Are Disney live-action remakes overrated? | The Tylt

People were already excited for the “Lion King” due to the hype surrounding its voice cast. Childish Gambino, Beyoncé, and plenty of other stars made for a promising adaptation full of outstanding music. The same could said for adaptations such as "The Beauty and the Beast," which had Emma Watson in the leading role. 

Then there are the visuals. The film’s CGI is practically more real than any lion or toucan around. It’s a big step from the first iteration’s 2D look and fleshes out the story in an entirely different way. Pretty much all of the Disney live actions have used CGI in mind-boggling fashion, propelling them into modernity. 

The Disney live actions also have a knack for including heavy-hitter musicians in their soundtracks one way or another. Celine Dion sang for “Beauty and the Beast;” both Beyoncé and Elton John for “The Lion King;” and now fans are making requests for which artists they’d like to see for all future live action Disney films. 

Many fans of the original cartoon versions have expressed a desire to see what live actions Disney puts out next. They’re both extensions of already well-loved films and masterpieces in their own right.

Many critics admit that while the overall look of “The Lion King” is astounding, that’s pretty much it. In fact, The AV Club goes so far as to say the animated characters are “dead-eyed.” The site argues that computer animation—if incorrectly employed—can’t elicit emotion the same way other artistic renderings can. This is just what “The Lion King” does, and something that could cause some moviegoers to care less about what else Disney has in store. 

Audiences aren’t really looking for remakes of something already said-and-done, anyway. They’re looking for original content to love. Disney animated classics were a revolutionary phenomenon that were instantly solidified as eternal favorites. No one asked for these reboots. 

A lot of people find Disney’s constant releasing of live actions to be a reflection of the company’s creative standstill. Furthermore, they come off as some cheap trick to make money, fast.

A lot of Disney fans stand by the originals. Their newer, shinier counterparts take away from whatever beautiful moments the illustrated stories created. Time to move on to something refreshing.