Ranking the Best Live-Action Disney Remakes

Disney dabbled in live-action remakes of its classic animated movies in the '90s -- see: 101 Dalmatians and 102 Dalmatians -- but once the House of Mouse struck gold with 2015's Cinderella and 2016's The Jungle Book, there was no going back. And then when 2017's Beauty and the Beast remake crossed a billion? Forget about it.

With Disney's latest live-action re-do -- the beloved (and merchandise windfall) Lilo & Stitch -- hitting theaters this week, and right on the heels of Snow White too, we decided to paint the roses red with our own list of the Best Live-Action Disney Remakes.

To some Disney die-hards, these live-action remakes are a hard pass. And regardless of how many feel about the "cashing in" aspects of these films, or whether or not you think they're soulless compared to the original animated version, there are some gems in the bunch. There are also some directors behind these films who have reverence for the material and actually bring the stories to life in new, poignant ways. What's your favorite live-action Disney remake? Did it make our list? Vote in our poll and find out below...

(Oh, and this list is for remakes only -- not prequels, sequels, or re-imagined takes on characters like your Maleficents, Cruellas, Christopher Robbinses, etc.)

10. Aladdin (2019)

2019's Aladdin -- which features Will Smith as the Genie in the magically manic voice role owned by the legendary Robin Williams -- sits here at 10 on our list as the official wall separating decent to great live-action Disney remakes and the dregs. Aladdin didn't offer up much new, but it was still better-than-people-thought-it-would-be, which sort of becomes the gold standard after a movie fad or franchise goes on long enough. Aladdin, directed by Guy Ritchie, played the hits while also offering up more interesting material for Jasmine and the Genie. It was lively and colorful and, for the most part, harmless.

9. 101 Dalmations (1996)

Disney had a runaway hit on its hands in the mid-'90s when Oscar-winner Glenn Close donned black and white hair as crazed canine coveter Cruella de Vil for a 101 Dalmatians remake. Using early-stages CGI to enhance this doggone adventure (but without making the dogs talk like in the original movie), 101 Dalmatians was the toast of the holiday movie season in 1996. Geared more for kids, making it a bit of a grind for grownups, 101 Dalmatians was a slapdash display of slapstick upgraded by Close's kooky go-for-broke (Golden Globe-nominated) performance.

8. Mulan (2020)

The Mulan remake hit its mark with an epic scale, some spectacular action, and a dynamic lead in Liu Yifei. It honored the spirit and fun of the original while also making distinct changes (like ditching dragon pal Mushu, removing the songs, changing the love interest, etc.). These tweaks and turns actually help the 2020 Mulan feel like a confident retelling, with impactful messaging and meaning, rather than a retread of old hits. By grounding the saga a bit more, this Mulan truly became a girl worth fighting for.

7. Alice in Wonderland (2010)

If any classic Disney animation was going to get the Tim Burton treatment, Alice in Wonderland was the optimal candidate (while history has taught us that 2019's Dumbo was the least ideal). The end result was not only a uniquely Tim Burton display of oddball wonders but also a billion-dollar hit about five years before Disney would fully unleash the floodgates with these big live-action reworkings. Bringing some key members of the Burton Brigade with him -- namely Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and composter Danny Elfman -- Burton blended elements of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and sequel Through the Looking-Glass (just as the 1951 animated movie did) and unleashed a lush, subversively witty odyssey through a strange, strange land.

6. Beauty and the Beast (2017)

As one of the most initially daunting projects of this remake era, Beauty and the Beast was always going to have big, beastly shoes to fill. Not only was the original movie the first-ever animated feature to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar, but the deep fan love for this story -- far surpassing fandoms for Jungle Book and Cinderella and the remakes that came before it -- was always going to cast a massive shadow. Fortunately, thanks to the direction of Bill Condon and terrific performances from a game cast -- namely Emma Watson and Dan Stevens -- the Beauty and the Beast remake is an enchanting movie that includes the many elements fans of the animated classic would hope to see, while also introducing some new aspects that work really well.

5. The Little Mermaid (2023)

2023's The Little Mermaid met us in a very different pop-culture world and media landscape than the previous remakes. It was the first Disney live-action remake to get wide theatrical release post-pandemic (Mulan, Pinocchio, and Peter Pan & Wendy were all released on Disney+, though Mulan was supposed to be released in theaters) and so not only did it need to carry the burden of being a blockbuster during times when movies just don't (sort of automatically) make a billion dollars anymore, but it also had to suffer from internet toxicity. Despite all of that, The Little Mermaid had us all riding high on a warm wave of nostalgia, dazzled by a brilliant, vulnerable performance by star Halle Bailey.

4. Cinderella (2015)

">

Kenneth Branagh's excellent, charming Cinderella remake -- starring Lily James, Cate Blanchett, and Richard Madden -- never exactly leads the charge in conversations about Disney remakes. It might be because more focus is given to the 1990s "Disney Renaissance" movies than to the classic movies that came out in the '30s through the '60s since, generationally, they target the modern movie-going public more. Or it could also be because Cinderella is very old school when it comes to gender norms, centering a story around a woman pining to be rescued from her life by a prince. All that aside though, this version of Cinderella is wonderful, maintaining a harmony between honoring the classic Disney rendition and grounding the film just enough for it to work with a modern audience.

3. Peter Pan & Wendy (2023)

The Disney live-action remakes have brought out award-caliber directors -- from Rob Marshall to Bill Condon to Jon Favreau -- but, as fate would have it, the visionary who's best at these modern revampings is The Green Knight's David Lowery, who's landed two films on this list: two films that have flown severely under the remake radar. The first is released-to-streaming Peter Pan & Wendy, a whimsically morose take on Peter Pan that zigs when you think it should zag. Instead of being a boisterous family adventure, it's a masterfully moving tale about loss with a gorgeous backdrop. Jude Law, perhaps previewing a bit of what he'd also deliver on Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, plays Captain Hook in this incredible film about accepting life's tragedies.

2. The Jungle Book (2016)

Seen as a movie that kicked off the decade of Disney remakes, Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book is a wild, heartfelt adaptation that some even feel surpasses the original (and it's one of the few films on this list to be able to tout that). Using all the CGI in the world to populate its jungle, opening up a discourse about what actually constitutes "live-action," The Jungle Book boasts voices from Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson, and Christopher Walken. It's a stunning achievement that's fun for all ages, and before the consensus started leaning negative toward these remakes, The Jungle Book had everyone believing.

1. Pete's Dragon (2016)

Ok, number one is a bit of a cheat since the original 1977 Pete's Dragon was a live-action/animation mix, but David Lowery's modestly seen Pete's Dragon from 2016 is a sweet, beautiful look at two vulnerable souls caring for one another. It's hopeful, heartfelt, and full of wonder. Was this entire list written just so we could recommend Pete's Dragon to you? Who can say? But this Pete's Dragon finds magic where the original one may have faltered. It's a true re-imagining that improves upon the previous material. Bryce Dallas Howard, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, and a young Oakes Fegley star in this exceptional offering.

What are your favorites? Let's discuss in the comments!