5 Disney Classics That Actually Warrant A Live-Action Remake
Despite the fact that live-action adaptations come with a lot of flak, Disney continues to invest in them. Some like Cinderella (2015) will forever remain a treasure, while others like Snow White (2025) will get criticism for countless reasons. And yet, we'll continue to get them, like the upcoming Moana (2026). But ultimately, we also continue to show up because, as a longtime fan of the animated features, it's hard to stay away from these stories.
Still, it'd be really delightful to at least get a few live-action adaptations of the more underrated classics that could benefit from the distinct medium. I'd happily take The Aristocats (1970), though I realize that one might be super tricky, but there are others, like the five in this list and in Disney's catalog, that can shine.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire was an underrated treasure when it first released, but now, people are thankfully starting to talk a bit more about it, and it's all thanks to Ryan Gosling's performance as Dr. Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary (2026). The advancements we've had with technology and film ultimately prove that if Disney tried to make a live-action here, it'd be a real winner.
So much of what's required for Atlantis is also achieved with the work that we've gotten in the Avatar films, and it's one of the few movies that could really benefit from some sort of resurgence in live-action. It might even get new fans aboard to check out the animated movie if they haven't already done so with its stunning themes of perseverance, discovery, and hope.
With movies like The Goonies (1985) and Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) having such large cult followings, you'd think Disney would jump on the opportunity to give us a live-action movie of Treasure Planet. While the movie is largely underrated, it's beloved by the many fans who discovered it after its initial release. Like Atlantis, a live-action film could fully revive the hype.
It's fun, adventurous, and the kind of movie that ultimately wouldn't require too much CGI to give us a compelling live-action that's worth its salt. Like a lot of the movies on this list, casting would determine so much, and considering that's one thing Disney tends to get right, it'd be a missed opportunity not to give this one a live-action treatment, even if there's no theatrical release.
People don't talk about The Black Cauldron nearly enough, and it's tragic considering just how lovely it really is, and how it holds up given the time period. It's the perfect kind of movie to get an adaptation and give fans of cozy spooky movies something to appreciate in the Disney space.
The dark fantasy is gorgeous as is, but as a live action it could really give us some of the specific type of fantasy we've been looking for since the '90s—something that isn't too scary, but also a property that isn't so tame you want to really get some of the grittiness that dark fantasy typically requires as a genre. The animated feature itself is stunning, and like the more underrated ones on this list, maybe it could even gain a bigger following afterward.
As one of the newer animations, Coco took the world by storm with its deeply relatable narrative surrounding grief and its gorgeous animation. It might not be deemed as a classic quite yet, but surely, it's well on its way toward becoming one with how beautifully moving the story is and just genuinely how breathtaking every sequence tends to be.
Interestingly for Coco, special effects makeup could achieve plenty in bringing to life the Land of the Dead without the use of CGI to alter the realism. It could be such a beautiful spectacle in the hands of the right creators, and as long as the heart of the story stays true—which we know Disney tends to achieve—it could bring the kind of brightness we've been sorely missing in Hollywood with more muted tones in movies. The vividness of Coco could also result in a stunning theatrical experience.
Sure, The Emperor's New Groove features a talking llama and some wild antics here and there that might be hard to recreate with CGI while still appearing real, but it's one of the most underrated Disney classics we have. The humor shines with the kind of bonkers adventures that make every minute worth it, and something that could make for a solid live-action because of the characterizations.
More than anything, Yzma is such a compelling villain, and it'd be so interesting who they could cast to bring all her chaos to life. The animated feature is already perfect for reaction memes, so having it in live action could contribute to the greater good of social media in a hilarious way. Casting would matter a lot for this one, and if Disney gets it right, we could have a real winner on our hands.
