When Disney first revealed plans to bring Hercules into its growing library of animated-to-live-action adaptations, the studio was riding the momentum of titles like Beauty and the Beast (2017), Aladdin (2019), and The Lion King (2019). In the years since, the company has stayed committed to reviving its animated classics, though with varying degrees of success.
After Peter Pan & Wendy and The Little Mermaid released in 2023, the studio’s attention turned to Mufasa: The Lion King (2024), directed by Barry Jenkins. Hopes were high that the prequel to Jon Favreau’s The Lion King would make a mark during the holidays—especially on the heels of mega-hits Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine, both of which topped the billion-dollar mark.
Mufasa ultimately wrapped up its theatrical run with a solid $720 million. But then came Snow White (2025), starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot. The highly anticipated remake of Disney’s first princess premiered a year behind schedule, and despite its iconic source material, it struggled to overcome early backlash—ending in a commercial disappointment that left a lasting mark on Disney’s strategy.
Following that stumble, Disney appeared to hit pause on many of its upcoming reimaginings. That changed in May 2025 when Lilo & Stitch, directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, delivered a box office surge. The film roared to $948 million worldwide, reviving optimism for live-action adaptations and showing that the right approach still resonates.
On the horizon is 2026’s Moana remake, which sees Dwayne Johnson return as Maui. Further down the slate is Hercules, a project with a history of behind-the-scenes pivots.
Originally, Hercules was to be directed by Aladdin’s Guy Ritchie, with a screenplay from Shang-Chi’s Dave Callaham and production handled by Joe and Anthony Russo’s AGBO. Though the project has remained relatively secretive, fan speculation has run wild, with names like Danny DeVito (returning as Phil), Michael B. Jordan, Taron Egerton, Ariana Grande, and Dua Lipa all floated.
But in late 2024, a new report pointed to a major change in creative direction.
As reported by Toonado, “[S]cooper Daniel Richtman is reporting that the project has undergone an extensive overhaul, and will now play out from the perspective of the villainous Hades–which may actually turn out to be the title of the movie.”
That concept would echo Disney’s Maleficent (2014), which flipped the narrative of Sleeping Beauty by centering the villain. With Hades voiced memorably by James Woods in the 1997 animated film, the idea of focusing on him presented a bold shift that could have provided Disney with a distinctive narrative hook.
Now, however, it appears that the shift has been rolled back. A new update suggests Disney will instead stick closer to the source material, influenced by Lilo & Stitch’s commercial success. That film, while not an exact replica of the 2002 original, largely maintained the same core plot and characters—something that couldn’t be said for Snow White.
“This project has gone through some creative struggles both from the studio side and the creatives side,” The DisInsider wrote in its recent Q+A. “While a retooled Hercules story was the route the creatives wanted to go, the studio has decided the direction they will go is a faithful adaptation of the animated film, which you can thank the success of Lilo & Stitch for.”
No official word has come from Disney about whether Hercules is still in active development, or what version of the project might move forward. A similar uncertainty surrounds Michael Gracey’s Tangled adaptation, which had gained traction before being stalled, possibly due to the fallout from Snow White.
The conflicting reports also contradict statements previously made by producer Joe Russo. In 2022, he described Hercules as a musical that would “push the boundaries” in both tone and style.
“There are questions about how you translate it as a musical,” Russo told Variety. “Audiences today have been trained by TikTok, right? What is their expectation of what that musical looks like and feels like? That can be a lot of fun and help us push the boundaries a little bit on how you execute a modern musical.”
Will Hercules stay true to its animated roots or take a riskier route with Hades in the spotlight? Disney’s final decision could redefine how it approaches legacy titles in the coming years.
