Every Live-Action Disney Remake, Ranked!
From '101 Dalmatians' to 'Mufasa: The Lion King,' Moviefone counts down every live-action Disney remake ever made.
(L to R) Afia (voiced Anika Noni Rose), Young Mufasa (voiced by Braelyn Rankins) and Masego (voiced by Keith David) in Disney’s 'Mufasa: The Lion King'. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc. All Rights
Walt Disney Pictures began adapting their classic animated movies into live-action films in the mid-90s to varied results.
For every box office hit like 'Beauty and the Beast', 'Aladdin', and 'The Lion King', there have been box office failures like 'Pinocchio', 'Dumbo', or 'Lady and the Tramp'.
Opening in theaters on December 20th is the new live-action prequel to 2019's 'The Lion King', entitled 'Mufasa: The Lion King'. In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down every live -action Disney remake of an animated film ever made.
Let's begin!
23. 'Pinocchio' (2022)
(L-R): Pinocchio (voiced by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), Tom Hanks as Geppetto, and Figaro in Disney's live-action 'Pinocchio,' exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Academy Award® winner Robert Zemeckis directs this live action retelling of the beloved tale of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy. Tom Hanks stars as Geppetto, the wood carver who builds and treats Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as if he were his own son. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Jiminy Cricket, who serves as Pinocchio’s guide as well as his "conscience"; Academy Award® nominee Cynthia Erivo is the Blue Fairy; Keegan-Michael Key is "Honest" John; Academy Award® nominee Lorraine Bracco is Sofia the Seagull, a new character, and Luke Evans is The Coachman. Also in the cast are Kyanne Lamaya as Fabiana (and her marionette Sabina), Giuseppe Battiston as Señor Stromboli and Lewin Lloyd as Lampwick.
22. 'The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story' (1998)
Told from Mowgli's point of view, it's the story of how a boy became a mancub and a mancub became a man.
The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story
21. 'The Jungle Book' (1994)
Raised by wild animals since childhood, Mowgli (Jason Scott Lee) is drawn away from the jungle by the beautiful Kitty. But Mowgli must eventually face corrupt Capt. Boone, who wants both Kitty's hand and the treasures of Monkey City – a place only Mowgli can find.
20. 'Dumbo' (2019)
2019's 'Dumbo'. Photo: Walt Disney Pictures.
A young elephant, whose oversized ears enable him to fly, helps save a struggling circus, but when the circus plans a new venture, Dumbo and his friends discover dark secrets beneath its shiny veneer.
19. '102 Dalmatians' (2000)
Get ready for a howling good time as an all new assortment of irresistible animal heroes are unleashed in this great family tail! In an unlikely alliance, the outrageous Waddlesworth - a parrot who thinks he's a Rottweiler - teams up with Oddball - an un-marked Dalmatian puppy eager to earn her spots! Together they embark on a laugh-packed quest to outwit the ever-scheming Cruella De Vil (Glenn Close).
18. 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' (2010)
Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) is a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan trying to defend the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina). Balthazar can't do it alone, so he recruits Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel), a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant protégé. The sorcerer gives his unwilling accomplice a crash course in the art and science of magic, and together, these unlikely partners work to stop the forces of darkness.
17. 'The Jungle Book' (2016)
A man-cub named Mowgli (Neel Sethi) fostered by wolves. After a threat from the tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba), Mowgli is forced to flee the jungle, by which he embarks on a journey of self discovery with the help of the panther, Bagheera (Ben Kingsley) and the free-spirited bear, Baloo (Bill Murray).
16. 'Christopher Robin' (2018)
Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor), the boy who had countless adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood, has grown up and lost his way. Now it’s up to his spirited and loveable stuffed animals, Winnie The Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and the rest of the gang, to rekindle their friendship and remind him of endless days of childlike wonder and make-believe, when doing nothing was the very best something.
Christopher Robin
15. 'Lady and the Tramp' (2019)
2019's 'Lady and the Tramp'. Photo: Walt Disney Pictures.
The love story between a pampered Cocker Spaniel named Lady (Tessa Thompson) and a streetwise mongrel named Tramp (Justin Theroux). Lady finds herself out on the street after her owners have a baby and is saved from a pack by Tramp, who tries to show her to live her life footloose and collar-free.
14. 'Peter Pan & Wendy' (2023)
Wendy Darling (Ever Anderson), a young girl afraid to leave her childhood home behind, meets Peter Pan (Alexander Molony), a boy who refuses to grow up. Alongside her brothers and a tiny fairy, Tinker Bell (Yara Shahidi), she travels with Peter to the magical world of Neverland. There, she encounters an evil pirate captain, Captain Hook (Jude Law), and embarks on a thrilling adventure that will change her life forever.
13. '101 Dalmatians' (1996)
An evil, high-fashion designer (Glenn Close) plots to steal Dalmatian puppies in order to make an extravagant fur coat, but instead creates an extravagant mess.
12. 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' (2016)
Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) returns to Underland and faces a new adventure in saving the Mad Hatter.
Alice Through the Looking Glass
11. 'Mulan' (2020)
When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Chinese Army to defend the country from Huns, Hua Mulan (Liu Yifei), the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. She is spirited, determined and quick on her feet. Disguised as a man by the name of Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her innermost strength and embrace her true potential.
10. 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil' (2019)
Angelina Jolie in 'Maleficent: Mistress of Evil'. Photo: Walt Disney Pictures.
Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) and her goddaughter Aurora (Elle Fanning) begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies, and dark new forces at play.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
9. 'Mufasa: The Lion King' (2024)
Rafiki (John Kani) relays the legend of Mufasa (Aaron Pierre) to lion cub Kiara (Blue Ivy Carter), daughter of Simba (Donald Glover) and Nala (Beyoncé), with Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion a journey of misfits searching for their destiny and working together to evade a threatening and deadly foe.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Told in flashbacks, Mufasa is an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka—the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets... Read the Plot
8. 'Aladdin' (2019)
A kindhearted street urchin named Aladdin (Mean Massoud) embarks on a magical adventure after finding a lamp that releases a wisecracking genie (Will Smith) while a power-hungry Grand Vizier vies for the same lamp that has the power to make their deepest wishes come true.
7. 'Maleficent' (2014)
A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. She rises to be the land's fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal – an act that begins to turn her heart into stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading King's successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora (Elle Fanning). As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom – and to Maleficent's true happiness as well.
6. 'The Lion King' (2019)
Simba (Donald Glover) idolizes his father, King Mufasa (James Earl Jones), and takes to heart his own royal destiny. But not everyone in the kingdom celebrates the new cub's arrival. Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Mufasa's brother—and former heir to the throne—has plans of his own. The battle for Pride Rock is ravaged with betrayal, tragedy and drama, ultimately resulting in Simba's exile. With help from a curious pair of newfound friends, Simba will have to figure out how to grow up and take back what is rightfully his.
5. 'Cinderella' (2015)
(L to R) Lily James and Richard Madden in 'Cinderella'. Photo: Walt Disney Studios.
When her father unexpectedly passes away, young Ella (Lily James) finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters. Never one to give up hope, Ella's fortunes begin to change after meeting a dashing stranger (Richard Madden) in the woods.
4. 'The Little Mermaid' (2023)
The youngest of King Triton’s (Javier Bardem) daughters, and the most defiant, Ariel (Halle Bailey) longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King). With mermaids forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.
The Little Mermaid
3. 'Cruella' (2021)
In 1970s London, amidst the punk rock revolution, a young grifter named Estella (Emma Stone), a clever and creative girl, is determined to make a name for herself with her designs. She befriends a pair of young thieves who appreciate her appetite for mischief, and together they are able to build a life for themselves on the London streets. One day, Estella's flair for fashion catches the eye of the Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson), a fashion legend who is devastatingly chic and terrifyingly haute. But their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable and revenge-bent Cruella.
2. 'Alice in Wonderland' (2010)
Alice (Mia Wasikowska), now 19 years old, returns to the whimsical world she first entered as a child and embarks on a journey to discover her true destiny.
Alice in Wonderland
1. 'Beauty and the Beast' (2017)
(L to R) Dan Stevens and Emma Watson in 'Beauty and the Beast'. Photo: Walt Disney Pictures.
A live-action adaptation of Disney's version of the classic tale of a cursed prince (Dan Stevens) and a beautiful young woman (Emma Watson) who helps him break the spell.
