Here's a switch: animated remakes of live-action films

[mharrington]

With all the animated movies being given live-action remakes, I got thinking, just for a lark, why not give live-action films animated remakes?

In fairness, they actually have done that a few times, with "Treasure Island" from 1950 being remade (albeit very loosely) in 2002 as "Treasure Planet". Additionally, before there was the animated version of "Robin Hood", the second live-action film ever made by the studio was "The Story of Robin Hood", made in 1952.

The main difficulty, however, is that they have already done numerous live-action remakes of live-action films already, such as 1961's "The Parent Trap" being remade in 1998, and "The Absent-Minded Professor" being remade as "Flubber" in 1997. Also, 1963's "The Incredible Journey" was remade thirty years later as "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey". And then there's 1959's "The gy Dog", which was remade in 2006.

In any case, I was thinking, they've done so many live-action movies that I think a few of them could stand to do an animated version thereof.

To start with, how about an animated remake of "Babes In Toyland", which was originally made in 1961 (primarily as a stepping stone toward "Mary Poppins", I believe)? It could be pretty much the same as the earlier version. I was also thinking of Alan Tudyk to voice the Toymaker.

So this is what this thread is about: discussions of possible ideas for animated remakes of live-action films. The only condition is that it can't be through Pixar; it has to be through Disney proper (which is to say, Walt Disney Animation Studios). So, what do you think?

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is getting a animated remake. What about Blue Sky Studios via 20th Century Animation?

While the film is not own by Disney, but by Warner Bros. I always thought about a animated adaptation of Roald Dhal’s The Witches by Walt Disney Animation Studios.

 

[Miru]

WDAS taking an old live action film... hmm...
While I think farming these out to Blue Sky would work, if WDAS has to do it themselves: why not the Witch Mountain series? Or Rocketeer/Condorman? I agree on Flubber as well.

 

[mharrington]

WDAS taking an old live action film... hmm...
While I think farming these out to Blue Sky would work, if WDAS has to do it themselves: why not the Witch Mountain series? Or Rocketman/Condorman? I agree on Flubber as well.

"Condorman" would be interesting. That one is quite obscure. It actually got a reference in a Toy Story short, which involves a series of kids' meal toys, with one of the toys being a toy version of Condorman:

 

[MisterPenguin]

Night at the Museum's becoming animated. Just not a remake.

But then again, some remakes aren't a true remake as it is a reimagining, or from a different point of view, such as was the case for Maleficent.

 

[mharrington]

I forgot to mention: remakes should be of other Disney movies, not of Fox movies.

 

[Miru]

Does this also mean that “The Mouse and the Motorcycle” and “Turner and Hooch” are out of the question?

 

[mharrington]

Does this also mean that “The Mouse and the Motorcycle” and “Turner and Hooch” are out of the question?

"Turner and Hooch", probably, but considering that "The Mouse and the Motorcycle" is a novel by Beverly Cleary, maybe not. I don't remember that ever being a Fox movie. The closest it ever came to film was an episode of "The ABC Weekend Specials".

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

@Miru @mharrington I looked up The Mouse and the Motorcycle, and the only adaptation is from Churchill Films.

 

[Professortango1]

They should do an animated remake of the 2019 Lion King.

I'd pay money to watch a 2D hand drawn version of Something Wicked This Way Comes. Stop motion would work for that as well. Call up Henry Selick!

Return to Oz would obviously work well. Tall Tale.

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

@Professortango1 I think people had enough ptsd with Return to Oz.

 

[Professortango1]

@Professortango1 I think people had enough ptsd with Return to Oz.

80's live action is far more creepy than animation. The main characters were cold and creepy looking, making the positive moments creepy and the darker elements even worse. If you animate the film, the uncanny valley aspect is lost and darker moments seem more artistic and palatable to sensitive audiences.

Can you imagine if Nightmare Before Christmas was made in the 80's live action? The film would have been terrifying.

 

[Twilight_Roxas]

80's live action is far more creepy than animation. The main characters were cold and creepy looking, making the positive moments creepy and the darker elements even worse. If you animate the film, the uncanny valley aspect is lost and darker moments seem more artistic and palatable to sensitive audiences.

Can you imagine if Nightmare Before Christmas was made in the 80's live action? The film would have been terrifying.

Good point. I would say the same thing if Disney does a animated adaptation of The Witches.

 

[mharrington]

@Miru @mharrington I looked up The Mouse and the Motorcycle, and the only adaptation is from Churchill Films.

Well, that's not Fox, either.

80's live action is far more creepy than animation. The main characters were cold and creepy looking, making the positive moments creepy and the darker elements even worse. If you animate the film, the uncanny valley aspect is lost and darker moments seem more artistic and palatable to sensitive audiences.

Can you imagine if Nightmare Before Christmas was made in the 80's live action? The film would have been terrifying.

"The Black Cauldron" is an animated film and it's creepy. In fact, it came out around the same time as "Return To Oz".

 

[MisterPenguin]

There was an animated version of the live action film "Darby O'Gill and the Little People."

It was a Lucky Charms commercial.

 

[TheOriginalTiki]

TRON is the franchise that instantly comes to mind, though I believe they did an animated show back in the 2000s. Mary Poppins would also be an amazing Disney Plus show, like every week she visits a different chalk drawing or something. Get Emily Blunt and Lin Manuel Miranda return to do the voices and *chef's kiss*

I could also see an animated 20,000 Leagues in the style of Atlantis and Treasure Planet doing really well, mostly on the basis of people having a ton of nostalgia for those two movies and Disney animated steampunk anime adventure movies having a ton of untapped potential for that style.

I've also LONG since wanted them to do an animated film based on the Brer characters and simply call it "Splash Mountain". I'm sure they'll NEVER do that idea now adays, but it's a concept that's been in my head since like middle school.