So, You Want to be an Imagineer Season 18 HYPE THREAD!

Pi on my Cake

Pi on my Cake

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
TheOriginalTiki said:
Pete's Dragon is objectively the best remake to me since I really don't care about the original at all and I think they came up with a really compelling new take on it. That's what I think the direction SHOULD be with live action remakes in general and why stuff like Lion King and Beauty and the Beast never should have happened. Simply put, you can't improve perfection. Pete's Dragon was never even close to being perfect. The Jungle Book SHOULD work for me more than it does. To me the thing that kills that movie is the pacing. I really dislike movies where the narrator narrates the whole story, and that's an unfortunate side effect of TJB. I also really don't think the kid actor playing Mowgli holds up on a rewatch. Most of his line delivery is really stilted. It also bothers me that the dynamic with Baloo was way less " freewheeling father figure" and more "immature man-child best friend".

What's everyone's thoughts on the live action sequels...specifically Christopher Robin and Mary Poppins Returns. If we include Returns in the "live action remake"category, I think it ABSOLUTELY runs away as the best movie of the bunch. Returns is generally one of my favorite Disney movies of the decade. Fantastic soundtrack that stands on its own, Emily Blunt's performance is absolutely flawless, Lin Manuel Miranda is freaking adorable. There's so much to love about Returns for me. Trip a Little Light Fantastic and Nowhere To Go But Up have entered the pantheon as some of my all time favorite Disney songs. The only flaw in that movie is that Collin Firth's banker villain isn't really needed, but so many people jump all over the movie for that one element and ignore everything it does well.

Christopher Robin I don't have nearly as much passion for as Returns, but I still think it stands on its own really freaking well. It has a slow start to be sure, but some of my favorite Jim Cummings line deliveries of his Pooh characters come from that movie.
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Christopher Robin and Mary Poppins Return I don't personally see in the same category as the live action remaks and all. But I love both! I think they kind of ate into each other's audience and got unfairly compared because of how closely they released to each other.

MPR has only a few minor issues in my mind. The banker didn't bother me, but the really forced scene for Topsy Turvy felt like it was only there to match the original's story beats. But for the most part the movie was amazing imo.

Christopher Robin could've been a bit darker (something I VERY rarely say). Especially with Act 3. They do a good job setting up this story where it neither matters nor is confirmed whether Pooh and all are real or just in his mind and then act 3 is a fantasy adventure movie. It holds it back a bit. But still love the film!

I'd love to see more movies with this approach rather than remakes. I would much rather a Toy Story 3 type Lilo going off to college rather than continuing with space adventures story as a live action sequel set up for Lilo & Stitch rather than the remake we're getting. Obviously, I'd prefer it being animated either way. But if it has to be live action I'd prefer GotG meets Toy Story 3 than the same story.
 
DisneyManOne

DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
mickeyfan5534 said:
Mary Poppins Returns deserved so much better than it got. It's a wonderful expansion to the original, Emily Blunt is flawless (I don't think she ever hasn't been flawless though), the music is absolutely worthy of holding up to the amazing soundtrack of the original, I can go on here. Colin Firth, yeah he's wasted (although he and the other bakers do provide for some great Neo-Marxist readings of the film for anyone into rhetorical criticism) but overall, the one thing that drags down the rest of the film and it still stays afloat.

Christopher Robin is in a league of its own imo. It's kind of a perfect take on Pooh. As I've grown up, I've found there's something of a bittersweet part of The Hundred Acre Wood that people don't discuss that this captures perfectly. Growing up is sad. You can either let all childish things go or you can hold them close and this is a movie that proves you can still be an adult without shunning beloved parts of your childhood.
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I'm still holding out hope that the Mary Poppins ride will still be built at EPCOT, and that it is just a delay, and not a cancellation. The concept art and film at the EPCOT Experience both implied that it would be based more on Mary Poppins Returns than on Mary Poppins, but frankly, I don't care. Mary Poppins Returns was absolutely brilliant, and by far, among the best of Disney's recent live-action offerings. It's certainly among the best of the Disney sequels, I'll tell you that much.
 
NateD1226

NateD1226

Well-Known Member
With all the talk about live action films I thought I would make a list on all the live action remakes, sequels, prequels, and new stories in the coming years!

  • The Little Mermaid
  • Hercules
  • Peter Pan & Wendy
  • Cruella
  • The Jungle Book 2
  • Aladdin 2
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • Pinocchio
  • Haunted Mansion
  • Hunchback of Notre Dame
  • Bambi
  • Tangled
  • Lilo & Stitch (D+)
  • Godmothered (D+)
  • The Sword in the Stone (D+)
  • Robin Hood (D+)
  • Genies
  • Prince Charming
  • Rose Red
  • Rescue Rangers
  • Tink
  • Chernabog
Some of these were announced years ago so who knows what state they are in now but I'm pretty sure this is all of them. It doesn't look like Disney plans to stop live action movies anytime soon.
 
DisneyManOne

DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
Some thoughts for now...

The Little Mermaid: Cautiously optimistic. I trust Rob Marshall with a musical more than any other director in Hollywood. And Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda collaborating on the score? Yes, please! Plus, anything that makes racists upset is A-OK to me.

Cruella: Emma Stone being cast as Cruella gives me hope, as she is a strong comedic actress. Plus, the fact that they have said this is a prequel to the 1996 version, not the 1961 version, does take the sting off it. Just...don't go full Maleficent on it. How do you make someone who wants to murder puppies sympathetic, anyway?

Snow White: ...why? Just...why? To me, this is the biggest insult towards the Disney Animated Canon. This is the film that proved animation could work as a feature film medium, so to try and remake it seems just so...pointless. Here's hoping this one never makes it past the development stage. Plus, anything involving Benj Pasek and Justin Paul is an automatic "nope" in my book.

Hunchback: Go dark or go home. Let Esmeralda die. Let Quasimodo throw Frollo off Notre Dame. Let it be said that years later, people found Quasi and Esmeralda's embracing skeletons in the catacombs and that they turned to dust when they tried to separate them. The success of the stage adaptation could mean that Disney could base it more on that than on the animated film. Plus, if they go do that route and Josh Gad remains as Quasimodo and pulls it off, it'd be a brilliant "playing-against type" for him.

Robin Hood: With real people or photorealistic CGI animals?

Rescue Rangers: ...they're doing a Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers movie? Awesome!

Also, you left out one more developing remake: Pinocchio...as directed by Robert Zemeckis. I'm already dreading seeing what he'll look like in motion-capture...
 
Brer Panther

Brer Panther

Well-Known Member
I've seen a good chunk of Dumbo. I didn't care for it. I liked Danny DeVito and how all of the circus performers banded together to help Dumbo, but aside from that? Meh.

Christopher Robin I've seen bits and pieces of. There are things I can complain about - it's a blatant Paddington cash-grab, Piglet sounds nothing like Piglet, I think the live action Tigger looks creepy... but if nothing else, Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglet are all in-character and I'm happy that Jim Cummings got to reprise his roles as Pooh and Tigger (especially considering how obsessed with stunt-casting Disney is nowadays). Brad Garrett doing the voice of Eeyore again was a pleasant surprise as well.

I still need to see The Jungle Book. I hear it's quite good. Does watching a review of Alice in Wonderland count as watching that one? The others, I have no intention of watching.

As for the ones that are still in-production... I'm pretty meh about most of them. Cruella sounds like it's gonna be crap (it's totally gonna be another Maleficent). Don't exactly have high hopes for the sequels (Aladdin 2 is just begging for comparisons to The Return of Jafar). Hercules, I'm hoping they'll at least get Danny DeVito to play Phil again. Rescue Rangers just screams "we must cash-in on the success of the Alvin and the Chipmunks movies!" (bet they'll replace Tress MacNeille and Corey Burton with celebrities). The biggest "no thank you"s for me are the Bambi, Lilo and Stitch, and Robin Hood remakes. Bambi is clearly just Disney trying to repeat the success of The Lion King, I don't think Stitch is gonna translate very well to live action, and Robin Hood makes me worried that they're gonna try and merge the celebrities doing the voices with realistic animals a la Warner Bros.' Mowgli.

And wasn't Genies cancelled?
 
TheOriginalTiki

TheOriginalTiki

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Just finished Infinity Train book three. My current mood...
161098480070812139b6faad72de944a.gif
 
Sharon&Susan

Sharon&Susan

Well-Known Member
NateD1226 said:
With all the talk about live action films I thought I would make a list on all the live action remakes, sequels, prequels, and new stories in the coming years!

  • The Little Mermaid
  • Hercules
  • Peter Pan & Wendy
  • Cruella
  • The Jungle Book 2
  • Aladdin 2
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • Pinocchio
  • Haunted Mansion
  • Hunchback of Notre Dame
  • Bambi
  • Tangled
  • Lilo & Stitch (D+)
  • Godmothered (D+)
  • The Sword in the Stone (D+)
  • Robin Hood (D+)
  • Genies
  • Prince Charming
  • Rose Red
  • Rescue Rangers
  • Tink
  • Chernabog
Some of these were announced years ago so who knows what state they are in now but I'm pretty sure this is all of them. It doesn't look like Disney plans to stop live action movies anytime soon.
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There's also Snow Queen. Apparently its going to have very few similarities to Frozen and more to the classic story, so I'm not sure if that counts?
 
Pi on my Cake

Pi on my Cake

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
Suchomimus said:
I've heard seen some good stuff from both shows; more admittedly from Owl House as I've only seen snippets from Infinity Train, though I haven't been able to watch the full season.
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Watch Owl House if ya want the next Gravity Falls.
Watch Infinity Train if ya want the next Over the Garden Wall (from what I hear at least)
 
Disney Dad 3000

Disney Dad 3000

Well-Known Member
NateD1226 said:
With all the talk about live action films I thought I would make a list on all the live action remakes, sequels, prequels, and new stories in the coming years!

  • The Little Mermaid
  • Hercules
  • Peter Pan & Wendy
  • Cruella
  • The Jungle Book 2
  • Aladdin 2
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • Pinocchio
  • Haunted Mansion
  • Hunchback of Notre Dame
  • Bambi
  • Tangled
  • Lilo & Stitch (D+)
  • Godmothered (D+)
  • The Sword in the Stone (D+)
  • Robin Hood (D+)
  • Genies
  • Prince Charming
  • Rose Red
  • Rescue Rangers
  • Tink
  • Chernabog
Some of these were announced years ago so who knows what state they are in now but I'm pretty sure this is all of them. It doesn't look like Disney plans to stop live action movies anytime soon.
Click to expand...

I see this list and I'm just like. Why. Why. Why why why why why. If we are all still here in 10 years, odds are they'll then start remaking the remakes. I guess the theory is they want to obviously make money buy reintroduce these stories to this generation. Aren't so many kids indoctrinated to the originals from the sat/sun marathons on Freeform(formerly abc family) and now D+?

To me, if you aren't going a new direction with the film and giving me something really different, a new perspective, new vision, a new something, then I immediately go in not expecting to like it. It makes it almost impossible for me to enjoy most of these remakes because the original was so good or iconic. If I want to see that story ill watch the original. I tried with Aladdin, but all I wanted to hear was Robin Williams as an example. Didnt absolutely hate it,, but a very meh from me. Ive appreciated some of them for at least attempting, even if the results are mixed like Maleficent, Mulan, Petes Dragon, Dumbo (I sort of liked it too @NateD1226 ), and Jungle Book at least did something with CGI that was interesting though pales to the original.

Only things on this list that intrigue me are Cruella, Godmothered and Chernabog. Aladdin 2 and JB 2 should have been the first ones made. Do we really need a live action shot of Bambis mom getting shot?
 
NateD1226

NateD1226

Well-Known Member
Disney Dad 3000 said:
To me, if you aren't going a new direction with the film and giving me something really different, a new perspective, new vision, a new something, then I immediately go in not expecting to like it. It makes it almost impossible for me to enjoy most of these remakes because the original was so good or iconic. If I want to see that story ill watch the original. I tried with Aladdin, but all I wanted to hear was Robin Williams as an example. Didnt absolutely hate it,, but a very meh from me. Ive appreciated some of them for at least attempting, even if the results are mixed like Maleficent, Mulan, Petes Dragon, Dumbo (I sort of liked it too @NateD1226 ), and Jungle Book at least did something with CGI that was interesting though pales to the original.
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I couldn't have said it better myself. The Lion King was literally a copy of the the original but with more famous people in the cast. I also had the same problem with Aladdin. It also felt way to lackluster when it came to songs and acting. Prince Ali was boring with not as much energy as the animated version and Speechless did not fit it into the movie that well either. Aladdin just felt so boring and tiresome. But, the exact movies that you listed are some of my favorites as well. I really like the Maleficent movies as they were new stories and explained deeper into the story of why she hated the royal family. I am really hoping they try and go in a more unique path when making these live action films because I'm tired of these cash-grab remakes.
 
mickeyfan5534

mickeyfan5534

Well-Known Member
NateD1226 said:
I couldn't have said it better myself. The Lion King was literally a copy of the the original but with more famous people in the cast. I also had the same problem with Aladdin. It also felt way to lackluster when it came to songs and acting. Prince Ali was boring with not as much energy as the animated version and Speechless did not fit it into the movie that well either. Aladdin just felt so boring and tiresome. But, the exact movies that you listed are some of my favorites as well. I really like the Maleficent movies as they were new stories and explained deeper into the story of why she hated the royal family. I am really hoping they try and go in a more unique path when making these live action films because I'm tired of these cash-grab remakes.
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I wish Speechless were a better song because I absolutely LOVE the idea of Jasmine getting a “woman scorned” number and Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud really did carry Aladdin 2019
 
montydysquith-navarro

montydysquith-navarro

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
mickeyfan5534 said:
I wish Speechless were a better song because I absolutely LOVE the idea of Jasmine getting a “woman scorned” number and Naomi Scott and Mena Massoud really did carry Aladdin 2019
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Speechless itself isn't a bad song, imo. It's just that it clashed with everything Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice wrote originally.

The Pasek-Paul-Menken collab actually made me nervous about the latter's collab with Lin-Manuel for The Little Mermaid live-action remake. I get why Disney wants to bring a modern sensibility in terms of the book and the score (and Lin sure does personify that modernity with In the Heights--my personal preference, by the way. Sorry Hamilfans--and Hamilton), but for me, the live-action Aladdin showed why due diligence is needed in terms of weaving in new threads of storyline into the existing one. A lot of you have echoed this sentiment: there should be new material to uncover in the story, yet there is still respect for the original existing material. Sure we got a This Is Me-esque (which is probably the reason why P&P got hired in the first place) Jasmine solo, but did that song serve the material as well as the other Jasmine songs (To Be Free, These Palace Walls, or even Call Me a Princess) did?

I'm still looking forward to the new live-action of LM, don't get me wrong. I just hope we don't get another Aladdin (2019) with this one. We are losing the gorgeous Broadway songs for it after all!

And I really hope Halle is being treated way better than John B. and Kelly Marie T. was in Star Wars.
 

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