“Disney live-action movies ranked, 2025’s ‘Lilo & Stitch’ included”
Younger new star, Maia Kealoha joins Sew from ‘Lilo & Stitch’
Hollywood’s latest younger star, Maia Kealoha, joins Sew in studio to speak new remake “Lilo & Stitch”
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Congratulations! Your favourite Disney animated movie from while you have been a child might be getting remade, already has been or is being written on a developmental whiteboard someplace deep within the Home of Mouse.
Tim Burton’s 2010 revamp of “Alice in Wonderland” kicked off a spate of profitable live-action reimaginings – or ones with reasonable computer-generated critters – for a lot of old-school Disney movies. And on the heels of “Snow White” simply a few months in the past, “Lilo & Stitch” (in theaters now) arrives to convey collectively a younger Hawaiian woman and the cutest alien fugitive you have ever seen. Extra are on the best way, too, together with “Moana” (July 10, 2026) – that includes Dwayne Johnson from the animated motion pictures – and upcoming redos of “Hercules” and “Tangled.”
In honor of a brand new “Lilo,” listed here are all of the Disney live-action remakes, prequels and sequels, definitively ranked from worst to greatest.
24. ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ (2016)
With out Tim Burton round for the mediocre fantasy follow-up, this isn’t a film as a lot as it’s a contest for Johnny Depp (because the Mad Hatter), Helena Bonham Carter (the unhinged Crimson Queen) and Sacha Baron Cohen (new antagonist Time) to see who will get the title for Most Eccentric Wonderlander. Spoiler alert: The viewers is the one who loses.
23. ‘102 Dalmatians’ (2000)
Cruella de Vil (Glenn Shut) cured of her fur-craziness? Riiiiight. This forgettable sequel has Shut’s nutty villainess and never a lot else, with a narrative centering on ex-convict Cruella on the straight and slim till the sounds of Massive Ben ship her and a French furrier (Gerard Depardieu) on a dog-napping spree to seize 102 Dalmatians for the best coat of all of them.
22. ‘Christopher Robin’ (2018)
“Winnie the Pooh” regulars like Pooh, Eeyore and Tigger come alive in post-World Struggle II England to assist their outdated pal – and now a household man – Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) get his hopeful groove again. Chaos follows these stuffed animals after they hit civilization, and the film rights itself right into a fluffy, endearing affair after beginning as an actual downer.
21. ‘The Jungle Book’ (1994)
Again within the day, the family-friendly journey hewed nearer to the Rudyard Kipling supply materials than the 1967 cartoon, and that man cub Mowgli (Jason Scott Lee) grows as much as be a Tarzan-like dude who runs into the recognizable characters (King Louie, Kaa, Baloo) but in addition will get right into a love triangle along with his childhood buddy (Lena Headey) and her soldier fiancé (Cary Elwes).
20. ‘Pinocchio’ (2022)
Director Robert Zemeckis finds combined outcomes marrying broad comedy and pop-culture references with the title wood boy’s adventurous quest to turn into an actual child. No less than Tom Hanks embraces his signature “America’s Dad” vibe as kindly Italian woodcarver Geppetto and Cynthia Erivo sings a stellar “When You Wish Upon a Star” that dares you to cease the waterworks.
19. ‘101 Dalmatians’ (1996)
Solid because the basic Disney madwoman, Glenn Shut shredding surroundings like an affordable canine toy is the plain enchantment right here as trend maven Cruella schemes to steal the Dalmatian pups of her worker (Joely Richardson) and her new video-game designing husband (Jeff Daniels). Come for all of the doggie excessive jinks – due to a ton of animatronic animals and a John Hughes screenplay – and keep for Shut getting dunked in a vat of molasses.
18. ‘Woman and the Tramp’ (2019)
Feeling like she would not belong after her house owners have a child, purebred cocker spaniel Woman (voiced by Tessa Thompson) goes on a sugary-sweet 1910s-set romantic journey with street-smart mutt Tramp (Justin Theroux). The true canine are ridiculously lovely, there’s in fact a scene with a meatball and spaghetti noodle, and the outcomes may very well be lots worse for the Mickey Mouse equal of a Hallmark Christmas film.
17. ‘The Jungle Book’ (2016)
A darker flip from the extra humorous 1967 animated musical, Jon Favreau creates an immersive world of terribly reasonable animals and a wolf-raised human boy Mowgli (Neel Sethi). The forged is absurdly good – Invoice Murray because the lazy bear Baloo, Lupita Nyong’o as Mowgli’s adopted canine mother Raksha – however the movie lacks the emotional connection to match its dazzling results.
16. ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’ (2023)
Cease us in case you’ve heard this one earlier than: London teen Wendy Darling (Ever Anderson) and her brothers are taken on a fantastic Neverland journey by Peter (Alexander Molony) and run afoul of Captain Hook (Jude Regulation). The household flick simply would not do something that attention-grabbing or revolutionary with the acquainted “Pan” narrative, although author and director David Lowery’s penchant for cool fantasy landscapes lessens the frustration.
15. ‘Lilo & Sew’ (2025)
The unique 2002 “Lilo & Stitch” is among the greatest animated motion pictures Disney has ever made, so it deserves higher than a Disney Channel-ready redo. There’s some allure within the story of orphaned Hawaiian woman Lilo (Maia Kealoha) adopting the chaos-bringing Sew into her ohana, however the fan-favorite furry alien takes form of a backseat in a extra centered narrative round Lilo and massive sister Nani (Sydney Agudong). It is not known as “Lilo & Nani,” although. Simply saying.
14. ‘Alice in Wonderland’ (2010)
Younger Alice (Mia Wasikowska) runs away from stifling English society to an insane place that Tim Burton was born to comprehend, with playing-card troopers and acquainted faces (or eyes, because the case could also be) of characters just like the Cheshire Cat. Positive, the plot’s form of a large number, however warrior Alice is an empowering flip whereas Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter’s big-headed Crimson Queen are splendidly unusual.
13. ‘Aladdin’ (2019)
The high-profile redo isn’t precisely an entire new world, and Robin Williams’ genius Genie continues to be one of the best. That stated, Will Smith channels his charismatic Massive Willie Fashion days for a blue-skinned magic man who pops onscreen, however the true highlights are the children: Mena Massoud is strong because the film’s title road rat, whereas Naomi Scott actually sings as an improved, extra impassioned Princess Jasmine.
12. ‘The Little Mermaid’ (2023)
Performed by the proficient Halle Bailey, younger mermaid Ariel yearns to be on land, has the hots for Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) – who no less than will get a personality arc this time – and agrees to a nasty take care of witchy Ursula (Melissa McCarthy). Even with Bailey singing her lovestruck coronary heart out, Rob Marshall’s redo would not make the identical refreshing splash because the 1989 animated basic however will get factors for making an attempt with a extra logical narrative.
11. ‘Dumbo’ (2019)
On paper, it’s a weird combo: director Tim Burton’s oddball dark quirkiness and an adorable flying elephant. The filmmaker takes the simplistic story of the 1941 cartoon, adds in a lot more human elements (including Colin Farrell as a World War I vet trying to reconnect with his children) and Burton’s signature aesthetic while keeping a childlike sense of wonder.
10. ‘The Lion King’ (2019)
While Jon Favreau’s update plays it too safe in terms of storytelling – if you’ve seen the 1994 “Lion King,” you’ve seen this one – it’s arduous to argue with how superior the factor appears to be like. Reducing-edge visible results create a world of speaking photorealistic animals that may as nicely be a nature documentary, and a spotlight is paid to livening up the humor, with Billy Eichner’s humorous, overdramatic meerkat Timon displaying up everyone, together with Beyoncé.
9. ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ (2019)
Guess who’s coming to dinner? When adopted daughter Aurora (Elle Fanning) gets engaged, Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) is invited to meet the royal parents (and future in-laws), and a mom fight breaks out between the reformed villain in horns and one seriously evil queen (Michelle Pfeiffer). It’s a dark and dazzling sequel that digs into Maleficent’s magical origins and lets Jolie and Pfeiffer strut their A-list stuff.
8. ‘Snow White’ (2025)
The seven little dudes aren’t in the title anymore but are still in the movie. That’s not great, but Rachel Zegler is as the main reason why this musical revamp of the 1937 Disney classic works. Snow sings about getting her princess groove back, butts heads with her Evil Queen stepmother (a campy Gal Gadot) and gets a little help from her short new friends. Even better, no charming princes needed.
7. ‘Mulan’ (2020)
No cute dragons, no singing, no problem. Director Niki Caro’s version is a more serious affair than its predecessor but also more meaningful, with a talented all-Asian cast fueling an empowering, female-driven martial-arts extravaganza. Yifei Liu’s Mulan weighs dishonoring her family vs. saving her father (Tzi Ma) and defending the country from invaders, and the tale is an eye-popping fantasy adventure about embracing one’s self.
6. ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ (2024)
Oscar-winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins brings Shakespearean drama – and Lin-Manuel Miranda songs – to the Pride Lands with this origin story of Mufasa and Scar. Before he becomes the “Lion King,” Mufasa (voiced by Aaron Pierre) is a youngster washed away from his family who forms a fast friendship with prince Taka (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), though brotherhood turns into betrayal in this prequel that balances humor and gravitas.
5. ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (2017)
Bill Condon’s big-budget musical take manages to improve on the 1991 original, the only non-Pixar animated film to nab an Oscar nomination for best picture. Centering on the unlikely romance between provincial girl Belle (Emma Watson) and her monstrous love interest (Dan Stevens), this “Beauty” casts a spell with new show tunes, fleshed-out side players and a visually impressive, surprisingly witty man-beast.
4. ‘Pete’s Dragon’ (2016)
Director David Lowery nixes the tunes of its trippy 1977 predecessor and leans hard into the kid-friendly story of a feral boy (Oakes Fegley) and his whimsical and furry dragon BFF who’s at risk of being found out in a Pacific Northwest small town. Robert Redford is the cool grandpa of the project but even he can’t outshine the fuzzy green CGI dragon when he takes flight.
3. ‘Maleficent’ (2014)
Played with venom and vigor by Angelina Jolie, the classic supervillainess gets the “Wicked” treatment in the “Sleeping Beauty” revisit. That infamous snoozing curse she puts on Aurora (Elle Fanning) is born from the bad romance and betrayal that befall the once-heroic, formerly winged title fairy, and “Maleficent” has some interesting things to say about true love and the unreliable nature of storytelling.
2. ‘Cinderella’ (2015)
Kenneth Branagh’s glass-slippered redo scales the pinnacle of what Disney can do with its remakes, mainly by pulling back from the over-the-top magic – though there is still plenty – and instead focuses like a laser on the dramatic trials and rousing triumphs of its central character. Top-notch casting is the cherry on top, with Lily James as the supremely likable Cinderella, Richard Madden as her down-to-earth prince, Cate Blanchett as the detestable stepmother with her own imperfect backstory, and Helena Bonham Carter as one lovably flighty fairy godmother.
1. ‘Cruella’ (2021)
Disney’s queen of imply rockets to the highest of the charts – and never simply because we’re nervous about our pups. Stone is a sinful delight as orphaned Estella, who represses her darker facet till troubling truths are revealed about her deliciously evil boss (Emma Thompson), and Cruella is born as Estella’s extremely modern, vengeful true self who takes London tradition and several other posh galas by storm. Loud, brash and even a bit touching, “Cruella” chews up the rulebook for a reinvention that is reverential in addition to refreshing.
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