Live-action remakes of classic animated films: Do they work?

By Kamille Q. Cabreza

Since the development of computer-generated imagery (CGI), many animated film producers have been exploring ways on how they can bring more life to the classic two-dimensional movies we all loved as children.

It is deemed a strategy that can effectively attract more engagement from younger viewers, but the older generation appears to tip the other end of the balance due to their high expectations on the remake of their favorites.

Disney, for one, has been experimenting on “live-action” adaptations since the early ‘90s and the success of its first two remakes, “The Jungle Book” (1994) and “101 Dalmatians” (1996), motivated them to continue such a concept with evolving touches.

Still, many are yet to be satisfied with the outcome of the live versions, as those who grew up with the classics cannot help but stick to the original due to various reasons.

This year awaits the release of two live-action remakes that have since been the center of controversial takes and heated backlashes.

Clashes surrounding inaccurate representation 

“Skin white as snow” and “little men” are some of the key descriptions that avid Disney viewers are familiar with when recounting the tale of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” the company’s first animated feature released in 1937.

However, its upcoming live-action remake, titled “Snow White,” to hit theaters on March 21, 2025, did not escape the mounting disapproval from fans to film critics since the start of its production.

The casting of American singer and actress Rachel Zegler, who is of Colombian descent, as Snow White did not achieve the right reception as many stressed the inaccurate representation of the first Disney princess.

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Obvious hint

Fans reminded the studio that the character’s name was an obvious hint of what the human version should take resemblance to and denied the criticism as a racial comment.

Fans are also upset with Zegler because they believe she disregards the beloved legacy of the original 1937 cartoon movie by publicly criticizing it.

In a widely shared interview with Extra TV in 2022, Zegler claimed the adaptation purposefully avoided conventional romantic plotlines and called the prince’s actions “weird” and similar to stalking, a report from MSN cited.

Disney even came under fire for excluding actors with dwarfism when they decided to use CGI to create ‘magical creatures’ in place of the classic seven dwarfs.

The report also referred to the statement of actor Peter Dinklage, who raised Disney’s contradictory messages about diversity and representation and slammed the studio for hypocrisy.

‘Real-life’ effect on beloved blue alien brings new level of nostalgia

Amid the fiery exchanges, the first trailer of the live-action adaptation of “Lilo & Stitch” cools down the online tension with the official sneak peek of everybody’s favorite blue alien in its fuzzy and real form.

Stitch’s CGI version immediately earned praise from new viewers and fans of the classic 2002 animated film due to the promising accuracy of its representation, which will hit the big screen on May 23, 2025.

The trailer begins with the cute, dog-like alien (voiced by Chris Sanders) crashing into Earth’s atmosphere after fleeing his home planet riding a spaceship.

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Longing for a friend

Maia Kealoha stars as Lilo Pelekai, a young girl whose longing for a best friend ends as soon as her wish upon a shooting star grants her the chance to meet the playful alien.

The child actress is joined by Sydney Agudong, who plays Lilo’s big sister Nani, and actor Courtney B. Vance as the former CIA agent Cobra Bubbles.

A teaser of Pleakley’s (portrayed by Billy Magnussen) alien form was also featured in the trailer together with the human version of his reluctant partner, Jumba Jookba (played by Zach Galifianakis), while on a quest to capture Stitch in disguise.

However, it was their scene that caused a stir on various social media platforms after many noticed Pleakley’s masculine outfit for a secret getup.

According to a report from Buzzfeed, fans are in a frenzy over the lack of cross-dressing that is known to be the signature style of the diva “Earth expert” to portray a married couple with Jumba.

Issues on the casting of Nani were also raised due to the unspecified heritage of the actress and related reports that her physique and skin color present little resemblance to the cartoon version.

Despite these, the world is still on the edge as the film’s official screening nears.

The magic in storytelling

The application of advanced technology on live-action remakes may create tons of fresh concepts for the classics, but at the end of the day, the majority still clings to the original materials they grew up with.

What is deemed to truly matter on these adaptations is how the storytelling was laid and the trademarks of the films that fans request to be left untouched.

For it is those memorable scenes that made a mark in the hearts of viewers and brought historic success that will last a lifetime in the movie industry.

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