In the case of “Aladdin,” director Guy Ritchie’s new version tweaks the original film’s love story between Princess Jasmine (now played by Naomi Scott) and the street hustler Aladdin (Mena Massoud) to give it a female-empowerment spin fit for today’s era. With attitudes shifting over time, depictions of gender roles and other cultures that were acceptable in decades past may now induce cringes or eye rolls.

Live-action versions of “The Little Mermaid” and “Mulan” are in the works, a “Maleficent” sequel is set to open in October, “Lady and the Tramp” will debut with the launch of the Disney+ streaming service in November, and a potential origin story featuring Cruella de Vil, the villainess of “One Hundred and One Dalmatians,” is in development.Īs the studio has discovered, however, even with the most seemingly timeless films, certain elements may not have aged so well in the intervening years.

Though Disney’s most recent reimagining, Burton’s “Dumbo,” was deemed a box office disappointment when it hit theaters last month, the studio is moving full steam ahead with other remakes. In the years since, the studio has found success with new versions of “Cinderella,” “The Jungle Book” and “Beauty and the Beast” as well as the “Sleeping Beauty” spinoff “Maleficent.” When you can find those two things in concert, that’s wonderful.”įor Disney, this strategy of revisiting and retrofitting titles from its vaunted library dates back to Tim Burton’s 2010 live-action reimagining of “Alice in Wonderland,” which grossed more than $1 billion worldwide. “Then you combine that with what gets us really creatively excited.

“We really try to weigh, what is in the contract with the audience? What do they want to feel? What are specific moments that, if you are going to change or lose them, you do so at your own peril?” said Sean Bailey, Disney’s president of production. In serving up these new spins on much-loved films, the studio is trying to strike a delicate balance, delivering a warm and fuzzy nostalgia fix - amplified by familiar songs like “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me” from “Aladdin” and “The Circle of Life” and “Hakuna Matata” from “The Lion King” - while also offering audiences something unexpected.

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