All 21 Disney Live-Action Remakes Ranked

All 21 Disney Live-Action Remakes Ranked

TAGGED AS: Disney, Family, movies (Photo by Disney /Courtesy Everett Collection) Ever since Disney’s $200 million psychedelic experiment Alice in Wonderland yielded a $1 billion return, the studio has been on the live-action remake train, adapting their classic cartoons for new generations to come.
We’ve seen critical hits (Cinderella), box office bonanzas (The Jungle Book), and even a dud or two according to the Tomatometer (Dumbo). For the completionist’s sake, we’re also including sequels like 102 Dalmatians in this list, and well as movies whose stories haven’t necessarily been told before, but which re-purpose old animated characters, like Christopher Robin....

TAGGED AS: Disney, Family, movies (Photo by Disney /Courtesy Everett Collection) Ever since Disney’s $200 million psychedelic experiment Alice in Wonderland yielded a $1 billion return, the studio has been on the live-action remake train, adapting their classic cartoons for new generations to come.
We’ve seen critical hits (Cinderella), box office bonanzas (The Jungle Book), and even a dud or two according to the Tomatometer (Dumbo). For the completionist’s sake, we’re also including sequels like 102 Dalmatians in this list, and well as movies whose stories haven’t necessarily been told before, but which re-purpose old animated characters, like Christopher Robin.
We’re also including a few remakes from the 1990s which predate the current pile-on. In 2019 alone, there were five releases: Dumbo, Aladdin, The Lion King, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and Lady and the Tramp. Cruella did well enough as the first major release to have a premiere during the pandemic era (and you’ve got to roll out the red carpet for the Dalmatians villain), though additional entries to this series (2022’s Pinocchio and 2023’s Peter Pan and Wendy) have found varying degrees of success. The latest is The Little Mermaid, with Snow White set for 2024, along with a Mufasa-centric addition to Lion King.
Now we’re taking a look back on every Disney live-action remake ranked by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo #1 Adjusted Score: 112792% Critics Consensus: As lovely to behold as it is engrossing to watch, The Jungle Book is the rare remake that actually improves upon its predecessors -- all while setting a new standard for CGI. Synopsis: Raised by a family of wolves since birth, Mowgli (Neel Sethi) must leave the only home he's ever known when... [More] #2 Adjusted Score: 101814% Critics Consensus: Pete's Dragon continues Disney's current live-action winning streak with an update that gives the original a visual overhaul without overwhelming its sweet, soulful charm. Synopsis: Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford), a woodcarver, delights local children with stories of a mysterious dragon that lives deep in the... [More] #3 Adjusted Score: 92747% Critics Consensus: Refreshingly traditional in a revisionist era, Kenneth Branagh's Cinderella proves Disney hasn't lost any of its old-fashioned magic. Synopsis: After her father unexpectedly dies, young Ella (Lily James) finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother (Cate Blanchett)... [More] #4 Adjusted Score: 81459% Critics Consensus: Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book may not hew as closely to the book as its title suggests, but it still offers an entertaining live-action take on a story best known in animated form. Synopsis: When his father is killed by a jungle tiger, Mowgli (Jason Scott Lee) is orphaned and grows up in the... [More] #5 Adjusted Score: 94699% Critics Consensus: Cruella can't quite answer the question of why its title character needed an origin story, but this dazzling visual feast is awfully fun to watch whenever its leading ladies lock horns. Synopsis: Academy Award (R) winner Emma Stone ("La La Land") stars in Disney's "Cruella," an all-new live-action feature film about the... [More] #6 Adjusted Score: 92974% Critics Consensus: It could have told its classic story with greater depth, but the live-action Mulan is a visual marvel that serves as a stirring update to its animated predecessor. Synopsis: To save her ailing father from serving in the Imperial Army, a fearless young woman disguises herself as a man... [More] #7 Adjusted Score: 85564% Critics Consensus: Christopher Robin may not equal A.A. Milne's stories -- or their animated Disney adaptations -- but it should prove sweet enough for audiences seeking a little childhood magic. Synopsis: Christopher Robin -- now a family man living i...