From underwater civilizations to futuristic worlds, these animated Disney films deserve another chance to shine! Join us as we explore which beloved classics could benefit from modern live-action treatment. These underappreciated gems have untapped potential that could flourish with today's filmmaking technology.
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00:00Woo woo, sorry Blondie, I don't do backstory. However, I am becoming very interested in yours.
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're taking a closer look at five animated Disney films that
00:11we feel are worthy of a second chance in live action form. It could be that they never got
00:15a fair shake with audiences or because the filmmakers weren't able to bring their true
00:20vision to life. Either way, these are the movies that still have something to prove
00:24and could fulfill their destiny outside of animation. We'll be excluding any live action
00:29remakes currently in development. After all, if they're already on their way, it's safe to say
00:34their potential has already been recognized. Would you like to see more? How about it, Charlie?
00:40We'd love to. Good. The Princess and the Frog. For what it is, The Princess and the Frog
00:48continues to hold the unique of places in Disney history.
00:50I remember daddy told me, fairy tales can come true. You gotta make them happen. It all depends on you.
01:03Not only was it the studio's last traditionally animated film, but it also featured its first
01:08black princess in Tiana. Add to that its lovable side characters, terrific music by the great Randy
01:14Newman, and an all-time great villain in Dr. Facilier, and this musical fantasy is still remembered fondly.
01:20I can change around some too. I look deep into your heart and soul. You do have a soul, don't you, Lawrence?
01:28Make your wildest dreams come true.
01:31Its positive reputation has slowly started to pay off in the form of a planned follow-up on Disney+,
01:36which got cancelled, as well as the opening of Tiana's Bayou Adventure at the Disney Parks.
01:41All of this to say that The Princess and the Frog is starting to earn its due, and rightfully so.
01:46And yet, there are things left to explore with this world, and further exploration could be exactly what it needs to thrive even more.
01:52You gotta give it a little people.
01:55Don't have a party, though.
01:57You gotta give it a little people.
02:00Telling people, mama told you so.
02:02Set in 1920s New Orleans, The Princess and the Frog makes excellent use of its locations,
02:08with its vibrant color palette, both in the city and the surrounding bayou.
02:11Not to mention, its jazz-heavy soundtrack, Does Right by the City, that helped popularize such game-changing music.
02:17When you hear that music playing,
02:21Yeah, when I'm saying it make you feel alright,
02:25Red, somebody, come on down.
02:29This is a universe we'd want to visit on any given day.
02:32That being said, live action would undoubtedly present an opportunity to address why that comfortability may be a drawback.
02:38I'm gonna work a double shift to let you hear your hotcakes, you know, so I can-
02:41So you can save for your restaurant, I know, I know.
02:44Girl, all you ever do is work.
02:47Specifically, many of the real-life sociocultural issues of the movie's period setting frequently go ignored in the animated product.
02:55A reframing of Tiana's story that properly addresses her class and racial status in the Jim Crow South would make for a more authentic viewing experience.
03:03You know how long it took me to save that money?
03:05Exactly. Which is why a little woman of your background would have had her hands full trying to run a big business like that.
03:14You know, you're better off where you at.
03:16Even though she spends most of the movie as a frog,
03:19Tiana remains an empowering figure for younger audiences due to her inherent self-worth and determination to make a better life for herself.
03:26And when she's able to achieve her goals by finding the courage to act on them, it's nothing short of celebratory.
03:31Starting the big time, the world through the night, and when you hear the music playing, you wanna say it make you feel alright.
03:41While she wouldn't have to lose anything that makes her a great character,
03:45the princess and the frog would surely benefit from a deeper understanding of the greater forces standing in Tiana's way.
03:50We understand that certain lines have to be drawn with family-friendly entertainment,
03:54but if any Disney movie could benefit from portraying the world as it is rather than how we'd like it to be, it's this one.
04:00The way you light up when you talk about your dream.
04:06The dream that it is so beautiful.
04:08I promise I will do whatever it takes to make it come true.
04:14The Sword and the Stone.
04:16For being arguably the most recognizable figures in all of fiction,
04:19King Arthur has been a particularly challenging character to adapt for the big screen.
04:24I've been an awful pickle, I'm king.
04:26Oh, he pulled a sword from the stone.
04:29Ha ha!
04:30Of course, of course.
04:32King Arthur and his knights of the round table.
04:36Not even Disney has been exempt from this spotty track record.
04:39The Sword and the Stone is by no means a bad movie,
04:42and even deserves credit for attempting to explore a rarely discussed aspect of the legend.
04:46But this glimpse into Arthur's childhood and his education under the wizard Merlin is nevertheless a flawed one.
04:52Its biggest issue is that it's too loosely plotted for its own good,
04:56with Merlin's meandering lessons comprising so much of the story that Arthur becomes a bystander in his own legend.
05:02There's no sensible explanation for this discombumeration.
05:07It's a most hodgepodgecal, most illogical, most confusing, most bamboozling, most bemuddling, most b-b-b-f-f-f-f-f-le-ing.
05:17The movie tries to compensate for its lack of structure with humor,
05:21which may have been good enough for Monty Python and the Holy Grail, but less so here.
05:25While the characters are memorable, especially the wicked mad Madame Mim,
05:29it still lacks much of what makes the Arthurian myth so endearing.
05:33It comes easy to me, because I'm the magnificent, marvelous, bad Madame Mim!
05:40In order to go off without a hitch, a live-action sword in the stone has to properly invest in Arthur as a character,
05:47while also giving him reason to believe that he is worthy of power.
05:50Merlin's lessons about the natural laws of the world wouldn't have to change much,
05:54nor would any of Archimedes' color commentary.
05:56Before you're through, he'll be so mixed up, he'll be wearing his shoes on his head.
06:01Man has always learned from the past.
06:03After all, you can't learn history in reverse.
06:06It's confusing enough, for heaven's sakes.
06:08But a worthy king should be able to demonstrate as much through his actions.
06:12So on top of his education, a proper examination of Arthur's worthiness
06:16would be helped by a more developed relationship between him and his brutish foster brother, Kay.
06:20It's a potentially interesting dynamic that could play dividends through Arthur's victory over Kay by the film's ending.
06:27Now wait a minute.
06:29Anyone can pull it once it's been pulled.
06:33You...
06:34Go to it, Kay.
06:36Give it all you got.
06:37Rather than simply prove to Kay that he can pull Excalibur from the stone,
06:44ritual combat could make for a more convincing demonstration.
06:47Not to mention, if there was any chance for Arthur to utilize Merlin's lessons about thinking realistically
06:52and trusting his instincts, it'd be here.
06:54You barely look like a fish.
06:57That doesn't mean that you can swim like one.
06:59You don't have the instinct.
07:01So you'll have to use your brain for the change.
07:05And for what it's worth, the thematic parallels between Merlin's standoff against Madame Mim
07:10and Arthur's duel with Kay would be certifiably enriching.
07:13His triumph would thus be both a physical and moral one,
07:17and undoubtedly the ending the movie deserves.
07:19You'll become a great legend.
07:22They'll be writing books about you for centuries to come.
07:26Why, they might even make a motion picture about you.
07:29Meet the Robinsons.
07:31Something about science fiction and Disney has never truly meshed the way we'd like it to.
07:36From failing, you learn.
07:38From success?
07:39Not so much.
07:40If I gave up every time I failed, I never would have made the meatball cannon.
07:43I never would have made my fireproof pants.
07:48Still working out the kinks.
07:50It's quite a shame, because the studio's few ventures into the world of tomorrow
07:54have all had the potential to reach the classic status of their fantasy and musical works.
07:58Chief among these sci-fi hopefuls is Meet the Robinsons,
08:02which actually bears quite a resemblance to the Disney films of yesteryear,
08:06despite its time travel setup and futuristic setting.
08:08And you're not from the future!
08:10You're crazy!
08:11Ho ho!
08:12I am not crazy!
08:13Oh yeah, Captain Time Travel?
08:15Prove it!
08:16Uh, um...
08:17Yeah, that's what I thought.
08:19After all, Todayland remains perfectly in line with zany locales like Wonderland and Neverland.
08:24Each is visited by eager outsiders looking for a place to belong,
08:28and inhabited by eccentrics who are happy to show them the way.
08:31So if I go back now, then this will be my future.
08:35Well, that depends on you.
08:38Nothing is set in stone.
08:39You've got to make the right choices.
08:41And keep moving forward.
08:43Disney's attempts at bringing these other strange worlds to life may have left something to be desired,
08:48but we'd be thrilled to see them give Meet the Robinsons' version of the future a chance.
08:52And why shouldn't they?
08:54Protagonist Lewis is one of Disney's most relatable,
08:57the titular family is one of their most underrated supporting casts,
09:00and its themes of self-worth and found family make it certifiably heartwarming.
09:04You're a real special kid.
09:07But, um...
09:10You don't look like a Lewis.
09:12You look more like a...
09:14Cornelius.
09:15I get that a lot.
09:17Should Disney be bold enough to give Meet the Robinsons the green light for a second time?
09:21Recapturing its utopian essence may not be as hard as it sounds.
09:25I mean, there's so many things in the world that can be improved.
09:28Just think of it.
09:29Moving sidewalks, flying cars.
09:31The possibilities are endless.
09:33Flying cars?
09:34Ha, yeah, that's a good one.
09:35All it takes is some imagination and a little science.
09:38If it were up to us, we'd be getting the visionary Brad Bird on the phone to pick up where Tomorrowland left off.
09:44In many ways, Bird's 2015 adventure and Meet the Robinsons are one and the same.
09:48However, whereas the former's epic scope is often hampered by its confusing plot and overabundance of ideas,
09:55the latter is the more simplified and character-driven of the two.
09:58Okay, everybody, it's been a long, hard day filled with emotional turmoil and dinosaur fights.
10:02So why don't you all hit the hay and Lewis and me all get going?
10:05As such, Disney would be as crazy as a band of singing frogs not to find the best of both worlds
10:10by joining Tomorrowland's ambition with the heart of Meet the Robinsons.
10:14Despite any flaws they may have, both are stunningly original movies in their own right.
10:19So any chance to unite them into one all-out sci-fi extravaganza is one worth taking.
10:24Here's hoping their heads aren't too big and their arms aren't too little to make this future a reality.
10:29What's going on? Why aren't you seizing the boy?
10:31Treasure Planet.
10:41If space is the final frontier, then a live-action Treasure Planet could go where no Disney project has gone before.
10:47At the farthest reaches of the galaxy, stowed with riches beyond imagination,
10:54the loot of a thousand worlds.
10:57Treasure Planet.
10:59With the original turning Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel Inside Out,
11:04its diversion from the established Disney formula makes its mere existence something of a miracle.
11:09No musical numbers, no fairy tales, just a fun throwback adventure with an otherworldly twist.
11:15Brace yourself, Doctor.
11:17Dang it.
11:19Ah!
11:20Oh!
11:20Treasure Planet is both family-friendly and mature,
11:31giving the stories of Jim Hawkins and John Silver serious stakes,
11:34yet packing them with loads of heart.
11:36You'd think there's not much a live-action update could do to improve upon such an achievement.
11:40And yet, Treasure Planet remains a tantalizing prospect because of everything it excels at.
11:46Oh my goodness, that was, that was absolutely, that was the most...
11:50Oh, tish-tosh.
11:51Actually, Doctor, your astronomical advice was most helpful.
11:55Well, uh, thank you.
11:57Thank you very much.
11:59If nothing else, another journey to the stars would provide us with some closure
12:02after the original film unjustly bombed at the box office.
12:06Moreover, its blend of practicality and forward-thinking CGI would be something live-action would do well to honor.
12:12Hey, look at you, glowing like a solar fire.
12:19You're something special, Jim.
12:22You're going to rattle the stars, you are.
12:25The Walt Disney Company finds itself uniquely situated to give Treasure Planet new life.
12:30So that's how Flip did it.
12:32He used his portal to roam the universe.
12:36For one thing, there's the company's purchase of Lucasfilm
12:39and its expansion of the Star Wars franchise with various films,
12:42Disney Plus series, and theme park attractions.
12:44For another, Pirates of the Caribbean has provided the Mouse House
12:47with one of its most successful franchises of the century so far.
12:51Although the latter has been at a creative standstill for nearly a decade,
12:55perhaps the swashbuckling subgenre could find a new lease on life
12:58with a healthy dose of space opera thrown into the mix.
13:01Oh, pirates! Don't get me started on pirates!
13:04Thanks to its emphasis on relationships,
13:07especially when it comes to the complex dynamic between Jim and Silver,
13:10Treasure Planet could be the perfect outlet for such a revival.
13:13You've got the makings of greatness in you,
13:16but you've got to take the helm and charge your own course.
13:20Stick to it, no matter the squalls.
13:23And when the time comes, you get the chance to really test the cut of your sails.
13:27Balancing its thrilling story of looting aliens with human themes,
13:31its imaginative view of galaxies far, far away could only be enhanced
13:35by the very best that modern filmmaking has to offer.
13:38We'd be oh so curious to see if directors Ron Clements and John Musker
13:41would be willing to take the reins once more.
13:43I met this old cyborg,
13:46and he taught me that I could chart my own course.
13:52That's what I'm gonna do.
13:53If not, then we wouldn't mind if Pixar giant Andrew Stanton
13:56was keen on giving live action another chance.
13:59His previous foray, John Carter, may not have lived up to expectations,
14:02but much like space itself, the possibilities with this one are endless.
14:07And how in blue blazes are we supposed to get there?
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14:29Atlantis The Lost Empire
14:31With its blend of steampunk and globe-trotting adventure,
14:34Atlantis The Lost Empire's ambition and diverse influences
14:37make it well overdue for live-action excellence.
14:40Now some of you may ask,
14:42why Atlantis?
14:43It's just a myth, isn't it?
14:45Pure fantasy.
14:46Well, that is where you'd be wrong.
14:49In fact, the foundation for this story's retro-futuristic aesthetic
14:53was actually built decades earlier.
14:55Disney's groundbreaking adaptation of Jules Verne's
14:5720,000 Leagues Under the Sea featured a Nautilus that was luxuriously designed,
15:02yet equipped for warfare nonetheless.
15:04The quirky treasure-hunting team at the heart of Atlantis
15:06are deeply indebted to Verne as well,
15:08with the adorkable Milo Thatch also recalling shades of Indiana Jones for good measure.
15:13Yes.
15:14How is it you found your way to this place?
15:17Well, I'll tell you, it wasn't easy.
15:18If it weren't for this book, we never would have made it.
15:20Between the former's audacious visual design
15:22and the latter's timeless appeal,
15:24both properties can easily continue to serve as inspiration
15:27for an Atlantis update.
15:28Not to mention, the overwhelming success of James Cameron's Avatar franchise
15:32has proven that audiences still long for visually resplendent journeys to other worlds,
15:37meaning that the cult following Atlantis' gradually developed over time
15:40could blossom into true adoration, if done right.
15:44Well, see, that's your problem right there.
15:47That's an easy thing to miss, you know.
15:48You deserve credit for even getting this far.
15:50The deciding factor will likely be how balanced the story is.
15:54It's amazing.
15:55A complete history of Atlantis.
15:56It's just like Plato described it.
15:59Like, well, you know, he was off on a few details.
16:02One of the main issues holding back the original Atlantis is its brisk pace.
16:06Like Treasure Planet, its panoramic blend of 2D and 3D animation remains a sight to behold.
16:11However, its commendable exploration of imperialism and capitalism
16:14often comes at the expense of Milo's journey
16:17and the fascinating people he meets along the way.
16:20This is a problem that can be remedied by providing equal focus
16:23to both the crew's underwater escapades and the Atlantean culture.
16:26I prefer the term adventure capitalist.
16:30Besides, you're the one who got us here.
16:31You led us right to the treasure chest.
16:33You don't know what you're tampering with, Rourke.
16:35What's to know?
16:36It's big, it's shiny, it's gonna make us all rich.
16:39Between Milo, Kida, Audrey, Sweet, and Vinny, among many more,
16:44the Atlantis cast is diverse and has loads of personality.
16:47These characters are so top-notch that there are too many fan castings on our minds to list here,
16:52and the intrigue of who'd ultimately earn these parts would be a journey in and of itself.
16:56To put it another way, 90 minutes simply isn't enough time
17:00to develop this roster and their individual goals.
17:02Looks like somebody's working overtime.
17:08Come on, girl, time's up.
17:09Live action typically makes longer run times a more acceptable standard,
17:13and ample time would be necessary to make Atlantis a culture we'd crave to explore,
17:18and a destination well worth the journey.
17:20Here's hoping that, if a live-action Atlantis is ever to happen,
17:24time remains a critical component in building this adventure carefully and respectfully,
17:28enough to make us return again and again.
17:30If you gave back every stolen artifact from a museum,
17:34you'd be left with an empty building.
17:36We're just providing a necessary service to the archaeological community.
17:41Is there a particular Disney movie you think the studio should remake in live action?
17:45Is there one you think should be left to thrive in animation?
17:48Be sure to let us know down in the comments.
17:50Maybe I just gotta wish harder.
17:52Please, please, please, please, please, please, please!
18:00Thank you!
18:01Thank you!
18:02Thank you!
18:02Thank you!