The Rise in Disney Movie Remakes
It's probable that you, the reader, grew up watching Disney films or perhaps the above title has got your mind thinking about the more recent Disney film remakes: Cinderella (2015), Beauty and the Beast (2017), Aladdin (2019) or The Lion King (2019). Either way whether you like them or not – they will be the subject of this article you've probably been questioning for a while.
My earliest experience of cinema was a Disney film which they thankfully have not remade (maybe give it a few more years?) – The Emperor's New Groove. There was something very powerful about letting my imagination run wild as a child, imagining so many situations in the original movies: imaging myself in a beautiful dress like Cinderella; imaging what it felt like seeing Dumbo fly in the circus or drinking the many potions and treats in Wonderland with Alice.
As an adult, Disney have remade so many timeless classics, that have almost expanded the real worlds they wanted to make at the time, and they wished upon a star for greater technical innovations. Now we have: grander palaces and circuses, even more magical costumes and additional stories that were not originally explored in depth e.g. Cinderella's family history, Belle's relationship with her father or the story of Maleficent. These may be little treats for parents/adult family members, who are sharing the magic of the story with little loved ones – so be prepared! Therefore I can certainly see why Disney are deciding to relive the magic a little bit longer, in a different and creative way.
However, we must not forget the power of nostalgia from once upon a dream. By power I mean profit, and profit can be very powerful. Of all production companies, Disney are experts of re-releasing films and have been doing so since 1944 with 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', which they re-released to keep funds afloat after the war. This is a tale as old as time, as Will Smith's Aladdin amassed $207m worldwide in its box office weekend alone. With all the old toy merchandise, theme park rides and more than the bare necessities – it's quite a smart business move for Disney to sell what works and what nostalgic adults and new untapped child audiences will watch and savour, for then the next generation. I also wonder how many people purchase tickets to see the new live action remakes just 'to see how they did it?!' That's why I'll be watching The Little Mermaid... because HOW?!!! If the latest The Lion King remake taught us something... it's that an all-star cast can make up for the rest of the film!
For those poor unfortunate souls cynically thinking Disney are milking their cash cows, it's worth noting that in the last couple of years, they have funded new creative works. Works like: Frozen, Moana, Coco, Chicken Little and Soul (Golden Globe nominated) are clearly not remakes. In turn, Disney+ are releasing crazy cool new works such as Wanda Vision – to say the least! With Frozen being the first Disney film to ever win a Golden Globe in the 'Best Animation' category, amongst being praised by the Writers Guild Foundation for its 'innovative writing' and just about every other awarding body out there – it's certainly not a 'tried and tested' remake.
Overall, it might just be a 'Circle of life'. Many of Disney's works have been taken from Shakespearean plays, folklores, old fables and gossiped possibilities. Is a story ever completely brand new or are we simply constantly remaking something that was already part of your world?
Sometimes we've just got to let it go. Heigh-ho!
Written by Kheira Bey
Kheira is an actress, living and working in London and loves anything fresh in the world of theatre, film and art. She works across theatre and film, and is trying to get better at watering her plant collection. She has previously contributed to: Voice Magazine, The Sun and Good Morning Britain; and is passionate about championing female narratives.