Over the past decade or so, Disney has resorted to remaking its repertoire of animated classics in live-action form, often instead producing creative, original cinema. The result? Hundreds of millions of dollars funneled into soulless CGI cash grabs – though not to discredit the few heartfelt live-action remakes that actually justify their existences. And the truth is that these cash grabs usually work – quite a few of them have been among the top-grossing films of their respective release years.
This ranking will take into account every Disney live-action remake beginning from 2010’s “Alice in Wonderland,” including prequels “Maleficent” and “Cruella,” and ending with 2025’s “Snow White.” It will not include any sequels or prequels to live-action remakes – and the sad truth is that there are multiple sequels and prequels to Disney live-action remakes.
15. “Pinocchio” (2022)
This straight-to-Disney+ remake was watched by few and liked by even fewer. While the animated “Pinocchio” is hailed as an unforgettable classic, the source of the familiar “When You Wish Upon a Star” tune that plays at the beginning of almost every Disney movie, the 2022 retelling simply does nothing. It lacks heart and soul, never once justifying its existence. It doesn’t help that it was overshadowed by Guillermo del Toro’s Academy-Award winning version of “Pinocchio” in that very same year. Rating: 1/5.
14. “Peter Pan & Wendy” (2023)
Disney’s animated “Peter Pan” (1953) is rife with social shortcomings that wouldn’t exactly work in the 21st century – its problematic portrayal of Native Americans, for starters, along with the framing of young female character Wendy as the Lost Boys’ “mother.” While it does attempt to remedy these issues, 2023’s “Peter Pan & Wendy” fails on other fronts. It almost includes too many additional details while rehashing the typical Peter Pan theme of “never growing up.” The result is utterly boring and very poorly acted. Rating: 1/5.
13. “Mulan” (2020)
2020’s version of “Mulan” takes out the greatest parts of 1998 animated film. It has none of the iconic songs by Jerry Goldsmith, and it lacks the beloved dragon Mushu. While these omissions were intended for sensitivity to authentic Chinese culture, the movie was ironically directed by a white woman and ended up panned by Chinese and Asian audiences for its inaccuracies. The final result was a muddled remake that pleased absolutely no one. Rating: 1/5.
12. “Dumbo” (2019)
Not even director Tim Burton could save this discombobulated retelling of the big-eared elephant’s story. While the visual aesthetics and musical score are pleasant, the rest of the film feels a drawn-out story with characters that lack dimension. The entire movie fluctuates between a sort of campiness that one can at least laugh at and a simply unentertaining drag. Rating: 1.5/5.
11. “Lady and the Tramp” (2019)
“Lady and the Tramp” (1955) is arguably best known for the iconic spaghetti and meatballs scene between the two animated dogs, which has been constantly recreated and referenced decades after it originally aired. Unfortunately, that scene simply doesn’t feel as cute or charming when it’s acted out by two CGI dogs. Like the majority of Disney’s live-action remakes, the 2019 “Lady and the Tramp” just feels unnecessary. Rating: 1.5/5.
10. “Beauty and the Beast” (2017)
It may be controversial to rank this entry so low, but the truth is that Emma Watson was woefully miscast as Belle. Her autotuned voice does not do justice to Alan Menken’s iconic songs, and the costume design for her yellow ball gown is similarly disappointing. Beloved talking castle objects like Lumiere the candlestick and Cogsworth the clock do not successfully translate from 2D to CGI. “Beauty and the Beast” also missed the opportunity to take notes from the successful Broadway adaptation of the 1991 film, which included multiple new songs written by Alan Menken for the stage. Rating: 2.5/5.
9. “Snow White” (2025)
It may be controversial to rank this entry so high. In light of the many criticisms received by this 2025 adaptation, some viewers might insist on putting it dead last. However, in spite of its poor box office performance and social media backlash, this was a charming film carried by Rachel Zegler’s enchanting portrayal of the titular character. The new songs are catchy, and the romance between Snow White and her love interest makes infinitely more sense than in the animated original. The movie only fails with poor costume design, odd-looking CGI dwarves and a dreadful performance by Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen. Rating: 3/5.
8. “Aladdin” (2019)
2019’s “Aladdin” is essentially the same movie as 1992’s “Aladdin,” with a few adjustments and additions scattered throughout. However, being so close to the original makes the live-action version essentially unwarranted. Will Smith also never quite manages to fill Robin Williams’ shoes as the Genie. After rewatching the 2019 “Aladdin” once, viewers will likely never feel the need to revisit it again – instead returning to the far more memorable 1992 animated version. Rating: 3/5.
7. “The Lion King” (2019)
It’s unclear whether “The Lion King” (2019) should actually be considered a live-action remake – it is almost entirely CGI. With that being said, its 3D recreations of characters like Simba, Scar, Timon and Pumbaa are incredibly impressive. It is once again a very close retelling of the 1994 original, and while a visual spectacle, not much else about it makes the film feel called for. Rating: 3/5.
6. “Cruella” (2021)
The top-six entries in this list all actually seem to have some sort of soul – evading the idea that they are unnecessary remakes and instead successfully justifying their existences. “Cruella” is an entertaining and campy backstory for “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” villain Cruella de Vil, painting her as a social outcast turned fashionista (turned notorious criminal). The movie is pure fun, with fabulous costumes and other visuals. While it’s questionable to position future dog-killer Cruella de Vil as its main character, Emma Stone successfully plays the angry, vengeful part. Rating: 3.5/5.
5. “The Little Mermaid” (2023)
Another controversially casted live-action remake, Halle Bailey proved all of the backlash against her to be unfounded with her heartfelt portrayal of Ariel. She acted and sang the role gorgeously. Some of the movie’s visuals fall flat, especially its underwater portion, and Awkwafina’s casting as Scuttle the seagull is definitely the weakest link. Overall, Bailey carries the adaptation well enough, and her chemistry with Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric is perfect. Rating: 3.5/5.
4. “The Jungle Book” (2016)
There is something about “The Jungle Book” (2016) that feels like it has a heart. Perhaps it is the star-studded cast of voice acting over visually impressive CGI creatures, like Ben Kingsley as Bagheera the panther and Idris Elba as Shere Khan the tiger. Even young human Mowgli is played adorably by Neel Sethi in his first major acting role. The story feels engaging, and while far from a cinematic masterpiece, it is almost certainly even better than “The Jungle Book” (1967). Rating: 3.5/5.
3. “Maleficent” (2014)
A daring retake on “Sleeping Beauty,” this Angelina Jolie-led film positions iconic villainess Maleficent as a sympathetic fairy, having been wronged by Princess Aurora’s father in the past. The visuals are stunning, and the film provides Maleficent with a unique character arc that even ends with her being the kiss of true love to wake Aurora up. The revamp of the 1959 animated film fully pays off, creating a wholly unique and enjoyable story that stands on its own, separate from the original. Rating: 3.5/5.
2. “Cinderella” (2015)
Even today, fans still talk about the beautiful blue gown worn by Lily James’ Cinderella in this romantic film. The story successfully expands on the 1950 animated version, developing a titular character who emphasizes mantras of courage and kindness. It maintains the aesthetics and core characters of 1950’s “Cinderella,” reminding audiences why the original was so popular to begin with. At the same time, the 2015 remake manages to fully stand on its own. It is justified by greater character development, particularly the relationship between Cinderella and her love interest Prince Kit, while honing in on positive but not overly complicated moral themes for audiences to take home. Rating: 4/5.
1. “Alice in Wonderland” (2010)
This fresh take from Tim Burton was one of Disney’s first live-action remakes, so successful that it created a trend now spanning a decade and a half. It brilliantly subverts the charming aesthetics of the original animated film, while paying homage to the inexplicable oddities of Lewis Carroll’s book. Even 15 years later, the 2010 version of “Alice in Wonderland” holds up. It develops Alice’s character far more than her 1951 counterpart, placing her as a young woman grappling with her sense of agency in real-world England. The whimsy of fictional Wonderland is executed in trademark Burton style, surprisingly suitable for the fairy tale. Its brilliance is expanded by wonderful costumes, scoring, production design, visual effects and supporting performances – even winning multiple Academy Awards. Rating: 4.5/5.
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Featured Image Photographed by Julia Gu/BruinLife.
