Ever since the first Walt Disney animated film, “Snow White,” came out in 1937, many movies that followed have become household favorites and classics. Now, in 2025, many of those classics have been reimagined in live-action form.
One such movie is the live-action “The Little Mermaid,” which was released in 2023. Bringing to life the original 1989 story of a teenage mermaid fascinated with humans, this remake was highly anticipated. The film used a combination of live-action filming, animations and Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) to create an underwater world displayed on the big screen.
Another popular remake is “Mulan,” which came out in 2020. Despite not being released in theaters due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the movie gained popularity for its unique spin on the original story. Rather than being an exact remake of the 1998 animated film, the 2020 “Mulan” takes a more realistic approach, ditching the talking dragons and singing to focus on the teenager’s difficult journey of disguising herself as a man to join the Imperial Chinese Army.
One reason many fans love live-action films is getting to see which actors will bring their favorite characters to life. One current example of this is “Tangled,” which has a live-action remake confirmed but few other details available. Many “fan casts,” where fans imagine their ideal casts for movies, have gone viral online—especially regarding who will take on the role of Rapunzel, a teenager with magical hair. Although no one has officially been cast, many people online have pitched celebrities such as Sabrina Carpenter or Florence Pugh to tackle the role.
However, not every remake is received well by fans. For example, the live-action remake of “Snow White,” which was released in March of 2025, faced many controversies, in part due to its depiction of the seven dwarves who help Snow White along her journey in the 1937 storyline.
After a leaked photo on the set sparked rumors that the new version would be changing, animating or erasing these characters entirely, the movie faced immense amounts of backlash. The controversy gained more attention when actor Peter Dinklage, who has dwarfism, criticized the movie to the newspaper The Daily Mail as a “missed opportunity” that took jobs from people with dwarfism. This controversy along with others ultimately delayed the film’s release by a year. It’s likely due in part to the controversy that the film did not do as well as predicted at the box office after opening.
Live-action remakes face other forms of scrutiny as well, with some claiming that Disney’s emphasis on recreating classic films reflects a decline in creativity and a primary focus on profit. Specifically, many critics argue that simply remaking the same film allows Disney to capitalize on the existing fan base without taking on creative risks.
On the other hand, some argue that there is no issue with remakes. They say that the new films bring a sense of nostalgia, and that there’s nothing wrong with a company using strategy to make a profit, no matter how divisive it may be.
For me, the remakes are a fun way to reimagine some of my favorite stories I watched as a kid. My favorite childhood movie was “Beauty and the Beast,” and the 2017 live-action version brought the animation to life and let me see it in a different way.
In spite of these ongoing discussions, Disney will continue to release remakes, with two more highly anticipated releases coming out in 2025 and 2026. “Lilo and Stitch,” coming out in May of 2025, features real actors playing the humans alongside a CGI version of the beloved alien, Stitch. The movie is said to be an exact remake of the 2002 animated film, which follows a young girl who adopts an extraterrestrial, believing it’s a dog. The trailer released on YouTube quickly gained 158 million views within 24 hours, making it the second-biggest trailer for Disney’s live-action remakes to date.
Additionally, the live-action version of “Moana” is said to be coming out in July of 2026, on the ten-year anniversary of the original movie’s release. The story about a teenage girl’s mission to save her island from a curse quickly became a fan favorite and left fans excited for the sequel. While the official trailer for the film has not been released, Dwayne Johnson is confirmed to be reprising his role of Maui, the character who he voiced in the 2016 film. This revival will also be following “Moana 2,” which was released in November of 2024.
Ultimately, for those who loved the original Disney movies, or for those who are just beginning to watch Disney, live-action remakes provide a sense of nostalgia and revive movies to be enjoyed in theaters once again. I look forward to seeing how Disney continues to evolve, and I’m excited for many more stories to come.