Throughout the history of film, no studio has had quite the same effect as that of the Walt Disney Company. The organization’s legacy has expanded beyond its humble beginnings, reaching nearly every corner of the entertainment and amusement industry. However, the heart of Disney has always been animation. Not only did it revolutionize the art form with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but animated films, like Beauty and the Beast and Frozen affected the filmmaking industry as a whole.
But with success comes failure, and not every Disney movie has been a success. The company has gone through several periods of low box office performance consisting of forgotten films. Likewise, Disney’s live-action remakes of their animated classics have yielded plenty of mixed results. However, this subgenre could actually work far better by revisiting some of the company’s flops, as opposed to their masterpieces.
Disney’s series of live-action remakes came from humble beginnings. The trend started with 2015’s Cinderella, a film that worked thanks to its effortless balance of traditionalism and new ideas. However, later entries such as Beauty and the Beast and (perhaps most jarring of all) The Lion King felt like shot-for-shot remakes that sloppily crammed in new story elements for the sole purpose of padding the runtime and rarely amounting to any proper payoff. Now, with Mufasa: The Lion King in theaters, Snow White on the way, and a remake of Moana well into production, it doesn’t seem like this trend will be going away anytime soon. However, this doesn’t have to be something to be dreaded!
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The live-action remake is based on Disney’s first feature-length animated classic.
For every Frozen, there’s an Atlantis: The Lost Empire or a Treasure Planet; films that are looked down upon for their box office performances but have plenty of merit in their own right. In fact, many of these pictures flopped due to their level of maturity. Atlantis is actually a vast film with fantastic mythology, visuals and characters. The film’s villain being a political mercenary, however, likely goes over the heads of many younger audiences. But, it would make a fantastic live-action epic, one that would have plenty of appeal for its key demographic, and would be more largely accessible to that audience when translated out of animation. If the Mouse House insists on continuing the practice, readapting failed films would also allow them the opportunity to correct stories and sequences that were missteps or hurt the film in some way. Out of all their potential flops that deserve to be remade, though, there’s one that towers among the rest.
When it comes to Disney’s box office failures, there is no film more infamous than The Black Cauldron. The picture, which was meant to revitalize Disney’s then-struggling animation department, nearly brought about the studio’s end. Because of this, the film is often looked down upon. But, outside of its box office performance, the movie is actually a fantastic fantasy. For a Disney animated film, its heroes are wonderfully complex, with Taran (Grant Bardsley) and Eilonwy (Susan Sheridan) not motivated by romance, rather ambition, and determination — a rarity for the Mouse House.
Additionally, their adolescence helps raise the film’s stakes, as they set out to face the Horned King (John Hurt), by far Disney’s most hellish and bloodthirsty villain. The universe of the movie is filled with complex mythology and fascinating locations that could rival most big-budget fantasy epics. Though often deemed too dark for animation, the movie practically screams live-action epic. Additionally, the film is based on a series of books called The Chronicles of Prydain. Like most studios, Disney is always on the hunt for a franchise, thus a remake of The Black Cauldron could not only help redeem the film’s reputation, but set up a whole new slew of adventures.
For now, Disney will likely continue down the path they’re on. Most of their live-action remakes have been huge box office hits, but we certainly hope that they will revisit some of their long-forgotten films. Movies like Treasure Planet and The Black Cauldron never reached their full potential, but they deserve the chance! Translating the themes that hurt their box office performance to live-action would be key to turning these films from forgotten to iconic.
The Black Cauldron is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.
July 24, 1985
80 Minutes
Ted Berman, Richard Rich
Disney has a long history of creating beloved classics that have stood the test of time, but let’s face it – not every film they’ve produced has been a hit. While it’s great to see remakes of fan-favorites like “The Lion King” and “Aladdin,” perhaps it’s time for Disney to consider remaking some of their less-than-stellar movies.
By revisiting some of their less successful films, Disney has the opportunity to breathe new life into these stories and potentially turn them into something truly magical. This could also give them the chance to correct any missteps or missed opportunities from the original films.
Remaking their bad movies could also help Disney attract a new generation of fans who may have missed out on these films the first time around. With updated visuals, storytelling, and possibly even new songs, these remakes could capture the hearts of audiences in a way that the original films never did.
So, Disney, don’t just focus on remaking your masterpieces – take a chance on some of your less successful films and see what kind of magic you can create. Who knows, you may just surprise everyone with a hit that rivals even your most beloved classics.
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