Once upon a time, live-action adaptations of popular cartoons, comics, and video games were a surefire way to box office disappointment. For example, flops like Popeye, Super Mario Bros. and Streetfighter are regularly cited as creative and financial misfires.
How times have changed, as now live-action adaptations have become the newest trend. Beauty and the Beast earned a whopping $500 million at the US box office, while both The Jungle Book and Alice and Wonderland made over $300 million each – no wonder that Disney is now adapting most of its beloved animations into live-action movies.
What is the reason behind the recent trend for live-action adaptations? Nostalgia must certainly play a part. Parents who grew up on Disney movies are now able to take their children to watch the likes of Cinderella or The Jungle Book at the theatres.
Currently ’80s toys and their spin-off cartoons have also proved a fertile ground, with Michael Bay directing five Transformers movies.
Sometimes the adaptations are a reimagining of a franchise that failed to do justice the first time it was made into a film. For example, it is widely agreed that 2012’s Dredd is vastly superior to the 1995 Sylvester Stallone version.
There have, of course, been some recent misfires. The adaptation of iconic anime Ghost in the Shell not only failed to deliver at the box office, but it also faced accusations of white-washing with Scarlett Johansson who was cast in the lead role.
However, with so much cash to be made, Hollywood studios have greenlit a bonanza of adaptations between now and 2020. Some are already in production, while others are merely glint in a producer’s eye.
With that said, here are 16 Live-Action Adaptions in Development (And 9 Possibilities).
In development: The Lion King
The Lion King is one of the most loved Disney movies of all time and was both a critical and commercial success upon its release.
With such a beloved property, Disney has entrusted Jon Favreau to direct the live-action version of the story.
Favreau has great experience adapting Disney animations, as he worked on the wildly successful The Jungle Book, not to mention he kick-started the MCU with Iron Man.
The impressive voice cast includes Donald Glover as Simba, Beyoncé as Nala, and Seth Rogen as Pumbaa.
However, early reports suggest that Scar’s barnstorming song “Be Prepared” has unfortunately been dropped.
Rumored: Cowboy Bebop
Cowboy Bebop is often considered an entry point for those new to anime. Set in 2071, the show followed the adventures of a group of bounty hunters (aka Cowboys) who travelled space on their ship Bebop, hunting down intergalactic criminals.
The original 26 episodes of the cult Japanese anime ran from 1998 to 1999 and even spawned an animated movie.
A live-action adaption has long been rumored, and now it looks like it may actually be happened.
Thor writer Chris Yost has been tapped to write the adaptation, and anyone who has seen Thor: Ragarok will know that Yost has what it takes to recreate Cowboy Bebop’s unique blend of western, sci-fi, and humor.
In development: Dumbo
Disney’s strategy of remaking its classic animations into live-action features has proven to be a big success – Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and The Jungle Book have all been box-office smashes. That strategy continues in 2019 with the release of Dumbo.
For the live-action movie, Tim Burton is directing his regular collaborators Danny DeVito, Eva Green, and Michael Keaton, alongside Colin Farrell as former circus star Holt Farrier.
Burton is becoming something of a specialist in directing live-action adaptations, having previously helmed Alice in Wonderland. Dumbo’s circus setting is a natural fit for Burton’s sometimes vauderville cinematic sensibilities.
Will this elephant fly? We will have to find out when Dumbo is released March next year.
Rumored: M.A.S.K
Will M.A.S.K be the next ’80s cartoon to get the live-action treatment following Transformers and G.I. Joe?
Apparently it could happen, with Fate of the Furious director F. Gary Gray in talks to bring the cartoon to life.
In the original show, the Mobile Armored Strike Kommand (aka M.A.S.K) tracks down the villainous Vicious Evil Network of Mayhem (aka Venom).
Rumor has it that M.A.S.K will kick-start toymaker Hasbro’s plans for a shared universe with G.I. Joe.
However, whether there’s enough ’80s nostalgia to translate into ticket sales remains to be seen – especially with the last entry in the Transformers franchise, Transformers: The Last Knight, stalling at the box office.
In development: Gundam Wing
Gundam Wing is one of the most iconic mecha anime ever to have graced the small screen. As a cultural phenomenon, the series’ legacy goes back almost 40 years, and in that time, there have been several animated movies.
Now Legendary Entertainment, who are behind the Pacific Rim movies, will be bringing the franchise to the big screen.
Technically, this isn’t the first live-action adaption of Gundam, with G-Saviour being released in 2000 as a Canadian TV movie.
This also won’t actually be the first time that the Gundam world has made it to cinema screens, as the RX-78-2 mecha has already made its debut in Ready Player One.
Rumored: Aeon Flux
MTV’s excellent ’90s sci-fi cartoon Aeon Flux has already had the live-action treatment with the 2005 Charliie Theron misfire that ditched most of what made the experimental cartoon great.
Set in a dystopian state, the cartoon followed Aeon Flux, a secret agent from the country of Monica as she dealt justice to those who stood against her.
Promisingly, The Walking Dead’s producer Gale Anne Hurd is behind the latest reboot – although, Hurd was also a producer on the Theron adaptation – and Teen Wolf scribe Jeff Davis is set to write the script.
Hopefully the pair can do justice to this iconic character.
In development: Alita Battle Angel
Based on the revered manga series, Alita: Battle Angel follows a cyborg named Alita (Rose Salazar) trying to rediscover her past after having been rescued from a rubbish dump by a cybernetics expert Dr Ido (Chistoph Waltz).
Originally James Cameron was due to direct the live-action adaption of Battle Angel Alita, having discovered the famed manga in 2000.
However, with work on the Avatar sequels gaining pace, Cameron has entrusted directorial duties to Robert Rodriguez.
Will Alita Battle Angel avoid the muted box-office that greeted Ghost in the Shell? We will have to find out when it drops this Christmas.
Rumored: Akira
Rumors of a live-action adaptation of the influential 1988 manga Akira are almost as old as the movie itself.
At one point, Leonardo DiCaprio was even in talks to play the lead character Kaneda.
Thirty years after Akira brought anime to the masses, it looks like the long-awaited live-action adaptation might actually be happening.
Director Taika Waititi is reported to be following up his hit Thor: Ragnarok with an adaptation of Akira and according to Waititi, his adaption will go back to the original manga.
After seeing how Waititi breathed new life into Thor with Thor: Ragnarok, we can’t wait to see where he takes Akira.
In development: Aladdin
The year 2019 is shaping-up to be a banner year for Disney live-action remakes of classic animations, with Aladdin also getting in on the action.
Following an extensive search, Mena Massoud will play Aladdin, Naomi Scott will play Princess Jasmine, and Will Smith will play the beloved genie.
Smith has described his character as “a little bit Hitch, a little Fresh Prince, and a whole lot of attitude.”
Coming off the back of two major flops (The Man from U.N.C.L.E and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword) director Guy Richie must have felt like all his wishes had been granted when he landed the gig.
Hopefully our wishes for a great remake will also come true when Aladdin drops next year.
Rumored: Gargoyles
After the barnstorming success of instant classic Get Out, it might come as a surprise to learn that one of Jordan Peele’s list of possible projects is a remake of ’90s cartoon Gargoyles.
In the show, a group of medieval creatures are cursed to spend the rest of eternity as stone statues.
However, when they are transported to New York, the curse is lifted and the creatures have to adapt to life in the big apple.
If you are hoping that this will be Peele’s next project, don’t get too excited. Peel is currently working on his second feature Us, which is due to be released next year.
Unfortunately, it’s been reported that Peele has pitched the remake several times and it has been rejected several times.
In development: Mulan
Disney’s 1998 animated adventure Mulan has never experienced the same veneration as their other ‘90s animations, such as The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast.
Still, the tale of a Chinese woman who secretly joins the army to save her father gave us one of the strongest female characters in any Disney movie.
It seems like Disney is confident enough in the story to turn it into a live-action adventure due for release in 2020.
Liu Yifei will play the title character, with strong support from Jet Li, Gong Li, and Donnie Yen, who will Mulan’s mentor.
Unfortunately, for some, it doesn’t look like Mulan’s love interest, Li Shang, or mischievous dragon Mushu will be in the updated version.
Rumored: Sam Hill
Archie Comics’ Sam Hill has only ever been sporadically published over the last few decades. The comic follows “America’s hard-boiled, wise-cracking sleuth’ as he solves mysteries for his clients in the 1950s.
However, rumour is that it will be adapted into a television show.
Given the strong film noir vibe of the comic and the adult plotlines, Sam Hill would be a natural fit for a television series.
With the continued success of Riverdale and The Chilling Tales of Sabrina on the horizon, it’s bumper business for Archie Comic adaptations.
However, you might have to hire tough-talking Sam Hill himself to find further details on the show, as there is no word on a release date or cast so far.
In development: Pinocchio
Pinocchio was the second ever animated Disney movie when it was released in 1940, coming three years after the release of Snow White in 1937.
To look after the live-action adaptation of this beloved classic, Disney has turned to Paul King, the man behind the successful and critically-adored Paddington movies.
Details are thin, with no firm release date or cast.
One thing that it has in its favor, however, is that the Guillaume del Torro’s version of the story is no longer happening.
Of course, this isn’t the first Pinocchio live-action movie in recent times with 1996’s The Adventures of Pinocchio and 2002’s widely derided Pinocchio both hitting the cinema, although neither really made an impact.
Rumored: Prince Charming
Disney’s live-action adaptations of classic animated tales is due to get something of a revisionist twist if Prince Charming gets greenlit for production.
Beauty and the Beast writer Stephen Chobosky has been tapped to write and direct the tale of Prince Charming from the point of view of the dreamboat’s brother, who never lived up to his more famous, and charming, sibling.
There’s no word on a release date, but at least it shows that Disney willing to push its properties in different directions after producing carbon copy adaptations like Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast.
It’s also an exciting decision for Disney to put Chobosky in the director’s chair given his work on Perks of Being a Wallflower.
In development: Maleficent 2
Set several years after the events of the original Maleficent, this sequel sees Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent join forces with Elle Fanning’s Princess Aurora to protect the moors and its magical beasts.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest co-director Joachim Rønning will helming this one alone with a cast that includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Ed Skrein.
Whether it will match the original’s massive US box office gross of over $241 million remains to be seen.
The first movie was released in 2014 when live-action remakes were a rarity. When Maleficent 2 comes out in 2020, cinema-goers will have sat through several Disney live-action remakes of classic cartoons.
Rumored: Judge Dredd: Mega City One
When the excellent Dredd was released in cinemas in 2012, it erased all memories of the 1995 Sylvester Stallone vehicle Judge Dredd, with Karl Urban delivering a note perfect take on the iconic, no-nonsense Judge.
The only problem was that the movie didn’t find its audience.
However, this isn’t stopping Netflix from greenlighting a television series based on the movie. Even better news is that producer Brian Jenkins wants Urban to play Dredd again.
Jenkins told Digital Spy, “It’s too early to tell yet, but if we can use him and he’s available to us, then I think that would be absolutely brilliant.”
In development: The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Following the success of Riverdale, Netflix is hoping another Archie Comics property will cast a magic spell when The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina debuts later this year.
Nickelodeon has already experienced success with the property when Sabrina the Teenage Witch ran from 1996 to 2003.
This latest series reportedly switches the ’90s sitcom vibe for something more in keeping with horror classics like Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist.
In this incarnation, Mad Man star Kiernan Shipka will be playing Sabrina, while Lucy Davis and Miranda Otto will play Sabrina’s aunts Hilda and Zelda.
In development: Oliver!
This one isn’t a remake of Disney’s 1988 animated feature Oliver & Friends, which saw the classic Charles Dickens’ classic story reimagined as an orphaned cat taken in by a gang of canines.
Instead, it’s a remake of the classic 1968 musical that scooped four Oscars, including best picture.
Still, it’s produced by Disney and follows their strategy of reimagining classics to the tune of box office millions.
Intriguingly, this version of Oliver! will star Ice Cube as Fagin with Tony award-winning director Thomas Kall calling the shots.
Whether this will replace the beloved ’60s version in cinema-goer’s hearts remains to be seen.
In development: Watchmen
Watchmen is one of the most revered comic book series to have ever been published. Created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, the comic was a ambitious meditation on the superhero genre itself.
Now, HBO is turning the comic into a television series under the supervision of Damon Lindelof, who has described the television version as a “remix” rather than an adaptation or sequel.
Casting looks top drawer with Jeremy Irons, Tim Blake Nelson, and Don Johnson all in lead roles.
Of course, Zack Synder had previously brought the comic to the big screen in 2009, however this movie cut several plot strands so there’s still plenty of material for the show to mine.
In development: Cruella
Rather than do another live-action adaptation of 101 Dalmatians, Disney has opted to do a Maleficent and give cinema-goers a prequel showing how Cruella de Vil came to be so mean.
While the character is one of the most memorable villains in Disney’s back-catalogue – and that’s saying something – it’s difficult to imagine how it will work without all of those Dalmatians to counter Cruella’s wickedness.
Still, Disney isn’t risking anything on this one, having landed Emma Stone to take on the role.
Interestingly, it’s been reported that the movie will be set in ’70s London at the height of the punk music scene.
