It seems like live action remakes of previous, beloved animated movies have been all Disney has put out in the last few years. Indeed, Disney has produced fourteen live action adaptations of their animated films in the last seven years. The most memorable ones include The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Mulan, and most recently, The Little Mermaid. That’s not to mention the upcoming live action remakes Disney has planned, including Snow White, Lilo & Stitch, and Moana. While such films are not unpopular, live action remakes have not come without criticism.
The rise of live action adaptations has made people forget that animation is a medium and art style in its own right and deserves to be appreciated for what it is. These movies were animated for a reason, it’s what the original creators chose. Simply put, animation is more visually captivating. It’s what defines so many of our favorite classics, like Toy Story or The Lion King. These stories are more “easily displayed in animated visuals,” things live action can’t do and is limited in. There is unlimited potential, imagination, and creativity within the animation genre.
These live action adaptations are highly profitable as they bring in the big bucks at the box office. There are several reasons why Disney keeps producing live action remakes and why so many people go to see them. One of the biggest is that Disney is banking on nostalgia, it’s a nostalgic cash grab. Some claim that such remakes are unnecessary and that Disney should prioritize original and creative stories. The charm and magic that is the very essence of Disney is lost. Additionally, most often a live action remake will have a worse Rotten Tomatoes score than its animated counterpart. A lot of the critique of these remakes has to do with the CGI and color palette which is more difficult to get right in live action versus animation. Disney is now producing quantity over quality. There are plenty of new stories that deserve to be told over Disney relying on previous success to harbor new success.
https://dailybruin.com/2023/02/28/second-take-disney-loses-its-magic-with-overly-nostalgic-sequels-and-remakes
https://stringlinepictures.com/animation-vs-live-action/
https://collider.com/live-action-remakes-animated-movies/
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