With the release of The Little Mermaid in May 2023, Disney added another film to its rich repertoire of live-action remakes. The movie was met with general approval, earning a 67% score on Rotten Tomatoes and grossing almost $600 million at the global box office.

Disney has been ramping up its live-action remake production in the past few years. It has released 21 so far, in chronological order:

The Jungle Book (1994)

101 Dalmatians

102 Dalmatians

Alice in Wonderland

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Maleficent

Cinderella

The Jungle Book (2016)

Alice Through the Looking Glass

Beauty and the Beast

Christopher Robin

Dumbo

Aladdin

The Lion King

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

Lady and the Tramp

Mulan

Cruella

Pinocchio

Peter Pan and Wendy

The Little Mermaid

The recent influx of Disney live-action remakes has been met with both approval and criticism.

Overall, the films have been well-received. The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Alice in Wonderland grossed over $1 billion at the global box office. Maleficent, Cinderella, The Jungle Book, and The Little Mermaid also brought in big numbers and received positive feedback on social media and in reviews. Some remakes bring new angles to popular stories, revealing the points of view of side characters or simply giving more background to each film. Additionally, live-action remakes allow Disney to focus on inclusivity – something that many original Disney movies lack. 

On the other hand, there has also been a heap of negative feedback from the public. Many people feel that Disney is milking its previous movies in a kind of money-making scheme. Additionally, they worry about the lack of originality that constant remakes bring. Rather than creating new storylines, some believe Disney is trying to maximize profit by investing as little as possible into new releases. The movies feel rushed and reflect a lack of innovation in the movie industry. Another point of conflict is controversy regarding the casting of a more inclusive cast, which some claim is exaggerated.

Regardless, Disney plans to continue its course. Insider reports that there are 14 more remakes planned at the current moment. These include but are not limited to Snow White, Tangled, Hercules, Moana, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Robin Hood, Bambi, Lilo and Stitch, and Mufasa: The Lion King. If past trends continue, these movies are sure to bring a wide audience to theaters and continue to perpetuate Disney’s success.