As years have gone by, technology has developed, which has affected our everyday lives, including our entertainment, healthcare, education, and beyond. One of the most recent ways in which technological innovations have played a role are through live action movies — a phenomenon that looks to be prevalent in the new year of 2025. A decade ago, in 2015, the Walt Disney industry came out with their first princess live adaptation movie — as if it were not possible — making an even greater name for themselves, through the release of Cinderella. The motion picture’s release filled the cinemas and exploded in the media with an 84 percent positive on Rotten Tomatoes and receiving ceaseless praise from viewers (rottentomatoes.com). It marked the head start of a revolutionary beginning for the Disney franchise while simultaneously opening doors for other companies, such as DreamWorks, to bring their animations to life.
In the present day, Disney has continued to produce various realistic depictions of its audience’s childhood movies, trying to bring the warm nostalgic feeling to life. This includes popular movies such as Mulan, Aladdin, Pinocchio, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid, among many others. This trend is not a positive one. The magic of the originals does not translate to the live action versions.
In February of 2023, DreamWorks shocked its fans when they revealed the upcoming release of How to Train Your Dragon in live action form. The original story guides its viewers through the life of a young Viking named Hiccup, the son of his tribe’s leader.
Patiently expecting the opportunity to watch the new movie on the big screen, spectators were opinionated once the trailer came out in November of 2024. Toothless, Hiccup’s dragon, did not appear to be realistic, as the producers utilized Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) to fabricate the dragon’s overall aesthetic. A film reviewing website remarked, “Reactions to the trailer have been mixed. Many fans have been overjoyed that Toothless in the live-action reimagining looks almost the same as the dragon from the animated films, but some have questioned the point of the remake if every shot is identical” (aol.com). As part of the audience was euphoric in noticing that Toothless continies to have his iconic look, many wondered if it was necessary to even make the movie. DreamWorks wasted their budget on something completely unnecessary.
While struggling to convince the original movie’s fans that it will be worth the watch, promoters also found themselves dealing with criticism when it came to who to cast for various roles. Many of the actors did not quite resemble the characters, as the casting directors aimed towards fighting against “Viking stereotypes.” Senior Alessandro Furiosi said, “While I believe it is a great opportunity for new actors to achieve their breakthrough role, I also believe they could have made better choices since many of us [in Gen Z] have connected to and seen ourselves in those characters at a young age.” If Toothless is nearly identical to the original and the actual live action actors don’t resemle the characters, what was the point in making a live action version after all?
Similarly, the upcoming live action Lilo & Stitch has received major criticism relating to its casting decisions. A movie commentator said, “[Fans] have argued that the actors set to portray the islanders should be dark-skinned Native Hawaiians to stay true to the appearance and culture of the original characters. Otherwise, the casting decisions feel like Disney is taking ‘several steps back’ from its goal to celebrate the communities depicted. Now that the kids who grew up with Lilo & Stitch are young adults, many are looking on with apprehension, fearing that a forthcoming live-action remake of their introduction to Hawaiian life and culture will water down the film’s cultural focus. Some believe several of the studio’s casting choices reek of colorism, discrimination against people with dark skin” (washingtonpost.com). It cannot be confidently stated that the live action version will thoroughly represent Hawaiian culture as the original movie did, enforcing the fact that perhaps a live version was not needed.
Movie enthusiast Senior Alessandra Bonetto said, “Don’t try to fix what’s not broken; otherwise, you’ll end up breaking it.” When first notified that Lilo & Stitch would be remade and essentially brought to life, she was thrilled to watch the teaser trailer as it became released to the public in November of 2024. Since Stitch would be a difficult character to construct under a new light, Bonetto — as well as the rest of the anticipating public — became curious as to what the adorable icon from her childhood would look like. The advertisement consisted of a brief graphic of Stitch ecstatically tearing down sandcastles, corresponding to a scene from the original 2002 film. However, it was evident that something was strange. Stitch looked oddly out of place and, while he is meant to be an alien, he does not quite fit in the real world realm. Bonetto said it was almost as if he was still fully animated. Ultimately, a movie should not be converted into live action when its producers do not understand the magic that is behind it.
When it comes to movies, there will always be judgment and criticism. However, when it comes to classic animated favorites, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.