Disney Ditches Live-Action Remake Model After Box Office Flops
Walt Disney Studios has announced a significant shift in its live-action remake strategy after several high-profile flops, including the recent releases of Snow White and Moana.
The studio's decision to pivot comes as it faces challenges in revisiting beloved animated classics without offering a sufficiently compelling new angle. Recent box office numbers have been disappointing, with Snow White earning just over $205 million worldwide against an estimated production cost of around $336 million, resulting in potential losses of up to $170 million for Disney.
In response, the studio is developing a broader slate that includes original concepts, character-driven spinoffs, and reimagined fairy-tale lore. Four major projects currently in development illustrate this new direction: Dan Trachtenberg's Sleeping Beauty-inspired film, Colman Domingo and Robert O'Hara's Princess Tiana feature, Stepsisters, a Cinderella universe expansion, and Gaston, a Beauty and the Beast world spin-off.