Walt Disney Pictures first began testing the waters with the idea of adapting its beloved animated features into live-action remakes in the 1990s. Its first outing was the critically lauded but commercially disappointing live-action Jungle Book, based on the studio’s 1967 animated classic of the same name, itself based on Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book novel. This was followed by the vastly more successful 101 Dalmatians (1996) and 102 Dalmatians (2002) starring Glenn Close in a terrifying portrayal of Cruella De Vil that has most certainly been permanently etched into the minds of many of those who grew up in the 90s.
The next decade was a strange one for Disney releases. Its work with Pixar was some of its most successful, both critically and commercially, of all time. Movies like Finding Nemo, Wall-E, and UP were setting box office records and clearing up at awards ceremonies but releases from its own Walt Disney Animation Studios such as Brother Bear, Home on the Range, and Chicken Little were failing to have the same impact.
On the other hand, Disney did begin to notice an increase in popularity in its live-action output with the National Treasure and especially the Pirates of the Caribbean franchises performing particularly well in this period. It wasn’t until 2010, however, that Disney truly discovered the winning formula. Directed by Tim Burton and starring an all-star cast including Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, the Alice in Wonderland live-action adaptation grossed over $1 billion worldwide. The combination of nostalgia and anticipation to discover how the originals could be tweaked for a new generation had audiences hitting theaters in droves. Since this 2010 release, there have been a further 14 live-action Disney adaptations with even more in development.
Updated October 5th, 2022: This article has been updated with additional information as well as new information regarding the upcoming releases of The Little Mermaid and Snow White.
The Princess movies are such a big part of the Disney canon that it is no surprise that many of them have had a live-action makeover, and often Disney has used these reimaginings to rework some issues audiences have found dated in the original. With the release of The Little Mermaid less than a year away and Snow White set to open in theaters in 2024 take a look at every Disney princess live-action movie, ranked.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
6 Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)
Walt Disney Pictures
The follow-up to Maleficent, released a full five years after, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil fails to live up to its predecessor in pretty much every way. Again, using the technique to make Maleficent, the villain from the original Sleeping Beauty, more relatable and sympathetic, this story sees the eponymous character face the neighboring kingdom’s manipulated perception of herself as a villain, in addition to a rather underdeveloped subplot regarding the rise of an endangered, powerful fairy race known as the Dark Fey.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
The princess in this movie, Aurora, is now actually a Queen, and although she gets a fair bit of screen time her character sees very little development from what we already know about her. The plot development of the main villain being a queen who wishes to commit genocide on fairies is certainly a bold take for Disney, yet one that doesn’t quite live up to its potential. However, it is visually stunning, and an impressive ensemble cast does make the most of what they’ve got to work with. It is also worth noting it is probably better than most of the direct-to-video sequels Disney cranked out in the 1990s and 2000s.
5 Aladdin (2019)
There is no denying that this is a beautiful movie; the choreography, set design, and colorful cinematography are absolutely stunning. Despite a lot of initial concerns due to early leaked character designs and comparisons to the late Robin Williams’ iconic take on the character, Will Smith actually manages to defy expectations and really shines as the Genie, making it his own while still providing fans with exactly what they want from a big blue magic genie.
Unfortunately, much of Aladdin feels more like a stage show version of the classic animated film, with the viewer thinking back to the fond memories of the original. There is a little extra screen time given to Princess Jasmine in an attempt to further develop her character, including an additional but forgettable musical number whose modern sensibilities, trying to be like Frozen’s ‘Let It Go,’ clash with the original film’s music.
While the expanded second act playing up the romantic comedy angle is an inspired choice, nothing else really differentiates this version from the original animated feature, which is already a near-perfect film. While, by no means, a bad movie, it just all seems rather pointless, especially to those of us who remember the original Aladdin release in our lifetime.
4 Mulan (2020)
Bleeding Cool
This 2020 Disney+ exclusive retelling of the 1998 animated feature of the same name takes place in China during the Han dynasty, where Fa Mulan, daughter of aged warrior Fa Zhou, impersonates a man to take her father’s place during a general conscription to counter a Hun invasion. Told in far greater depth than the original with greater character development, this remake further examines important themes of gender equality, family, and duty to one’s country that the original which may have glossed over slightly.
Despite being an epic and thrilling romp, Mulan suffers from the exact opposite problem of the 2019 Aladdin — it strays too much from what made the original so enjoyable. By removing the comic relief, which was provided by Eddie Murphy as the petite dragon sidekick Mushu, and iconic songs, it now seems devoid of the humor and fun which made the original so enjoyable. While admirable to aim for a different genre and approach to the story, it feels like a half-measure in some respects.
3 Maleficent (2014)
Maleficent is a live-action retelling of Walt Disney’s classic animated film Sleeping Beauty, and portrays the story from the perspective of the so-called villain and eponymous antagonist, depicting her conflicted relationship with the king and princess of a corrupt kingdom. It was a fantastically interesting choice to show it from Maleficent’s point of view allowing for greater character development to the rather one dimensional ’evil’ representation of her in the original animation. Here she is given a compelling character arc that humanizes her. While this decision does take away from one element that fans loved about the original character in that she was so evil, this new telling stands on its own.
The film also shifts the dynamic between Maleficent and Princess Aurora, now played as a more mother/daughter dynamic. While some important themes of family and feminism are touched upon, it doesn’t seem like they are ever really fully utilized to their full potential. The film did receive a little backlash for the overuse of CGI and FX, but the concept was refreshing and paved the way for the (superior) ‘villain’ focused film Cruella, released seven years later.
2 Cinderella (2015)
This 2015 remake of the classic 1950 animated classic really exemplifies what can make these adaptations so enjoyable for audiences of all ages. Cinderella manages to retain all the beauty and the magic and is faithful enough to the original to flood audiences with feelings of sweet nostalgia yet advancements in technology and film quality are utilized in its presentation to prevent them from yearning for that original.
The slightly longer run time allows the Prince’s character to be further developed and gives the audience a bit of an insight into Cinderella’s life before she becomes an orphan. The settings and costumes are beautifully brought to the screen as a storybook comes to life. The cast is perfectly well suited for their roles. Cate Blanchet and Helena Bonham Carter particularly shine as the Stepmother and the Fairy Godmother, respectively. Lily James truly elevates Cinderella and was an indicator of the strong career she would go on to have.
1 Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Like Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast manages to keep all the old elements that made the original so beloved, only this time around they’ve stepped up the character development even further. Belle, who has always had the potential to be one of the greatest princesses, has finally been fully fleshed out to reach her potential as the iconic princess and role model for young girls she deserves to be. She’s a far more empowered heroine here, which isn’t saying much, since at the end of the day the ultimate story doesn’t work, considering it’s about a woman who falls in love with her violent kidnapper).
This is done through a number of subtle and nuanced differences, like how this time round Belle is the inventor and not merely an assistant to her father, she is portrayed as an innovator and trendsetter and is even shown at one point to be teaching a young girl to read. Then there’s the hilarious but poignant end quip, as Belle gazes upon her handsome newly transformed Prince, she asks, “How would you feel about growing a beard?” The cinematography, score, costumes, and performances are all fantastic. Those working on the forthcoming Little Mermaid, Rapunzel, and Snow White live action adaptations — take note. At least you’ll have better stories to work with.
