If you aren’t aware at this point in time, Disney now has an extensive slate of at least fourteen live-action remakes in production. Four of them have release dates attached to them (The Jungle Book, Pete’s Dragon, Beauty and the Beast, and Alice in Wonderland 2) while the other ten are in various stages of development (Dumbo, Mulan, Winnie the Pooh, Pinocchio, Tink, Night on Bald Mountain, Maleficent 2, Prince Charming, Genies, and The Sword in the Stone).
From a cursory glance, it would appear as if Disney has the market cornered on some of these characters. However, that’s not exactly the case due to this magical concept called public domain. Basically, after 70 or so years in publication, the rights to a certain book or character automatically expire and become ripe for alternative interpretation or adaptation (essentially, free use). A good example of this is Sherlock Holmes, where a number of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original stories are now in public domain (with rights to other stories tied up with Doyle’s estate).
As it stands now, it just so happens that a good number of the remakes are based on public domain characters and properties. As such, it may or may not be a surprise that other studios are also working on their own takes of stories and characters that we normally associate with Disney.
In this article, we will be looking at four of the fourteen remakes (The Jungle Book, Pinocchio, Tink, and The Sword in the Stone) in relation to other projects in development from other studios that are derived from the same source material. We will be looking at who’s directing, who’s starring, which studio is doing what film, and what are the similarities/differences between these projects (if any).
The Jungle Book
From Disney:
- The Jungle Book
- Director: Jon Favreau
- Writer: Justin Marks
- Release Date: April 15, 2016
- Starring:
- Neel Sethi (Mowgli)
- Bill Murray (Baloo)
- Ben Kingsley (Bagheera)
- Idris Elba (Shere Khan)
- Scarlett Johansson (Kaa)
- Lupita Nyong’o (Raksha)
- Giancarlo Esposito (Akela)
- Christopher Walken (King Louie)
From Warner Bros:
- Jungle Book: Origins
- Director: Andy Serkis
- Writer: Callie Kloves
- Release Date: October 6, 2017
- Starring:
- Rohand Chand (Mowgli)
- Matthew Rhys (John Lockwood)
- Andy Serkis (Baloo)
- Benedict Cumberbatch (Shere Khan)
- Christian Bale (Bagheera)
- Cate Blanchett (Kaa)
- Peter Mullan (Akela)
- Naomie Harris (Nisha)
- Tom Hollander (Tabaqui)
- Eddie Marsan (Vihaan)
- Jack Reynor (Brother Wolf)
Similarities
Even though they are coming in from completely different trajectories (which I will get into later), both films do feature the same core characters. Both films also appear to be utilizing motion-capture performances for the animal characters. Also, both films feature a child actor (of Indian decent) in the role of Mowgli.
Differences
Again, same source material but two very different takes. Disney’s film looks to be sticking to the tone and style of the original 1967 animated classic, complete with musical numbers that will be lifted from that film in addition to new songs.
The film from Warner Bros. will stick closer to Rudyard Kipling’s original novel, with the understanding that this will have a darker, grittier tone. Also, Whereas Neel Sethi’s Mowgli will be the only human character in The Jungle Book (surrounded by all the familiar core characters), Jungle Book: Origins features a more extended cast of characters (both human and CG).
Pinocchio
From Disney:
- Untitled Pinocchio Project
- Director: TBA
- Writer: Peter Hedges
- Release Date: TBA
- Starring: TBA
From Warner Bros:
- Untitled Pinocchio Project
- Director: TBA
- Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson
- Release Date: TBA
- Starring: TBA
From Guillermo Del Toro/ShadowMachine:
- Untitled Pinocchio Project
- Director: Guillermo Del Toro and Mark Gustafson
- Writer: Guillermo Del Toro and Matthew Robbins
- Release Date: TBA
- Starring: TBA
Similarities
Again, these projects are derived from the same source material, but it’s hard to tell what the similarities will be when all three projects aren’t very fall along in development yet. The only other difference is that out of the three, one of them won’t be live-action.
Differences
I would assume that Disney’s film (like The Jungle Book and other remakes) will stick closely to the tone of the original 1940 animated film.
Warner Bros’ take on the story has Robert Downey Jr as the producer (via his Team Downey banner) and Paul Thomas Anderson (The Master, Inherent Vice) tackling a rewrite of the script, so who knows what direction they will take. The only thing that seems clear at this stage is that they will definitely stick to the original 1883 children’s novel.
With a name like Guillermo Del Toro attached to what will be a stop-motion take on Pinocchio, you can best believe that this will be a very different interpretation of the tale (possibly darker than the other Pinocchio-based projects). It also figures that ShadowMachine’s resume is chock full of more adult, edgier material. Their TV work consists of Robot Chicken, Mary Shelly’s Frankenhole, and the Netflix series Bojack Horseman. Meanwhile, their first film out the gate will be Hell & Back, an R-rated, stop-motion comedy set for release on September 25.
Tinker Bell/Peter Pan
From Disney:
- Tink
- Director: TBA
- Writer: Victoria Strouse
- Release Date: TBA
- Starring: Resse Witherspoon (Tinker Bell)
From Warner Bros:
- Pan
- Director: Joe Wright
- Writer: Jason Fuchs
- Release Date: October 9, 2015
- Starring:
- Levi Miller (Peter Pan)
- Hugh Jackman (Blackbeard)
- Garrett Hedlund (James Hook/Captain Hook)
- Rooney Mara (Tiger Lily)
- Amanda Seyfried (Mary Darling)
- Adeel Akhtar (Smee)
- Leni Zieglmeier (Wendy Darling)
- Lewis McDougall (Nibs)
From 20th Century Fox:
- Untitled Tinker Bell Comedy
- Director: Shawn Levy
- Writer Nicholas Stoller
- Release Date: TBA
- Starring: Melissa McCarthy (Tinker Bell)
Similarities
Two of the three films will have Tinker Bell as their main character and focus. Those films also appear to be going for a revisionist angle on Tinker Bell and by extension, the Peter Pan mythology (that goes doubly for Pan).
Differences
For the two films focused on Tinker Bell, this mostly comes down to genre. Fox’s Tinker Bell film will obviously take the comedic approach, if the talent involved is any indication.
Since we know that Tink will lean toward the Maleficent tactic of ‘the story you don’t know’, my guess is that we are in for a more straightforward fantasy-adventure tale. The casting of 39-year-old Reese Witherspoon also suggests that we may get an older Tinker Bell, which lines up (to some degree) with the premise of Tink offering a new take on the character.
Also, the obvious one: only one of them has Peter Pan as the main character and focus of the story (Pan).
Arthurian Legend
From Disney:
- The Sword in the Stone
- Director: TBA
- Writer: Bryan Cogman
- Starring: TBA
From Warner Bros:
- Knights of the Roundtable: King Arthur
- Director: Guy Ritchie
- Writer: Joby Harold
- Release Date: July 22, 2016
- Starring:
- Charlie Hunnam (King Arthur)
- Astrid Berges-Frisbey (Guinevere)
- Jude Law (Vortigan)
- Djimon Hounsou (Bedivere)
- Eric Bana (Uther Pendragon)
- Mikael Persbrandt (Kjartan)
- Annabelle Wallis (Maid Maggie)
- Aidan Gillian (Goosefat Bill)
- Katie McGrath (Elsa)
Similarities
Again, they are both pulling from Arthurian legend and lore to start with, and both films are centered around the origins of King Arthur. Also, both films might be played straight (if my doubts about the live-action Sword in the Stone containing no musical numbers holds up).
According to Guy Ritchie, King Arthur will embrace its fantasy trappings (giant snakes, war elephants, etc). I have no doubt that The Sword in the Stone might do the same, but how much so in comparison to King Arthur has yet to be seen (if at all).
Differences
Hmm, where to start? First off, if The Sword in the Stone will be anything like the original 1963 animated film, than we will have a 12-year-old Arthur under the apprenticeship of Merlin as our main focus. By comparison, King Arthur will have an alternative take on the origin, featuring Arthur as an grown man operating as a street thief until he is met with his true destiny.
The Sword in the Stone will have a Merlin, while King Arthur will have Djimon Hounsou’s Bedivere (a member of the Round Table) stepping in as a Merlin-type figure.
Wrapping Up
So far, those are the dueling projects that we know about thus far. There was also a Beauty and the Beast movie in development at Warner Bros, but there was too little information about it to be included, to say nothing of that fact that Guillermo Del Toro walked away from the project a long time ago and Emma Watson gravitated to the Disney remake instead.
As is the nature of Hollywood, I have no doubt that other remakes might be met with dueling projects from other studios, either as Disney goes down the list or they continue to add to it over time.
What do you think? Were there any films that I missed?
Edited by: Morgan Stradling
