A Definitive Ranking of Every Disney Live-Action Adaptation
Say what you want, but I will always see live-action adaptations as necessary. Whenever I watch an animated film, I instantly wonder what it would look like in our reality.
As you can probably guess, I'm living for this new wave of Disney remaking every animated movie under the sun. I've watched almost every single one and have strong opinions on each. Keep reading to see which Disney live-action adaptations are worth your time.
10. Pinocchio
Unless they were princesses, I found the older Disney movies boring. There was never enough conflict or action, but the magic of the animation made up for it.
Unfortunately, the Pinocchio live-action adaptation lost its saving grace of animation to dull colors and uncanny CGI. And though the script remained faithful to the original story, the emotions fell flat.
Also read about: 5 Disney Classics We Want to See Adapted Into Live Action
9. Mulan
Though not my favorite, Mulan has one of the best storylines and soundtracks. So, I had astronomically high expectations when Disney transformed this into a live-action film.
This adaptation was drastically different from the original film. It was very dramatic, and, most heartbreakingly, the filmmakers eradicated the charming soundtrack.
The movie itself is fine, but it loses many points because it was marketed as a live-action adaptation of the 1998 release. It would've done better if it was a standalone film.
8. The Lion King
Again, The Lion King is another example of losing its sparkle without the animals. And it's a real shame because The Lion King is such a fan-favorite. However, while I'm not the biggest fan, I still find it entertaining and an easy watch, and I have to appreciate Beyoncé's involvement on the soundtrack.
7. Aladdin
Similar to The Lion King, Aladdin is an easy watch. I have nothing negative to say about the movie, but it wasn't memorable. It felt the most loyal to the original film of any live-action adaptation, but that said, I'd rather just watch the animation.
6. Peter Pan and Wendy
My favorite part of this movie was the casting of the leads. Alexander Molony, who plays Peter Pan, captured his carefree, scruffy nature well. And Ever Anderson, our Wendy, looked exactly how I envisioned.
I like Yara Shahidi, but I didn't think she was the best depiction of Tinker Bell. It was almost like Tinker Bell lost all her sassiness, and I didn't feel her connection to Peter.
In general, I like the story of Peter Pan, so this adaptation gets extra points for me for that reason.
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5. Maleficent
To this day, I find myself more interested in Maleficent than Sleeping Beauty. Angelina Jolie is the epitome of Maleficent appearance-wise and a phenomenal actress in every role. She fully immersed me in Maleficent's story, which kept my attention more than Princess Aurora's telling.
I also really liked the haunting soundtrack. Lana Del Rey was the best person to record "Once Upon a Dream" with her chilling vocals.
The only reason I don't like this movie more is because I don't care very much about the Sleeping Beauty story.
4. Beauty and the Beast
Because there are hardly any differences in the plot (which I love), my appreciation for this film comes down to aesthetics. Aside from The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast has the most beautiful set. There isn't a single shot in this film that does not look pleasing.
My only qualm with the film was Emma Watson's auto-tuned voice. What happened to the days of hiring someone else to sing?
3. Cruella
I avoided Cruella for so long, but it is a hidden gem film.
For one, Emma Stone was an amazing Cruella. When I'm watching a villain's backstory, I want to feel like their actions to be evil are justified, and Emma made me empathize with everything Cruella went through.
This movie puts everything into perspective about 101 Dalmatians.
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2. Alice in Wonderland
It's weird to think that Alice in Wonderland was the film to commence the era of Disney live-actions, and it set the bar high.
As I mentioned with Beauty and the Beast, I love aesthetically pleasing shots, and that's all of Alice in Wonderland too. And maybe it's because everything Tim Burton touches turns to gold, but the dark aesthetic just makes sense.
Mia Wasikowska delivered a fantastic performance of a grown-up Alice, and Johnny Depp is the essence of the wacky Mad Hatter. In general, I love the bond between the entire ensemble.
If I had to be transported into any Disney live-action universe, it'd probably be Alice in Wonderland.
1. The Little Mermaid
I could go on forever about the new The Little Mermaid.
Firstly, I think the casting was spot-on. Halle Bailey perfectly captured the yearning and curiosity of Princess Ariel, and Jonah Hauer-King was equally charming as his cartoon counterpart—I would even say he was more charming.
Typically, I'm a bit wary when filmmakers change the storyline, but it worked so well here. In the live-action, you could tell how hard Prince Eric fell in love with Ariel, whereas in the animated film, he was more reserved.
The new songs comfortably fit into the adaptation, but besides being catchy, they gave us a closer glimpse into their emotions.
This movie is better than the original film.
Can't get enough of The Little Mermaid? Click HERE to see our top five favorite behind-the-scenes moments from the cast.