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Some animated classics deserve the live-action treatment… and others really don't. Join us as we count down the live-action remakes that either honored their source material or completely missed the mark! Which do you think hit or missed? Let us know in the comments below!
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00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking through some of the most notable attempts
00:12to recapture animated classics in live action formats, though some animated pics are better
00:17left alone.
00:19We will inherit what was meant for all of us, and it's more than any of us can imagine.
00:30This monstrosity is the product of illegal genetic experimentation.
00:39With Disney on a mission to remake practically all its animated library into live action,
00:44Lilo and Stitch was inevitable, and its reception was divisive at best.
00:48On the one hand, Stitch himself looks as chaotically cute and fluffy as ever in live action CGI.
00:54On the other hand, the writing was not as well received.
00:58They removed Gontu and had Jumba act as the main villain for no real reason.
01:03They even removed his accent.
01:12Undeniably, the biggest issue is the ending, which fans were quick to point out completely
01:17undermines the message from the original movie that made it one of Disney's best.
01:21Remember when Ohana meant family?
01:23I found it all on my own.
01:27It's little and broken, but still good.
01:32Apparently, Disney didn't.
01:345.
01:35Best Scooby Doo
01:45Before working his magic with the superhero genre, James Gunn gave us the very first live
01:51action adaptation of the cartoon giant Scooby Doo.
01:54At the time, the reviews for the movie weren't as favorable, from criticizing the CGI effects
01:58to feeling the tone was inconsistent.
02:09However, later down the line, fans have re-evaluated their critiques of the film and have deemed
02:15it a misunderstood classic.
02:16It embraced its silly side and served as an early testament to James Gunn's writing
02:21skills.
02:22Listen, man.
02:23Someone must have spiked my root beer last night.
02:25Talk me down, man.
02:27Talk me down.
02:29Fred!
02:29You're a friggin' protoplasmic head!
02:31To add to the fact, it introduced Matthew Lillard as Shaggy, which would be one of his
02:37most iconic and recurring roles to date.
02:39That alone is praiseworthy.
02:424.
02:42The Sorcerer's Apprentice
02:44What you will see on the screen is a picture of the various abstract images that might pass
02:50through your mind if you sat in a concert hall listening to this music.
02:54Remember the iconic Fantasia segment when Mickey Mouse tries his hand at being a sorcerer,
03:00only for it to backfire hilariously?
03:02Well, imagine if they took that, but then turned it into a generic action fantasy flick.
03:07Where's the doll, Dave?
03:09Uh, uh, him?
03:10Him?
03:10Him?
03:11Him?
03:11Him?
03:12Him?
03:15Alright, get up here now!
03:17Surprise!
03:18They did that in 2010.
03:20The difference between the two are night and day, and it's barely considered a remake.
03:25I have something I'd like to show you, Dave.
03:27How did you know my name was Dave?
03:29Cause I can read mine!
03:33It's on your backpack.
03:34However, with both sharing the same name and being produced by Disney, we had to count
03:39it.
03:39While it has some impressive CGI and Nicolas Cage was fun, it suffers from too many cliches
03:46to be considered anything notable.
03:47It's been a while since I've seen the Hungarian mirror trap.
03:56It wouldn't feel as offensive if the movie's title were literally anything else.
04:01Number 4 Best Cinderella
04:14Disney's live-action rehashes have had a scarce number of ups but plenty of downs.
04:19Yet people overlook one of the few times they got it right.
04:222015 Cinderella
04:24Cinderella?
04:26That's what we'll call you!
04:28Oh girls, you're too clever.
04:33Who's this for?
04:34It didn't try to fix what wasn't broken, but instead added a new layer of what had always
04:39needed further development.
04:41Ella's relationship with the prince feels much more believable.
04:44And her struggle to remain kind in a cruel circumstance is even more relatable and makes us root for
04:49her even harder.
04:51Kindness is free.
04:53Love is free.
04:54Love is not free.
04:56No.
04:58Here is how you will pay me.
05:00The 1950 animated flick can still be considered a timeless classic.
05:04The 2015 remake simply breathed new life into it without too many drastic changes.
05:09If only most of their other Disney princess remakes took notes.
05:13Number 3.
05:15Worse.
05:15Dragon Ball Evolution
05:16First one to touch the ground loses.
05:21Prepare to eat dirt.
05:23If adapting western animation into live-action feels like a gamble, imagine how big a risk
05:28it is to give anime the same treatment.
05:31Undeniably, one of the biggest offenders was Dragon Ball Evolution, which was supposed
05:36to be based on the beloved manga and anime franchise, and yet lacked anything that made
05:41the source material great.
05:42I made a promise that I'm not going to fight you.
05:44Oh.
05:45Don't worry, it won't be a fight.
05:50It'll be a massacre.
05:51They tampered with the story and made it a vague confusing mess and just look at what
05:56they did to Goku.
05:58Along with the inappropriate casting, his personality makes him barely even resemble the happy-go-lucky
06:03saying we love.
06:04The Dragon Balls.
06:06They've been speaking to you.
06:08Yeah.
06:09They are showing you a future.
06:10There's this demon, Osaru.
06:13This was meant to be the start of a series, but thankfully, its critical failure ensure
06:17that they couldn't hurt the franchise anymore.
06:20Number 3.
06:21Best.
06:22How to Train Your Dragon.
06:23You see, dragons have been a bit of a problem.
06:26Here and, well, everywhere.
06:29So we decided to take the fight to them.
06:31Taking a page from Disney's book, DreamWorks did a live-action remake to their 2010 hit,
06:37How to Train Your Dragon.
06:38However, in an unexpected twist, this single remake blew the majority of Disney's rehashes
06:43out of the water.
06:44It will be grueling, and it will be very, very dangerous.
06:52While it follows the original film's blueprint, it made only subtle changes while recapturing
06:56its spirit thanks to a cast and crew that fully understands the franchise inside and out.
07:01From the breathtaking cinematography to the perfectly balanced practical and CGI effects.
07:15Was it a necessary remake?
07:18Not really.
07:19But it respected its source material through the new lens, and that's good enough for us.
07:24Hiccup.
07:27I was only trying to protect you.
07:30I know, Dad.
07:33Let me return the favor.
07:34Number two.
07:35Worse.
07:35Snow White.
07:36A princess was born.
07:38To honor the night she arrived, her parents named the girl Snow White.
07:44Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is still highly praised as the first animated feature film,
07:49and an historic chapter in Disney's long-standing legacy.
07:53Meanwhile, the 2025 remake feels historic for how it shamelessly spits on said legacy.
07:59He'll perish.
08:00Please, your majesty.
08:01Snow White.
08:03Here.
08:05Look at yourself.
08:07Isn't this what you want?
08:09Along with the hideous designs for the no-longer titular dwarfs, it lacks the fun and charm the
08:14original brought to the screen and instead feels soulless and bogged down with casting controversies
08:19and bad faith, especially from the leading lady Rachel Zegler.
08:23It was a box office bomb, but sadly, it wasn't enough to stop Disney from making live action
08:29remakes altogether.
08:30It also broke the most sacred rule of them all.
08:33Never let Dopey speak.
08:35Dopey?
08:36We're not afraid.
08:38Dopey.
08:40Not anymore.
08:41Woah.
08:45Well said.
08:46Dopey.
08:47Then, neither am I.
08:52number two best the jungle book and remember not everyone here has seen a man cub in the jungle
08:58before so behave yourself okay okay can i go now take the books with you it's a miracle if a
09:05disney
09:05remake ends up on par with the original but to be considered better somehow disney achieved the
09:11impossible in 2016 with their remake of the jungle book what are you doing so deep in the jungle
09:19this is my home don't you know what you are they took what worked in the original and built upon
09:26it
09:26with some of the most impressive cgi work in live action disney history and a more dynamic story
09:31with higher stakes that almost matches the original book whether it surpasses the 1967 classic is up
09:38for debate but the remake proved that it didn't need to be a shot for shot rehash to find success
09:43on its own look for the bare necessities the simple bare necessities forget about your worries and your
09:51strife i mean the bare necessities old mother nature's recipe that brings the bare necessities
10:00of life unfortunately disney has struggled to recapture the winning remake formula since then
10:05number one worst the last airbender i'm sorry i'm sorry i'm sorry i'm sorry i'm sorry i'm sorry
10:13i'm sorry i'm sorry hey it worked better that time in 2010 director m night Shyamalan tried to adapt
10:20the entire first season of avatar the last airbender into a single action movie he hoped to turn it into
10:26a trilogy with each one showcasing a different season are you an airbender boy
10:34leave him alone now here's a twist we all saw coming it backfired miserably from the poor casting
10:41and visual effects to the pacing issues and heavy reliance on exposition this box office bomb failed
10:46to capture the fun drama and power the original nicktoon brought great katara would you really choose
10:52him over your tribe your own family netflix would later adapt it into a live action series which
10:59garnered a much warmer reception since it respected its source material you get a much more cinematic
11:05experience by binging either series instead of trying to watch Shyamalan's attempt they want you to be
11:10their avatar off we all do before we continue be sure to check out watchmojo's 24-hour live stream
11:22all of your favorite videos in one place 24 7. always on always live are you not entertained
11:30number one best dr seuss's how the grinch stole christmas the grinch hated christmas the whole
11:38christmas season please don't ask why no one quite knows the reason the 1966 adaptation of dr seuss's
11:46how the grinch stole christmas has become a recognizable christmas classic the love for decades
11:52in a way ron howard's live-action adaptation had reached a similar status i really don't like him
12:05part of it's thanks to jim carrey as the grinch whose infectious energy and charisma have our
12:11sides splitting with laughter as well as having us root for the villain after hearing his backstory
12:16while this take is zanier than the original it still captures the whimsy and spirit of the source
12:21material hello hello little girl how dare you enter the grinch's lair it even expands on it by having
12:33both the grinch and the whos learn the true spirit of the holidays with carrie's performance as a fest
12:39up cherry on top which live action remake do you think hit or missed the mark let us know in
12:44the
12:44comments down below and don't forget to like and subscribe for more watchmojo videos
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