse number twisting in full swing…

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I still say the biggest problem with the remakes is the Disney got greedy (big surprise) and pumped them out one after the other. Had they waited a few years between releases and made it a major event (which film is getting the live action treatment this year?!?!) they would be better received.

I also think they should have focused on films that would benefit from a new angle or a new life (Rescuers, Black Cauldron, Robin Hood, Olliver) instead of their MOST successful films, it would have gone better for them.

…where’s the quick money in that, hombre?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don’t recall Cruella being an issue… maybe some thought it was just ok… but I have seen no one dislike the film outright

Cruella and Malificent were received well and good ideas

The rest?…not really so much

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I couldn’t disagree more. And I’m not sure why Disney would want to do it.

If they were both the same, why would a live action version make a ton of money?

That’s exactly what they’ve been doing with the remakes for ten years?

Except for the one where they didn’t try that and not too many people remember

 

[Chi84]

That’s exactly what they’ve been doing with the remakes for ten years?

Except for the one where they didn’t try that and not too many people remember

No, I’m talking only about Snow White. You have to go back a few pages to get the entire meaning.

 

[erasure fan1]

I don’t recall Cruella being an issue… maybe some thought it was just ok… but I have seen no one dislike the film outright

It didn't really set the world on fire, and since it wasn't a remake people seem less critical. I've said that people would be much more accepting of the live action stuff if it was all stuff like mufasa, cruella, Christopher robin...

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Cruella and Malificent were received well and good ideas

The rest?…not really so much

That’s exactly what they’ve been doing with the remakes for ten years?

Except for the one where they didn’t try that and not too many people remember

A winning formula that (mostly) worked well for over a decade, they’d either make a more or less scene for scene remake or make an entirely different movie with secondary characters. Cruella and Maleficent are still my favorites as they are originals, Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast being my favorites of the remakes.

It wasn’t until the D+ remakes that they started taking the lead characters and drastically changing the stories around them.