Another Disney Live-Action Movie Falls Victim to Cancellation
For nearly a decade, Disney has invested heavily in live-action remakes of its animated classics. Starting with 2015’s Cinderella, the studio rolled out remake after remake, from Beauty and the Beast (2017) to The Lion King (2019), each one pulling in millions at the box office. Yet, even with strong financial performances, the remakes have sparked debate among fans and critics alike.
Some have praised them for introducing beloved stories to a new generation, while others have criticized them for being unnecessary or lacking the magic of the originals.
Related: Report: Disney Changes Live-Action ‘Hercules’ Remake AGAIN
That debate reached a boiling point earlier this year with the release of Disney’s latest remake, Snow White. The Rachel Zegler-led film became one of the company’s most controversial projects in recent memory. Even before its release, the movie faced backlash over creative decisions and public comments from its star. Once it hit theaters, reviews were mixed at best, and the film ultimately lost Disney more than $100 million.
The fallout from Snow White sent shockwaves through the company, prompting executives to reevaluate their live-action strategy.
The reevaluation came swiftly. Just weeks after Snow White’s disappointing box office run, Disney canceled its announced live-action remake of Tangled (2010). Despite having a director and writer attached, the project was quietly shelved to avoid another potential misstep.
Fans who had been excited to see Rapunzel’s story retold in live-action were left disappointed, and many began speculating about which films might be next on the chopping block.
Now, another major project has been confirmed as canceled, and this time the news comes directly from the director who was set to helm it. Academy Award-winning musician and filmmaker Questlove revealed that Disney has scrapped plans for a live-action version of the 1970 animated film The Aristocats.
Questlove had signed on to direct the project back in 2023, and his involvement generated buzz among both Disney fans and music lovers.
Related: Disney May Revive ‘Tangled’ Remake — But Only If This Movie Succeeds
In an interview with Score: The Podcast, Questlove opened up about the circumstances surrounding the film’s cancellation. According to the director, repeated leadership changes at Disney made it clear to him that the project was not a priority.
A new administration came in, and then I was like, “Okay, well, this is what I plan to do, and dadada, do the song and dance, and here’s some of the music examples and there’s some team I’m working with dadada.”
And then they had another administration shuffle, and it was like, “Okay well. All right.” And by the third time I was just like, “Maybe this isn’t meant for me, because there’s also, at least, like right now, there’s so much options I have in pickings.”
I mean, I would have loved to have done that project, but there’s like 20 others that I can get to […] there’s literally four other films. I’ll be working till, you know, 2029, 2030. So, just wasn’t meant to happen. Maybe it’ll happen in the future.
The cancellation raises broader questions about Disney’s future with live-action remakes. In recent years, the studio announced several high-profile projects, including Hercules and Moana. Some of those titles are still moving forward, but as Disney tightens its belt and recalibrates its approach, fans may need to brace for more cancellations.
For now, The Aristocats joins Tangled as another remake that will not see the light of day. Fans of the original 1970 film may be disappointed, especially since Questlove’s musical expertise promised a fresh and exciting take on the jazzy soundtrack that made the animated version so memorable. But as Questlove himself suggested, perhaps the project could resurface one day under different circumstances.
What do you think about Disney canceling its live-action remake of The Aristocats? Do you believe Disney should continue focusing on remakes, or should it put more effort into original stories? Share your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation with fellow Disney fans.
tangled live action was not cancelled it’s just paused disney will catch up with it once moana live action is released
Enough of recycling old lumber! How about some new ideas!