Disney Live-Action Remakes Ranked

Having recently posted my review of Disney’s latest live-action remake of one of their animated classics, “Snow White”, and with another one coming to the big screen next month with the release of “Lilo & Stitch”, I thoight I’d take the time to rank all 23 live-action remakes Disney have produced so far, dating back to the very first one in 1994, “Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book”.

Generally, I am not a huge fan of these Disney live-action remakes, as I feel that very few of them manage to even get close to recapturing the magic that made their animated counterparts so iconic decades prior, however there are a handful of exceptions where I believe Disney, and the modern day filmmakers involved, have at least tried to bring something new to the table, whether it be thematically or artistically.

23. Pinocchio (2022)

Dir: Robert Zemeckis

Cast: Tom Hanks, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Keegan-Michael Key, Guiseppe Battiston, Lorraine Bracco, Cynthia Erivo, Luke Evans

Synopsis: In an Italian village, the wooden puppet Pinocchio is brought to life by the Blue Fairy and seeks the life of adventure while striving to be a real boy. Pinocchio’s life is turned upside down when he leaves his father to follow the circus.

22. Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)

Dir: James Bobin

Cast: Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, , Mia Wasikowska, Rhys Ifans, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall

Synopsis: With the White Queen and her friends’ help, Alice strives to save Wonderland in order to protect the Mad Hatter from the malicious Red Queen even if she has to go back in time.

21. Lady and the Tramp (2019)

Dir: Charlie Bean

Cast: Tessa Thompson, Justin Theroux, Kiersey Clemons, Thomas Mann, Janelle Monae, F. Murray Abraham, Yvette Nicole Brown, Adrian Martinez, Ken Jeong, Sam Elliott

Synopsis: Lady is distraught when she is blamed for all the havoc that Sarah’s cats caused in her owners’ house. Things take a turn when Lady runs away and Tramp, a street dog, saves her.

20. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010)

Dir: Jon Turtletaub

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Teresa Palmer, Monica Bellucci

Synopsis: Master sorcerer Balthazar hires Dave, an average guy, as an apprentice to aid him in saving the city from his arch-enemy, Maxim Horvath. Thus, Dave gets a crash course in the art and science of magic.

19. Dumbo (2019)

Dir: Tim Burton

Cast: Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Eva Green, Alan Arkin

Synopsis: Holt, a circus performer, is tasked with caring for a baby elephant with oversized ears, Dumbo. But when it is discovered that Dumbo can fly, a few wicked men try to take advantage of the situation.

18. Peter Pan & Wendy (2023)

Dir: David Lowery

Cast: Alexander Molony, Ever Anderson, Jude Law, Yara Shahidi, Alyssa Wapanatahk, Joshua Pickering, Jacobi Jupe, Jim Gaffigan

Synopsis: Wendy Darling, a young girl looking to avoid boarding school, meets Peter Pan, a boy who refuses to grow up. Wendy, her brothers, and Tinker Bell travel with Peter to the magical world of Neverland, where she encounters an evil pirate captain.

17. Snow White (2025)

Dir: Marc Webb

Cast: Rachel Zegler, Andrew Burnap, Gal gadot

Synopsis: Fleeing from the Evil Queen, Snow White finds refuge with Dopey, Bashful, Grumpy, Sneezy, Happy, Doc and Sleepy. When the palace guards embark on a mission to bring her back, a commoner and his group of woodland bandits band together to protect her.

16. Mulan (2020)

Dir: Niki Caro

Cast: Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An, Gong Li, Jet Li

Synopsis: When her father is unable to join the army due to his old age, Mulan, a young woman, decides to disguise herself as a man and takes his place instead.

15. Mufasa: The Lion King (2024)

Dir: Barry Jenkins

Cast: Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Tiffany Boone, Donald Glover, Mads Mikkelsen, Thandiwe Newton, Lennie James, Anika Noni Rose, Blue Ivy Carter, Beyonce Knowles-Carter

Synopsis: Lost and alone, orphaned cub Mufasa meets a sympathetic lion named Taka, the heir to a royal bloodline. The chance meeting sets in motion an expansive journey of an extraordinary group of misfits searching for their destinies.

14. 102 Dalmatians (2000)

Dir: Kevin Lima

Cast: Glenn Close, Ioan Gruffudd, Alice Evans, Tim McInnerny, Gerard Depardieu

Synopsis: Cruella transforms into a good woman after she leaves prison. However, the sound of Big Ben causes her to go back to her devious ways and she decides to kidnap 102 Dalmatian puppies for a new coat.

13. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)

Dir: Joachim Ronning

Cast: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sam Riley, Harris Dickinson, Ed Skrein, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Lesley Manville, Michelle Pfeiffer

Synopsis: Maleficent alienates herself from Aurora when she opposes her engagement with Prince Phillip. Unknown to them, an enemy lurks, waiting to capitalise on their discord and destroy all that they love.

12. The Lion King (2019)

Dir: Jon Favreau

Cast: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Beyonce Knowles-Carter, James Earl Jones

Synopsis: Simba, a young lion prince, flees his kingdom after the murder of his father, Mufasa. Years later, a chance encounter with Nala, a lioness, causes him to return and take back what is rightfully his.

11. Aladdin (2019)

Dir: Guy Ritchie

Cast: Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Navid Negahban, Nasim Pedrad, Billy Magnussen

Synopsis: Aladdin, a kind thief, woos Jasmine, the princess of Agrabah, with the help of Genie. When Jafar, the grand vizier, tries to usurp the king, Jasmine, Aladdin and Genie must stop him from succeeding.

10. Maleficent (2014)

Dir: Robert Stromberg

Cast: Angelina Jolie, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Lesley Manville

Synopsis: Maleficent, a kind-hearted fairy who changed after her lover Stefan deceived her, places a curse on his daughter Aurora. But soon she realizes that only Aurora can bring peace to the troubled country.

9. Christopher Robin (2018)

Dir: Marc Forster

Cast: Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Brad Garrett

Synopsis: Winnie the Pooh enters the life of a now-grown-up Christopher Robin, to seek his help in finding his lost friends in the Hundred Acre Wood.

8. 101 Dalmatians (1996)

Dir: Stephen Herek

Cast: Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels, Joely Richardson, Joan Plowright

Synopsis: Anita, a fashion designer, and Roger, a computer game writer, have to rescue the puppies of their dalmatians from Cruella De Vil, an insane woman, who wants to use their fur to make a coat.

7. Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Dir: Tim Burton

Cast: Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas, Mia Wasikowska, Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall

Synopsis: Alice, now 19 years old, follows a rabbit in a blue coat to a magical wonderland from her dreams where she is reunited with her friends who make her realise her true destiny.

6. The Little Mermaid (2023)

Dir: Rob Marshall

Cast: Halle Bailey, Jonah Hauer-King, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina, Jacob Tremblay, Noma Dumezweni, Art Malik, Javier Bardem, Melissa McCarthy

Synopsis: he youngest of King Triton’s daughters, Ariel is a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. Longing to find out more about the world beyond the sea, Ariel visits the surface and falls for the dashing Prince Eric. Following her heart, she makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to experience life on land.

5. Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book (1994)

Dir: Stephen Sommers

Cast: Jason Scott Lee, Cary Elwes, Lena Headey, Sam Neill, John Cleese

Synopsis: Mowgli, who was raised by a wolf pack, is reunited and falls in love with his childhood friend Kitty. Things take a turn when the humans ask him to take them to King Louie’s treasure.

4. Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Dir: Bill Condon

Cast: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Audra McDonald, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson

Synopsis: A village girl embarks on a journey to save her father from a creature that has locked him in his dungeon. Eventually, she learns that the creature is a prince who has been cursed.

3. Cinderella (2015)

Dir: Kenneth Branagh

Cast: Cate Blanchett, Lily James, Richard Madden, Stellan Skarsgard, Holliday Grainger, Derek Jacobi, Helena Bonham Carter

Synopsis: Ella resides with her abusive stepmother and her daughters who continuously make her suffer at home. Her life changes when she meets a handsome man of nobility who gives her a chance to become free.

2. Cruella (2021)

Dir: Craig Gillespie

Cast: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser, Emily Beecham, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mark Strong

Synopsis: Estella is a young and clever grifter who’s determined to make a name for herself in the fashion world. She soon meets a pair of thieves who appreciate her appetite for mischief, and together they build a life for themselves on the streets of London. However, when Estella befriends fashion legend Baroness von Hellman, she embraces her wicked side to become the raucous and revenge-bent Cruella.

1. The Jungle Book (2016)