Disney Ignores Live Action Fatigue, Adds 1942 Film To Docket

The magical charm of Disney’s live-action remakes has worn off a bit because of the volume and speed of the content. Even with the recent success of Halle Bailey’s The Little Mermaid, theatergoers barely had time to come up for air before the next live-action transformation got an update. On the docket for live-action remakes are Lilo & Stitch, Moana, Hercules, Snow White, and more.

Now, Disney is reaching all the way back into 1942 for its newest live-action prospect.

Great news, you die-hard Bambi (1942) fans, the development for a new film version is underway! Deadline reports that not only is it in the works, but it has also almost secured its director. Canadian filmmaker Sarah Polley has been tapped to direct the modern adaptation of Bambi’s story. She recently won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Women Talking (2022), on which she was also the director. Deadline describes this opportunity as the “most epic undertaking of her filmmaking career thus far.”

It’s definitely intimidating to helm huge Disney projects, especially when there may not be a huge audience demand for them. How will Bambi be any different? While the feature is still in very early development, Deadline reports that this iteration of Bambi will be a musical and “feature music from six-time Grammy-winning country star Kacey Musgraves.” The rumors of bringing the animated fawn to “real life” on the big screen started back in 2020, but the film has been slow-moving, and scheduling is in limbo due to current striking.

I, for one, am already terrified of the emotional toll Bambi’s mother’s death scene will take. Also, I’m still incredulous about a live-action remake with all CGI animals, like The Lion King (2019). Is that not still technically animated…? I get they look more like real-life animals, but still…

Maybe by the time Bambi is made, CGI will have improved even more, and the internet won’t freak out about the character designs. It will probably still be weird to see them sing, though. And if Thumper raps, I will leave.

Anyway! Stay tuned for more info about the developing CGI country musical that will apparently be the live-action Bambi remake!