After a decade of mining its animated vault for live-action remakes, like Aladdin, Snow White, Lilo & Stitch, and more, Disney has reached one of its most recent animated hits. The live-action Moana was released on July 10, led by Dwayne Johnson’s return as Maui.
It arrives as one of Disney’s biggest summer bets, another sign of how heavily the company now leans on nostalgia to fill theaters. But for every remake that lands, there are many that stumble. The studio has produced a long line of adaptations that stripped away the color, heart, and magic of the cartoons that inspired them.
Some flattened beloved characters, others buried them under lifeless CGI, and a few simply forgot what made the originals worth loving in the first place. Here are ten of the worst Disney live-action remakes, ranked from bad to unforgivable.
10. Mulan (2020)
A still from the live-action Mulan movie | Credits: Walt Disney Pictures
The animated Mulan won over Western audiences with its catchy songs, striking art, and a heroine who used brains over brawn. While the 2020 remake promised a more culturally respectful take, it cut many aspects like music and fan-favorite characters like Mushu. The results pleased none of the original movie’s fans.
Western fans missed the songs and humor, while many Chinese viewers criticized the film’s shaky handling of history and culture. Worst of all, Mulan herself lost her spark. Instead of a clever underdog who outthinks stronger enemies, she became a nearly flawless warrior with magical powers, which made her whole journey far harder to relate to.
9. Lady and the Tramp (2019)
A still from Lady and the Tramp | Credits: Walt Disney Pictures
The 1955 original charmed audiences by telling its love story entirely from a dog’s point of view, full of warmth and memorable characters. The 2019 Disney+ remake (one of the first Disney movies to be released on streaming) threw that special perspective away, which instantly made it feel like an ordinary pet movie.
Using real dogs sounded clever, but the CGI added to move their mouths looked unsettling, and live animals simply could not match the emotion of the hand-drawn cast. The famous romantic moments fell flat as a result. Several side characters were watered down, too.
8. Aladdin (2019)
Aladdin‘s box office success was definitely a saving grace for Will Smith after multiple underperforming projects. Despite the mixed reviews from critics, the movie was a billion-dollar hit among the audience. The success can be largely attributed to the anticipation surrounding the live-action adaptation of the largely successful 1992 animated film.
The music for the film was well received, like the earlier version, and the performances by the leading actors, Smith, Mena Massoud, and Naomi Scott, received praise. However, the overall direction by Guy Ritchie, the CGI quality, and the villain characterization received poor reviews. A planned sequel faced production challenges and never took off, and now appears highly unlikely.
7. The Lion King (2019)
The curiosity to see how your favorite animated film from your childhood fared in live action brought many viewers to the theater. And to be honest, 2019’s The Lion King was a soulless recreation of the original. The technical aspects were brilliant, but they made the film look more like a National Geographic video than an actual enjoyable film.
With a production budget of over $250 million, it became the most expensive Disney remake. Luckily, the original’s legacy made this film a cash grab, grossing a massive $1.66 billion. The star-studded cast, including Donald Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Beyoncé, and James Earl Jones, felt wasted on the film.
6. Dumbo (2019)
A still from Dumbo | Credits: Walt Disney Pictures
The original Dumbo was a simple story about an outcast who finds the courage to soar. Much of its power came from the animation, which gave the little elephant an enormous personality without a single spoken line. Tim Burton‘s 2019 remake drained all of that away.
The circus was made oddly modern in how it treats its animals, the villain was just pointless, and the animal characters were pushed aside in favor of human characters. It had clearly lost sight of what made the original work.
5. Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Tim Burton’s take on Alice in Wonderland starred Mia Wasikowska in the titular role. She was accompanied by a stellar cast, including Johnny Depp as the Hatter, Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, Anne Hathaway as White Queen, and Alan Rickman as Absolem. Burton wasn’t able to bring his usual absurdity into this film.
It had conventional source material, and it appeared that Burton lost his interest midway through that material. The website consensus on RT shared that the film sacrificed much of the book’s heart when translating it to the screen. The generic CGI-heavy climax battle didn’t help the movie either.
4. Moana (2026)
The live-action Moana sailed into theaters on July 10, 2026. The problems for the movie started long before its opening night. The animated Moana is barely ten years old, making it one of the shortest gaps ever between a Disney original and its remake. With Moana 2 already a billion-dollar hit and a third animated film in development, plenty of fans saw no reason for a near-identical retelling.
The reviews of the movie are savage, too. SlashFilm called it “a flat, lifeless, artificial rehash”, while The Independent complained that “Dwayne Johnson’s terrible wig is just one low point of a film.” In our review of Moana, FW’s Cole Groth called it “a visually dreary, pointlessly faithful remake”. The remake opened with a dismal 36% on Rotten Tomatoes, among the lowest of any Disney live-action remake.
3. Peter Pan & Wendy (2023)
A still from Peter Pan & Wendy | Credits: Walt Disney Pictures
Disney’s 1953 Peter Pan is a breezy adventure with real laughs and a sweet message about growing up. The 2023 remake, Peter Pan & Wendy, may be the most soulless of the bunch. Neverland loses all its wonder under the washed-out colors, and the story tries to force gray morality into what should be pure fun.
The action was bad, and the villains didn’t feel dangerous enough for the story. And Wendy was reworked to the point that she was unrecognizable. Instead of the caring character from the original, this one tried to give her an attitude that made her feel entitled and unpleasant rather than brave.
2. Pinocchio (2022)
Tom Hanks in a still from Pinocchio | Credits: Walt Disney Pictures
Pinocchio was only Disney’s second animated feature, yet it remains a classic. The original had stunning artwork, some much-needed dark moments, and the timeless song, When You Wish Upon a Star. A live-action adaptation was a huge gamble, and when Disney undertook one, fans were obviously nervous.
The 2022 adaptation proved their skepticism right. A muddled story is only made worse by bad CGI, which turned once-charming characters into unsettling creations. Even with Robert Zemeckis directing and Tom Hanks leading the cast, the movie was just too lost in its confused message.
1. Snow White (2025)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is one of the most important films ever made. If any story deserved a careful remake, it was this one, and the 2025 version failed it. More than any other remake, it feels almost embarrassed by its source, forever trying to fix things that were never broken.
Snow White received criticism for the portrayal of its dwarfs, the color-blind casting, and major story changes from the original. Rachel Zegler‘s controversial comments contributed to a negative marketing campaign surrounding the movie. Besides challenging the original film’s outdated notions, she even went on to call the prince a stalker. Her remarks came off as being dismissive of the classic film, which was Disney’s first animated theatrical film.
RankingMovieRT Score (As of July 10, 2026)Box Office (As of July 10, 2026)1Snow White (2025)39% | 69%$205.6 million2Pinocchio (2022)27% | 27%$43,191 (Streaming Release)3Peter Pan & Wendy (2023)63% | 11%Streaming Release4Moana (2026)36% (Tomatometer)In theaters5Alice in Wonderland (2010)51% | 55%$1.025 billion6Dumbo (2019)46% | 47%$353.3 million7The Lion King (2019)52% | 88%$1.662 billion8Aladdin (2019)57% | 94%$1.054 billion9Lady and the Tramp (2019)67% | 49%Streaming Release10Mulan (2020)71% | 46%$69.9 million
Which of these remakes do you hate the most? Which, in your opinion, is not given enough credit? Let us know in the comments below!
All of these movies are available for streaming on Disney+.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
