The Walt Disney Company has always been a powerhouse when it comes to animation, winning several Academy Awards for Best Animated Film in the process. However, while their animation studio dominates both the awards circuit and the box office, their live-action films are more hit or miss -- drawing in huge numbers or flopping hard.
In 2010, Disney started to revitalize its live-action sector by taking the Disney animated classic Alice in Wonderland and turning it into a live-action film. The film was a massive success, which led Disney to start to look through their animation catalog to see what other Disney classics they could resurrect and bring to life using real humans on screen. Taking animated films and turning them into live-action films is not a cheap thing to do, but thanks to their success at the box office, Disney continues to reboot their very own animated classics.
Lady And The Tramp (2019) - $60 Million
The end of 2019 was a big year for Disney, as it launched its first every Lady and the Tramp.
Lady and the Tramp became the first live-action Disney film to premiere on the streaming service instead of in theaters and is also the cheapest of the reboots to date. For the most part, the film was a shot-by-shot recreation of the animated classic, though a few changes were made to appease a modern audience.
Cinderella (2015) - $95 - 100 Million
While Disney has never owned the story of Cinderella and there are plenty of live-action retellings of the story out there, Disney decided to create their own live-action version, which released in 2015. Lily James played Ella, a young woman who's father dies and leaves her to be raised by her evil stepmother and stepsisters. Unlike the animated classic, Ella actually runs into the Prince (Richard Madden) prior to arriving at the ball, but she doesn't know he's a prince.
Of the live-action remakes, Cinderella was one of the most well-received, while also being one of the cheapest to film. While it's unclear where all the money was allocated, many fans speculate that a good portion of the budget went to the elaborate costumes that were made for the films, including the custom Swarovski glass slipper.
Dumbo (2017) - $170 Million
Tim Burton, once again, got a chance to turn an animated classic into a live-action tale when Disney approached him to create does vary slightly, including adding a human villain and having Dumbo be trained by two human children.
While Tim Burton might be a legend to Disney fans, many felt that the Dumbo remake fell short of the original. The film grossed $353.3 million at the global box office, but this was significantly lower than some of the other live-action films and was considered a disappointment by the company.
The Jungle Book (2016) - $175 - 177 Million
Longtime Disney fan Jon Favreau was given the chance of a lifetime to direct the live-action The Jungle Book remake in 2016. The film starred Neel Sethi as Mowgli, a young boy who finds himself alone in the jungle and raised by the wild animals around him. The animals in the film were created digitally via computer, while their voices were brought to life by a star-studded cast that included Idris Elba and Scarlett Johansson, just to name a couple.
To create realistic digital animals, Disney partnered with two special visual effects companies, who had to create new technology in order to properly animate the muscular structure of the animals. The film was also shot in 3D, which added to the production budget. Thankfully, it paid off and The Jungle Book went on to gross $966.6 million at the global box office.
Aladdin (2018) - $183 Million
included new songs, specifically a new song for Princess Jasmine to sing, and a new backstory for the Genie.
While the film was successful at the box-office, it received mixed reviews and was the subject of controversy, from beginning to end. One of the biggest criticisms of the film came in the form of the casting, specifically the casting of Naomi Scott as Jasmine.
Alice In Wonderland (2010) - $200 Million
As stated earlier, the release of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland in 2010 lead to the rise of live-action remakes within Disney. However, Alice in Wonderland wasn't a strict reimagining of the animated classic and instead followed a teenage Alice as she tumbles down the rabbit hole once again.
The film starred several A-list actors, including Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Anne Hathaway. The film was a massive success and became the second highest-grossing film of 2010 - a huge win for Disney, considering the film cost an estimated $200 million to make.
Mulan (2020) - $200 Million
pushed back several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic before ultimately being released on Disney+. The film combines the story of the animated classic with the original Chinese folklore story to create a film that feels familiar but also fresh.
With a $200 million budget, Mulan is one of Disney's most expensive animated films and is the second-ever Disney film to be directed by a woman with a budget this big. Unfortunately, it's unclear if Disney will be able to turn a profit on the film and it could be considered a flop by the company's standards.
Beauty And The Beast (2017) - $254 Million
With an estimated budget of $254 million, Beauty and the Beast lands in the number two spot for the most expensive Disney live-action adaptation. Released in 2017, the film stars Emma Watson as Belle who, like the animated classic, finds herself trapped in the castle with the Beast after trading her life for her father's freedom.
Not only is Beauty and the Beast one of Disney's most expensive films, but it also ranks on the list of most expensive films ever made, in general. The budget paid off, though, as the film grossed over $1.2 billion at the global box office, becoming the number two highest-grossing film of the year.
The Lion King (2016) - $260 Million
Ironically the most expensive live-action adaptation of a Disney classic didn't feature any humans on screen. Released in 2016 with a budget of $260 million, The Lion King is the most expensive film produced by Disney and one of the most expensive films ever made. Directed and produced by Jon Favreau, the film used photorealistic computer animation to bring the animals to life.
In addition to the pricey animation style, part of the budget likely went to paying the star-studded cast, which included the likes of Beyoncé, James Earl Jones, and Donald Glover, to name a few. The film blends both the animated classic with the Broadway musical adaptation, which paid off, considering the film grossed over $1.6 billion globally.
