Summary
The original director ofThe Little Mermaidhas criticized Disney’s efforts to remake its animated films, and his comments foreshadow some problems with the upcoming live-actionMoana. John Musker, who directed the 1989 animated version ofThe Little Mermaid, seems to have a less-than-favorable outlook on the live-action version that came out in 2023, stating that “live animals in a zoo have more expression” than the characters seen in the film. Still, Musker’s criticisms didn’t end here.
The famed Disney director is also known for his work on other animated classics. In addition toThe Little Mermaid,Musker is credited for directing the animatedAladdin, Hercules,The Great Mouse Detective,The Princess and the Frog, and evenMoana. So, suffice it to say that he is quite an authority in the world of Disney animation. This makes his comments about Disney’s live-action remake movement all the more concerning.Musker stated that companies like Disney try to reduce riskby reselling the same product in a new form, even going as far as to strip away the appeal of animation:
“Companies are always like, ‘How do we reduce our risk? They like this, right? We’ll just do it again and sell it to them in a different form.' Or they think, ‘Well, we could make it better.’
They didn’t play up the father-daughter story [in 2023’s The Little Mermaid], and that was the heart of the movie, in a way. And the crab — you could look at live animals in a zoo and they have more expression, like with ‘The Lion King.’
That’s one of the basic things about Disney, is the appeal. That’s what animation does best.”
Moana Live-Action Remake: Release Date, Cast, Story & Everything We Know
Moana joins the ranks of Walt Disney animated movies to receive a live-action adaptation, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is leading the way.
The Live-Action Moana Is A Perfect Example Of What The OG Little Mermaid’s Director Is Talking About
Does Moana’s Story Really Benefit From A Live-Action Remake (Or Is It A Money Grab)?
Musker’s comments aboutDisney’s live-action remakestaking old products and selling them to audiences in a “different form” or trying to “make it better” were aimed at the 2023The Little Mermaidremake, but another of the director’s projects are going through a similar process. A live-action version ofMoanais expected in 2026, and though the film is at an advantage in that there aren’t many talking animals that would be lacking in expression in the remake, it’s an even stronger example of what Musker is talking about.
Moanais a newer animated Disney movie, so it was quite a surprise to hear that it was already getting a live-action remake. The big question of how Disney can “make it better” becomes more concerning becauseit is a recent project that wouldn’t benefit from a modern spin the same way even movies likeThe Little Mermaidcould. It feels that Musker’s comments about reselling a popular product in a new form are true in the case ofMoana, and such a money grab confirms all the greatest criticisms of live-action remakes.
Disney Remaking Newer Animated Movies Is Concerning
Disney Remaking Its Newer Movies Seems To Confirm John Musker’s Criticisms
Disney’s decision to create live-action remakes of past animated movies has been divisive. There has been an ongoing debate regarding the necessity of this—should Disney focus on making new products, or is there value in breathing new life into older properties?A prominent accusation is that the House of Mouse is simply finding easy ways to make money and stay relevant. The success of this plan is also hit or miss. Live-action movies likeAladdinandThe Lion Kinghave done phenomenally, whileThe Little Mermaid’s box office numbersstruggled to justify its budget.
Unless Disney has a highly ambitious plan about how the original animated movie can be made better, it certainly seems as if Musker is right that the studio is simply reselling audiences the same old things for more money.
The news about aMoanaremake has only exacerbated this ongoing debate since there isn’t much of a way to make such a new animated film “better.” Released in 2016, the movie’s significance in popular culture is still high, and this will surely be increased by 2024’sMoana 2. Unless Disney has a highly ambitious plan about how the original animated movie can be made better, it certainly seems as if Musker is right that the studio is simply reselling audiences the same old thing for more money.This drastically tips the live-action-remake argumenttoward the side of the critics.
Can The Live-Action Moana Really Make The Original Better?
The Live-Action Moana Could Have Some Surprises
If thelive-actionMoanamovie is basically the same as the originalbut with heavy CGI rather than animation, then Merker’s comments about Disney’s efforts will be confirmed. However, there’s always a chance that the minds behind the 2026 movie, includingHamiltondirector Thomas Kail, have something special up their sleeves that justifies the remake of such a recent animated movie. Indeed,Moanahas a lot of visual potential, and the ocean scenes are sure to be breathtaking in CGI. However, these scenes were already a spectacle in animation, so the remake will need more.
The live-actionMoanais expected to be released on June 09, 2025.
Kail’s experience could mean that the live-actionMoanawill lean more into the theatre aspect, with some large-scale musical numbers worthy of Broadway. Combined with the cultural influence of the Pacific Islands, there’s potential here for something great. What’s more, the live-action remake would need to expand on the character arcs and relationships ofMoana, with a focus on Gramma Tala, Moana’s parents, and Maui’s past. Even then, it will be tough for the live-actionMoanato prove Musker wrong and avoid the fate of 2023’sThe Little Mermaid, but we will see.
Moana
Cast
Moana is a 2016 animated film from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Set in Ancient Polynesia, the story follows the journey of a young Chieftain’s daughter named Moana as she seeks the demigod Maui to lift a curse affecting her island, exploring themes of adventure and self-discovery.
