Every Disney Live-Action Remake, Ranked From Wretched To Watchable

Tom Hanks knows how to tug at our heartstrings as the lonely toymaker Geppetto, who yearns for a boy of his own. While he tries his hardest to forge a bond with the titular puppet, the CGI animation makes Pinocchio, along with other famous characters like his trusty sidekick, Jiminy Cricket, and the manipulative Honest John, seem lifeless. They look jarringly out of place against the equally artificial settings; what is meant to be an idyllic European town is obviously a fake movie set. The disability representation with the new addition of Fabiana and her ballerina marionette, Sabina, is a nice touch—certainly better than the cringeworthy, Scuttle-like Sofia the seagull. The original Pinocchio is a mesmerizing work of art, so any remake had big shoes to fill. Using actual puppetry could have made this version feel more authentic and visually pleasing.

The Lion King is an odd part of this live-action trend because there are zero human characters, and it’s still animated—just with computers, nearly shot-for-shot in many instances. The special effects are incredibly detailed and true to life, but in a story where a little lion cub has to react to his father’s death in a stampede, it feels soulless. That’s why the anthropomorphic versions of the characters, with their bigger eyes and larger expressions, worked so well for this profound tale of life and death. Here, the characters are barely able to react, their expressions flat and lifeless because the design focuses so much on capturing real life. Timon and Pumbaa especially look frightening. This new version of The Lion King feels pointless and gives little reason for existing.

Released straight to Disney+, this update of the 1955 original is a fine, if unnecessary, remake. There’s a more developed romance between Jim Dear and Darling (Thomas Mann and Kiersey Clemons) that leads to the birth of their baby, which the regal cocker spaniel, Lady, believes is her impending doom. The clear draw here is, of course, the adorable dogs in the titular roles and their sidekicks. The new Lady and the Tramp blends CGI with real-life rescue dogs, avoiding the uncanny valley. It’s hard not to love these furry, four-legged stars as they trot through their quaint town, even if it looks like a studio set and lacks the beauty of the original’s hand-painted backgrounds of Victorian homes and gaslit streets.

The Ottoman-style designs in Guy Ritchie’s version of Aladdin—golden domes of an ornate palace, intricate patterns, and flowing, rainbow-colored silks—set against the vast, sandy landscapes create an absolutely gorgeous live-action version of Agrabah. Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott share an earnest connection as Aladdin and Jasmine, supported by their soaring singing voices. Will Smith could never match Robin Williams’ brilliantly chaotic, motor-mouthed portrayal of Genie, but he deserves credit for making it work with his own swagger. Still, this Aladdin adaptation is more of a feast for the eyes than for the heart.

Mulan doesn’t have the same spark without Donny Osmond singing about getting down to business and defeating the Huns. Without the music, the focus shifts more to the action sequences, which are grand in scale and set against sweeping mountain backdrops. Disney often finds itself in a bind with these live-action remakes—damned if they stick too closely to the animated original with shot-for-shot recreations, and damned if they stray too far with unnecessary originality. The remake of Mulan removes Mushu and Cricket for being too fantastical, yet the changes they make still take away any authenticity. There’s the addition of Xianniang (Gong Li), a witch who can shapeshift into a falcon—far less scary than the actual soldiers in the original—and Mulan’s (Liu Yifei) ability to use qigong to explain her martial arts talent, rather than letting her transformation come from strength and perseverance. This version of Mulan tries to add magic in all the wrong places.

Tim Burton’s vision of a topsy-turvy world filled with whimsical creatures and curiosities is far spookier than the 1951 original. Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter resembles a deranged circus clown with his pale face and wild hair; Helena Bonham Carter’s Red Queen has a giant, computerized bobblehead. Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Matt Lucas) have sunken eyes with vacant stares. Alice takes on a feminist twist as a soldier in the fierce final battle, wielding a sword and wearing silver-plated armor, but the dull, gray cinematography makes the scene feel bland. The bizarre aesthetic and darkness take away from the, well, wonder of it all.

Tim Burton’s carnivalesque visuals and fascination with oddities who don’t fit in—like an elephant with giant ears—seem perfect for remaking Dumbo. Unfortunately, the film takes a one-hour children’s romp and stretches it out by nearly another hour with boring material. We’re meant to care about the handsome Colin Farrell as a one-armed veteran and his children (Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins), who are charged with taking care of Dumbo, but we just want to get back to the main attraction. The live-action version also critiques the capitalistic exploitation that lurks beneath a mammoth theme park, Dreamland (a not-so-subtle nod to Disneyland), but it’s overly grim and never lands. The only real positive is Dumbo’s design, with adorable big eyes that strike the right chord between realistic and cartoony.

There have been tons of live-action adaptations or retellings of Peter Pan, from the filmed stage production starring Mary Martin to the star-studded Steven Spielberg epic and the ethereal 2003 version. David Lowery’s Peter Pan & Wendy doesn’t have enough pixie dust, especially since Peter Pan (Alexander Molony) is no longer an impish scoundrel with a zest for life but a mopey little boy, while Tinkerbell (Yara Shahidi) has lost all of her sassiness. One of the most positive changes is making Tiger Lily (Alyssa Wapanatâhk) a strong warrior who helps Peter and the Lost Boys fight Hook and the pirates while removing any racist mocking of her Indigenous background. For all the beauty and mystery of Neverland’s misty rolling hills and towering waterfalls, the film lacks the sense of awe that should define Peter Pan’s world.

The original animated Beauty and the Beast from 1991 is gorgeous and one of the greatest Disney movies ever made. Unfortunately, this live-action version does not live up to it, mainly because of its design choices. Lumière, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts look scary with their teeny-tiny eyes and mouths, making it difficult to read their expressions. While Dan Stevens’ rich, booming voice and stately presence suit his role as the Beast—especially in his rousing ballad “Evermore”—the CGI looks too artificial. The Beast should have been created with practical effects and makeup so that audiences could literally see the humanity underneath that Belle connects to. The biggest disappointment is Belle’s golden dress; in the original film, it had rows of curtain-like fabric on her hoop skirt, but the new Wish-like version is flat and a cheesy bright yellow. Emma Watson’s wafer-thin voice doesn’t help her portrayal of the beloved bookworm either.

There’s an earlier remake of The Jungle Book that draws from Rudyard Kipling’s novel as much as the Disney animated film. Unlike the current wave of Disney remakes, director and co-writer Stephen Sommers does not have to follow the same story beats, choosing to explore an adult Mowgli, played by the expressive Jason Scott Lee. This version of The Jungle Book is more of an Indiana Jones-style adventure, where Mowgli helps a British captain search for treasure while falling for the spirited Kitty, who knew him as a child. Unlike Jon Favreau’s film, there are real animals rather than photorealistic ones, and they do not talk or sing. This version of The Jungle Book is certainly not the closest to the Disney original, but it has an old-fashioned, B-movie charm.

This is one of the few Disney live-action remakes from the 1990s. Glenn Close as Cruella De Vil is deliciously diabolical in her over-the-top performance, clashing with Jeff Daniels and Joely Richardson as the sweet couple who (very quickly!) fall in love. While we can admire the wrangling of so many Dalmatian puppies—who are known for being a stubborn breed—the story feels as scattered as the dogs’ spots. Written by John Hughes of Home Alone and National Lampoon’s Vacation fame, 101 Dalmatians jumps around from lighthearted romantic comedy to slapstick mishaps with Cruella’s henchmen.

Maleficent might be the Disney live-action film that departs the most from its original source material, retelling the story of Sleeping Beauty (1959) through the villain’s eyes. Angelina Jolie is pitch-perfect as the regal fairy, draped in black, with green eyes that pierce into your soul. The film reveals a rich, dark history behind the kingdom and Aurora’s father, Stefan (Sharlto Copley). There’s plenty of revision, especially in the reimagining of true love’s kiss as a deeper bond that goes beyond mere romance. This unique angle adds dimension to a fairy tale that originally followed a simple good vs. evil structure. Visually, it’s hard to match the vibrant beauty of the original, but this film’s blue and yellow tones, the neon glows of the fairies, and its ornate medieval-style set design are captivating in their own way.

Halle Bailey delivers a show-stopping performance as Ariel. Her voice is the kind a sea witch would want to steal—soulful and melodic, with powerful belts that send full-body chills. The sea creatures she calls friends are not as expressive as in the animated film, but their personalities still shine through in little details, like Sebastian’s perpetually shocked eyes or Flounder’s tininess. The Little Mermaid stands out as one of the few Disney live-action films that thoughtfully expand on the original story and characters. Despite their language barrier, Ariel and Eric bond over their shared love of stargazing, cartography, and dreams of adventure, making their connection feel deeper than just surface attraction. Eric now lives on a Caribbean-inspired island with a culture that holds both respect and fear for the ocean and its mysteries. This dynamic makes the harmony between the humans and mermaids at the end of the movie feel more earned.

Kenneth Branagh helms this enchanting remake of the 1950 classic. Cinderella was always a bit of a dull princess, her personality mostly defined by her compassion for animals and patience for chores. But Lily James adds depth to the role, bringing a quiet inner strength that motivates her unrelenting kindness and positivity despite terrible circumstances. Her mantra, “Have courage and be kind. For where there is kindness, there is goodness, and where there is goodness, there is magic,” feels even more resonant today. Cate Blanchett also brings emotional intensity to the wicked stepmother, portraying a more genuine and lacerating cruelty. This Cinderella outdoes the original’s famous dress, with layers upon layers of gossamer fabric creating a dazzling, billowy masterpiece that quickly becomes every little kid’s dream to wear.

Jon Favreau directs an adaptation of the 1967 classic about a little boy, Mowgli, raised by wolves, who makes his way through the labyrinthine jungle. Along the way, he crosses paths with the laid-back bear Baloo, who loves snoozing as much as he loves honey, and the pragmatic panther Bagheera. They serve as his friends and guides as he faces the menacing tiger Shere Khan. The photorealistic, computer-generated animation of the animals and surrounding environments—the lush greenery and bubbling waterfalls—is breathtaking. The Jungle Book was filmed entirely on a green screen, meaning the actors never actually stepped outside, and often, the young actor Neel Sethi was interacting with puppet heads of animals or nothing at all! Yet nothing feels artificial. The Jungle Book is stunning, and even with its digital updates, it never loses the endearing personalities of its animal characters.

The 1977 live-action/animated film is one of Disney’s goofiest yet most tedious outputs, hardly seeming like a frontrunner for a live-action adaptation. However, David Lowery’s version transforms the boy-meets-dragon tale into a gentle coming-of-age story with emotional heights that evoke Steven Spielberg’s E.T. Pete (Oakes Fegley), raised in the woods by his trusty, furry green dragon, Elliot, must save him from hunters from the outside world. Pete’s Dragon boasts a strong ensemble cast, including Bryce Dallas Howard, Robert Redford, Wes Bentley, and Karl Urban, who portray humble, everyday characters just seeking connection. The animation is incredible, with Elliot depicted as a puppy-like creature with expressive eyes and playful gestures. The dragon becomes a representation of the universal need for companionship and understanding, and his adventure is guaranteed to make you cry.