My Honest Take as a Lifelong Disney Fan
I’ll be straight with you — I was sceptical. When Disney first announced it was remaking its animated classics in live action, my initial reaction was somewhere between mild curiosity and deep suspicion. These films shaped my childhood. Did they really need a glossier, CGI-heavy refresh?
Turns out, the answer depends entirely on which film you’re talking about. Having watched my way through the full slate of live action Disney remakes, some more than once, some reluctantly.
I’ve got some strong opinions. Here’s my honest, ranked breakdown.
Which Live Action Disney Remakes Are Actually Worth Watching?
Not all of them. That’s the honest answer.
At the top of my list sits Beauty and the Beast (2017). Emma Watson and Dan Stevens brought something genuinely warm to that story, and the production design was extraordinary. It felt like a love letter to the original rather than a cash grab. It grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide, and I’d argue it earned every penny.
Aladdin (2019) surprised me completely. I went in expecting Will Smith to be a disaster as the Genie — how do you follow Robin Williams? But somehow, it worked. Smith made the role his own, the musical energy was infectious, and Mena Massoud was charm personified. Another billion-dollar earner, and rightfully so.
The Jungle Book (2016) deserves special mention. Jon Favreau’s direction was quietly masterful, and the CGI still holds up years later. Young Neel Sethi carried the entire film on his shoulders. Remarkable, when you think about it.
Lilo & Stitch (2025): A live-action and CGI update of the beloved 2002 film and heartfelt rather than hollow. Huge box office success.
Which Disney Remakes Were Disappointing?
Here’s the thing, even a mediocre Disney remake has production values most studios would envy. But disappointing? Yes, a few absolutely qualify.
The Lion King (2019) is where I feel most conflicted. Technically astonishing. Emotionally hollow. The photorealistic CGI animals, for all their visual brilliance, couldn’t convey the expressiveness of the original’s hand-drawn animation. Beyoncé, Donald Glover, and a stellar cast couldn’t fully compensate for that. It still made over $1.6 billion globally, but critical consensus largely agreed, something essential was missing.
Dumbo (2019) had Tim Burton’s fingerprints all over it, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the reimagined storyline felt oddly joyless.
And Mulan (2020)? A genuinely brave reimagining that stripped out the musical elements and Mushu, moves that felt bold in theory but alienated the audience who loved the original most.
Snow White (2025): Directed by Marc Webb, starring Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. There’s been no shortage of controversy around this one, and what a disaster.
Moana (2026): Thomas Kail directs, with Catherine Laga’aia as Moana and Dwayne Johnson reprising his role as Maui. The film has flatlined.
Some to look at soon include Hercules in development with Guy Ritchie directing and the Russo Brothers producing. This one could be brilliant or catastrophically misjudged. Possibly both.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame in development. Arguably Disney’s most tonally complex animated film, this one needs careful handling.
Are Live Action Disney Remakes Good for New Audiences?
Genuinely, yes, with caveats.
For younger viewers discovering these stories for the first time, films like Cinderella (2015) and Aladdin offer fresh, visually dazzling entry points. Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella is quietly one of the best of the lot; elegant, emotionally sincere, and beautifully cast. It doesn’t try to reinvent anything. It just does the story brilliantly.
For lifelong fans, it’s more complicated. We bring baggage. The originals are embedded in us, and any deviation, however well-intentioned, registers as a loss.
My Final Verdict on Live Action Disney Remakes
They’re uneven. Wildly so. But at their best Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book, Cinderella, they’re genuinely excellent films that stand on their own merits. At their worst, they’re technically impressive and emotionally inert.
What keeps me watching? Hope, mainly. And the fact that Disney clearly isn’t slowing down.
I’ll be in that cinema seat. As always.
