It was in 2019, in a time still pre-pandemic, when we did not know what it would mean to live in confinement and an international health emergency, when the Pictures of Walt Disney announced that he had 63 films to be released in theaters by 2027. Eight years in which we would have practically 8 Disney-branded movies a year, including Star Wars, Avatar, Indiana Jones, and of course the classics, Pixar movies, and those of 20th Century Fox. A vast calendar, which a few months after this announcement was upset by a cyclone that wiped out all possible programming, in the direction of a new awareness and a new order.
In this list there were films like Forward, Mulane, The New Mutants, Artemis Poultry, free guy, Jungle Cruise, Cruel: which was instead forced to be postponed was Avatar 2then scheduled for December 17, 2021, as well as Indiana Jones 5, which should have been released on July 9. Who has much worse is Nimonathe animated film based on the graphic novel in Italy published by BaoPublishing: the film was supposed to arrive on March 5 a year ago, but was permanently canceled.
The Little Mermaid (May 26, 2023)
Let’s start with the first official live action that will arrive soon: it’s The little Mermaidreleased May 26, 2023. Much discussed and heavily criticized by fans for choosing to leave the role of Ariel to Halle Baileythe film will be directed by Rob Marshall, author of the controversial Mary Poppins Returns (which we analyzed in our review of Mary Poppins Returns), and will see the exuberant Melissa McCarthy as Ursula.
Compose the soundtrack will be Alan Menkenwho in 1989 came to shake up the Disney universe by bringing the Renaissance to life, debuting with Howard Ashman with the Disney fairy tale inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s novel. He will be joined by Lin-Manuel Mirandaauthor of Hamilton and the recent soundtrack of Encanto (here our special on Encanto songs). Rounding out the cast, Jonah Hauer-King will play Prince Eric and Javier Barden to give life to King Triton: the voice of Sebastian will be that of Daveed Diggs, the very young Jacob Tremblay will be Flouder and the omniscient seagull Scuttle will have the voice of Awkwafina.
Pinocchio (Fall 2022)
In the fall of this year, it will be the turn of Pinocchio from Robert Zemeckis. We don’t yet know what day, exactly, but Disney will release the film directly for streaming on Disney+ to give us, again this year, a new version of the most famous fairy tale in the world and the most read book in the world. entire globe.
If the last Geppetto was Roberto Benigni in Matteo Garrone’s film (here our review of Pinocchio), the next will be tom hankwho returns to work with Disney after giving birth to Walter Elias in Save Mr. Banks by John Hancock (also picked up review from Saving Mr. Banks). Zemeckis will return to collaborate with Alan Silvestriwith whom he had already made a duet during Who Framed Roger Rabbit and for Back to the future: for the Oscar-winning director Pinocchio it will be a good test after the uncertain Welcome to Marwen (find out what we think in our review of Benvenuti a Marwen), but also to give his own interpretation of a story that the last Garrone knew how to tell with a grotesque vein, but faithful to the work of Collodi. With Luke Evans as coachman e Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jiminy Cricket closes a cast that promises very well.
Peter Pan and Wendy (2023)
Until the Italian version of James Hook’s origin story is officially announced, Disney is waiting to let us know when it arrives. the live action titled Peter Pan & Wendya title faithful to the work of James Matthew Barrie and inspired by the Classic which made its film debut in 1953.
David Lowery, former director of The Invisible Dragon, alongside Toby Halbrooks, who is writing the screenplay for the adaptation, will direct Alexander Molony and Ever Anderson (daughter of Paul Anderson and Milla Jovovich), respectively Peter Pan and Wendy. To give life to Hook will be there, instead, Jude Law. At the moment, not much is known about the film, having only seen a teaser of a few seconds which also confirmed the presence of Yara Shahidi in the role of Tinker Bell.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (TBC)
Marc Webb after The Amazing Spider-Man will sign Snow White and the Seven Dwarfsthe feature film adapted from Disney’s Madness, the first animated title produced by the Burbank company in the 1930s.
Eric Cressida Wilson, former scriptwriter of The girl on the train, who has been dedicated to opera since October 2016. The soundtrack, meanwhile, will be entrusted to Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, known for the excellent compositional work that we were able to appreciate in our review of La La Land. . Filming was scheduled to begin in 2020, according to the schedule initially announced by Disney the previous year, but the pandemic has postponed everything and currently we do not know if an official date will arrive soon. Note of merit for the casting that deserves Gal Godot in the role of Grimilde, the Evil Queen. In the role of Snow White, meanwhile, will be Rachel ZeglerMusical Comedy Fee West Side Story by Steven Spielberg (our West Side Story review here). Beside White as snow pre-production of Red rosespin-off of the well-known story, written by Justin Merz and Kristin Gore.
Prequel and sequel
We’ve had several Cinderella movies, all very much aligned with each other. The last, that of Kenneth Branagh, was perhaps the most appreciated, especially for the scenographic work. What we lacked however was a point of view Charming, prince charming.
Written by Stephen Chbosky, still looking for a director, the feature film will focus on the figure of the prince who will be bewitched by Cinderella, creating a real prequel to the story told in 1950 by Walt Disney. Between prequels and sequels we can’t not fall on it too The Jungle Book 2, live action from the film released in 2003 and sequel to the adventures of Mowgli: to direct it will be Jon Favreau, who with the first adaptation had created an exquisitely crafted title. We always talk about sequels when we talk about the subject The Lion King II – Kingdom of Simba, inspired by the 1998 film which chronicles the birth and growth of Mufasa’s granddaughter, Kiara, and Zira, mother of Kovu, Scar’s heir. Barry Jenkins will direct the film. Aladdin will also have its sequels, just as happened for home video in the cheapquel days, with Jafar’s Return (1994) And Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996) which will be merged into a single production, written by John Gatins and Andrea Berloff.
The Agrabah universe will also host the Genius spin-off, geniuses, directed by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift, with the screenplay written by Tripp Vinson. Jordan Dunn and Michael Kvamme, on the other hand, are dealing with another The Aladdin spin-offof which we still do not know anything, except that it will only happen on Disney +.
Disney+ and commercials are looking for directors
the Robin Hood Live Shotmade in mixed media with CGI animation, directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada and written by Kari Granlund. The sword in the stone will meet the same fate with Juan Carlos Fresnadillo at the direction of the opera and Bryan Cogman, author of the scenario of the 11 episodes of game of thrones, in writing. Cogman, among others, is also working on the film’s script for the cinema of Magic: The Gathering. To close the quartet of releases on Disney’s streaming platform, we find Lilo & Stitchlooking for a director.
Among the films announced, but of which we know very little, we find Herculeswhich will be produced by the Russo brothers, who entered the recent history of Disney thanks to Endgame of the Avengers. Then it will also be up to The Hunchback of Notre DameDavid Henry Hwang being approached to pen the screenplay for Disney’s most controversial classic, as well as one of the most disturbing stories told in European Romanticism by Victor Hugo.
With Alan Menken returning to the soundtrackwhich already allowed him in the 90s to bring together under the same aegis the sacredness of Latin liturgical prayers with the disturbing folk ballads of the gypsies (among which we point out the incredible interpretation of Carlo Ragone in the role of Clopin), he Be Josh Gad to dress the role of Quasimodo, the Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Bambi, Rapunzel And The Aristocats (with Will Gluck and Keith Bunin writing the screenplay) are the latest live-action announced, but with a director yet to be set. Atlantis And Frozeninstead, they are orphaned from an announced cast, but in the next plans of Walt Disney Pictures.
