28 Disney classics making live-action magic on screen (2024)

Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)

In 2010, Alice went to Wonderland and kicked off Disney's recent crop of live-action revivals of the studio's classic films. Based on Lewis Carroll's fantasy novels and inspired by 1951's animated Alice in Wonderland, the Tim Burton-directed film stars Mia Wasikowska as Alice alongside a star-studded cast of Wonderland characters (Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter; Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen; Anne Hathaway as the White Queen; the voices of Alan Rickman, Michael Sheen, and more). Alice was a box office smash, earning more than $1 billion worldwide, and its sequel, Alice Through the Looking Glass, arrived in theaters on May 27, 2016.

Since then, the House of Mouse has embarked on a long run of live-action remakes. Keep clicking for a rundown of all of 'em, from other box office hits to films still in development.

Maleficent (2014) and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)

The horn-headdressed, baby-cursing sorceress from Disney's 1959 animated classic Sleeping Beauty got a film of her own in 2014 with Maleficent. Starring Angelina Jolie in the title role, the film delves into the iconic villain's origin story and her relationship with Princess Aurora (Elle Fanning). Maleficent took in more than $758 million at the worldwide box office, and Jolie and Fanning returned for a 2019 sequel titled Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.

Cinderella (2015)

Lily James stepped into Cinderella's iconic glass slippers in 2015 for a live-action retelling of Disney's 1950 film, with Game of Thrones' Richard Madden as her charming prince, Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother, and Cate Blanchett as Lady Tremaine — her wicked stepmother. Directed by Kenneth Branagh from a screenplay by Chris Weitz (who also wrote 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), the film cast a spell on filmgoers and brought in $542.4 million at the global box office.

The Jungle Book (2016)

Welcome (back) to the jungle — Disney's 1967 animated tale returned to the big screen in 2016 with a live-action retelling helmed by director Jon Favreau. This version of The Jungle Book stars Neel Sethi as the man-cub Mowgli alongside a deep roster of A-list stars as the voices of his animal friends and enemies, including Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Ben Kingsley, Lupita Nyong'o, and Christopher Walken. The film raked in an impressive $103 million in its opening weekend in theaters and won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Disney has greenlit a sequel with Favreau returning to direct. (A separate Jungle Book movie, directed by Andy Serkis, dropped on Netflix in 2018.)

Pete's Dragon (2016)

The 1977 live-action/cartoon hybrid about an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend — an occasionally visible dragon named Elliot — got new life in a big-screen adaptation that opened in theaters on Aug. 12, 2016. Directed by David Lowery (Ain't Them Bodies Saints), Pete's Dragon reimagines the story for modern times, and stars Oakes Fegley as Pete, Bryce Dallas Howard as the park ranger who finds the boy living "alone" in the forest, and Robert Redford as her character's father.

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

The tale as old as time got a new chapter in 2017, when the 1991 classic — the first animated movie to ever get an Oscar nomination for Best Picture — returned to theaters as a live-action musical starring Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the Beast. Beauty and the Beast's cast also includes Luke Evans as Gaston; Josh Gad as LeFou; Ian McKellen as Cogsworth; Ewan McGregor as Lumière; Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts; Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette; Stanley Tucci as Cadenza; Kevin Kline as Maurice; and Audra McDonald as Madame Garderobe. The new Beauty shattered box office records when it debuted, raking in more than $1.2 billion globally.

Christopher Robin (2018)

Classic Pooh voice actor Jim Cummings returned to, once again, allow everyone's favorite yellow bear to speak in Christopher Robin — which follows an all-grown-up Christopher (Ewan McGregor) as he learns how to reconnect with his childhood.

Mary Poppins Returns (2018)

The practically perfect nanny returned to 17 Cherry Tree Lane in December 2018. Emily Blunt takes over the role of Mary Poppins in Rob Marshall's sequel, which picks up about 30 years after the events of the Julie Andrews original.

Dumbo (2019)

Tim Burton already brought his fantastical style to the 2010 live-action Alice in Wonderland, and, in 2019, he headed to the circus with a new take on Dumbo. Colin Farrell stars as a former horse showman who returns from World War I to work at a circus on the verge of financial ruin (run by Danny DeVito). There, he and his two children cross paths with the titular flying elephant.

Aladdin (2019)

Did somebody find a lamp and wish for a live-action Aladdin? In October 2016, it emerged that a new take on the 1992 animated classic was in the works, with Guy Ritchie on board to direct. The new film debuted in 2019, starring Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Jasmine, and Will Smith as the Genie, filling the iconic shoes — although, does the Genie even wear shoes? — of Robin Williams.

The Lion King (2019)

After the success of Jon Favreau's live-action The Jungle Book, Disney let him run wild with another of its beloved animated movies. Favreau's new reimagining of The Lion King debuted in the summer of 2019, with a star-studded voice-over cast that includes Donald Glover as Simba; Beyoncé as Nala; Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar; Billy Eichner as Timon; Seth Rogen as Pumbaa; and John Oliver as Zazu — as well as the return of James Earl Jones as Mufasa.

Lady and the Tramp (2019)

The doggone Disney classic received a refresh, when The LEGO Ninjago Movie's Charlie Bean directed a new take on Lady and the Tramp. Tessa Thompson and Justin Theroux lent their voices to the lead canine roles, and the film debuted with the launch of Disney's streaming service, Disney+, in November 2019.

Mulan (2020)

Liu Yifei stars as the beloved warrior Hua Mulan, who disguises herself as a man and enlists in the Chinese Imperial Army to save her ailing father. Niki Caro (Whale Rider) directed a cast that includes Donnie Yen, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An, and Jet Li. Mulan was originally set to hit theaters in March 2020 but eventually landed on Disney+ in September 2020, where subscribers could pay an additional fee to watch it. It became available for all subscribers in December of that year.

Cruella (2021)

If Emma Stone doesn't scare you, no evil thing will. Glenn Close may have played the dog-napping Cruella De Vil in the 1996 live-action 101 Dalmatians, but Stone starred in this 2021 prequel, which explored Cruella's origins inside the world of high fashion. The film took in more than $230 million at the worldwide box office and fittingly won the Oscar for Best Costume Design.

Pinocchio (2022)

Plans to adapt Disney's 1940 version of Pinocchio to a live-action film date back to the '80s, finally earning the green light in 2015. Starring Tom Hanks as Geppetto, the Robert Zemeckis-directed film blends CGI animation with live-action settings. Released on Disney+ in September 2022, Pinocchio was not well-received, earning negative reviews from critics and multiple Razzie nominations.

Peter Pan & Wendy (2023)

For yet another live-action remake, Disney followed the second star to the right for a new retelling of J.M. Barrie's classic. David Lowery, who directed Pete's Dragon, , which he also co-wrote with Toby Halbrooks. Ever Anderson and Alexander Molony play Wendy and Peter, with Jude Law donning Captain Hook's plumed hat. The film started out as a planned Disney+ exclusive, then was slated for a theatrical release, but was ultimately a Disney+ original in 2023.

The Little Mermaid (2023)

Disney headed back under the sea with this highly anticipated live-action remake of the 1989 animated classic, with grown-ish star Halle Bailey (one-half of R&B sister act Chloe x Halle) cast as the mermaid Ariel. Directed by Rob Marshall, this new musical retelling features both familiar tunes from Alan Menken and Howard Ashman and new songs written by Menken with lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Snow White (2024)

For another live-action adaptation, Disney is going all the way back to its first-ever animated movie: 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In October 2016, news broke that the studio was planning a new live-action musical about the fairest of them all, with Girl on the Train screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson in negotiations to write the script. Since then, Barbie director Greta Gerwig has also come on as a co-writer, and Mark Webb joined as the film's director. The plan is to expand upon the original story and music from the 1937 film, with La La Land lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul on board to write the movie's new songs. West Side Story star Rachel Zegler has been cast in the lead role, with the film set for release on March 22, 2024.

Mufasa: The Lion King (2024)

Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) is slated to helm a new prequel to The Lion King, centering on Mufasa's origin story. The film will use the same photorealistic CGI as the 2019 version, with Billy Eichner, Seth Rogen, and John Kani all reprising their roles as Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki, respectively. Aaron Pierre — who previously worked with Jenkins on The Underground Railroad miniseries — is set to step into James Earl Jones' iconic shoes, giving voice to a younger Mufasa, while Kelvin Harrison Jr. will play Taka, the lion who would become Scar. In addition to these familiar faces, Jenkins teased to EW in 2022, "Please expect musical numbers. Really wonderful musical numbers, I'd say."

Moana (2025)

While previous Disney live-action remakes have been released decades after the original, the House of Mouse is already looking to adapt Moana less than a decade after it was released in 2016. Tony-winning Hamilton director Thomas Kail is set to make his feature directorial debut, with Dwayne Johnson expected to reprise his role as demigod Maui. Auli'i Cravalho will not return to play the title role, though she will be an executive producer on the reimagining. "I am truly honored to pass this baton to the next young woman of Pacific Island descent, to honor our incredible Pacific peoples, cultures, and communities that helped inspire her story," Cravalho stated in May 2023.

Lilo & Stitch (release date TBD)

Say aloha (again) to : In October 2018, news broke that Disney was developing a live-action version of the 2002 film, chronicling the friendship between a young Hawaiian girl and a chaotic blue alien. Chris Sanders is reprising his voice role as Stitch, with newcomer Maia Kealoha set to portray Lilo. Dean Fleischer Camp (Marcel the Shell With Shoes On) is slated to direct, with a planned Disney+ exclusive release.

Hercules (release date TBD)

The hero who puts the glad in gladiator is also getting a live-action remake. Dave Callaham (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) wrote the first draft of the new script with Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo serving as producers and Guy Ritchie coming on as the project's director. Our biggest question: Who will voice the Muses?

Bambi (release date TBD)

Back in 2015, Saturday Night Live poked fun at Disney's slew of remakes with a parody trailer for Bambi, starring Dwayne Johnson as a gun-toting, cigar-chomping deer. Now, that prophecy is being fulfilled, with Oscar-winning filmmaker Sarah Polley set to direct this new photorealistic version. Unlike the 1942 original, the new Bambi is expected to be a musical, with music by Kacey Musgraves. It is set to use the same "live-action" style of Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book and The Lion King — but no word yet on whether Johnson will play the titular fawn.

The Sword in the Stone (release date TBD)

While numerous films have dealt in Arthurian legend, Disney's The Sword in the Stone (1963) remains the only feature-length adaptation of T.H. White's novel of the same name...until now. Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 Weeks Later) is slated to helm a live-action adaptation of the animated classic for Disney+, with a script by Game of Thrones writer Bryan Cogman. Few additional details have been revealed, including when the film is expected for release.

Robin Hood (release date TBD)

The residents of Sherwood Forest are also getting the live-action treatment: A remake of 1973's Robin Hood is in development, with Blindspotting director Carlos López Estrada on board. The film, another CGI/live-action hybrid, will debut exclusively on Disney+.

The Aristocats (release date TBD)

Fresh off winning an Oscar for his documentary Summer of Soul, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson is bringing his musical talents to an adaptation of 1970's The Aristocats. The film, which is described as a "live-action hybrid reimagining," will be his feature directorial debut.