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Business Insider
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
'Lilo & Stitch' is a smash hit. Here are the movies Disney could remake next.
Disney's live-action version of "Lilo & Stitch" was a big hit in a memorable Memorial Day weekend. Nostalgia helped the film soar after "Snow White" struggled, analysts say. Here are the Disney movies that could get the live-action treatment next. Nostalgia sells — but not all the time. Disney is learning that lesson as it mines its library of iconic films for new versions. The Mouse House scored a win this past weekend with its live-action remake of " Lilo & Stitch," which shattered expectations with a record-setting Memorial Day box office haul. "'Lilo' will provide a blueprint for future success," Comscore box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian told Business Insider. He added that "there's got to be a corporate mandate" at Disney to dive into the vault in search of material for further remakes. There's one problem for Disney: It could be running out of compelling IP to give the live-action treatment. Disney's ill-fated reimagining of " Snow White" earlier this year showed the perils of trying to remake a classic that contemporary audiences didn't connect to. And the company has already remade blockbusters like "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," "The Lion King," and "Mulan." Disney could roll the dice with older or lesser-known films, but they might turn out less like "Lilo & Stitch," a smash that's on pace to gross over $1 billion, and more like "Snow White." However, there's some room for Disney. It's remaking "Moana," and could get creative by opening up the Pixar vault. Disney didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Film critic Scott Mantz said "Lilo & Stitch" may be more of an exception than the rule. "Stitch has become a modern mascot for Disney, eclipsing even Mickey Mouse," Mantz said, noting that "Lilo & Stitch" merchandise has been a bestseller for the Mouse House. Besides the original 2002 movie, there was also a TV series featuring the dynamic duo and sequels like 2003's "Stitch! The Movie," 2005's "Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch," and 2006's "Leroy & Stitch." The quality of the film is another factor that helped the new "Lilo & Stitch" avoid a "Snow White" outcome. Mantz opined that the "Lilo & Stitch" remake is "not as good as the original animated film, but it's good enough." (It has significantly higher scores than "Snow White" from both critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.) "'Snow White' just was a disaster waiting to happen, whereas 'Lilo & Stitch' was a sleeping giant ready to be awakened," Mantz said. What Disney live-action films are next? Fans of Disney's live-action remakes are in luck, box-office analysts say. "They're going to find a way to do live-action versions of their animated hits from the last 30 years, so they can appeal to the families that are coming out in droves to make this sort of obscure animated film from 2002 into a massive live-action hit," Mantz said. Dergarabedian warned Disney that projects need to be more than a "money grab," however. "If they try and do this in an inorganic way to just capitalize on 'Lilo,' that won't work," he said. Below is a list of beloved Disney movies that could be candidates for remakes, given the success of "Lilo & Stitch." Some were mentioned by box-office analysts, while others are relatively recent hits that are at least a decade old and prominently feature humans. One of these possible remakes is already confirmed. And it's worth noting that a live-action remake of "Tangled" got shelved earlier this year. 'Moana' is going live-action in 2026 A live-action version of "Moana" is slated for July 2026. The film will feature Catherine Laga'aia as the title character and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Maui. 'Frozen' could be destined for live-action Even more popular than "Moana" is "Frozen," though Disney hasn't yet unveiled plans to put Anna, Elsa, and Olaf in live-action. 'The Incredibles' would make sense as a remake While Disney hasn't announced that "The Incredibles" — or any other Pixar movie — will get the live-action treatment, it's a natural fit. "A live-action 'Incredibles' — that sounds like money in the bank," Mantz said. This franchise has life, as there's already an "Incredibles 3" in the works from creator Brad Bird. 'Up' could be a live-action hit Another logical candidate for a live-action remake is Pixar's "Up" from 2009. There's no such movie in the works yet. 'WALL-E' may be more of a long shot There's no plan to remake "WALL-E," the 2008 film starring a lonely, trash-collecting robot roaming Earth in 2805. However, Disney loves little robots. 'Big Hero 6' could be too new for a remake Some fans already want a live-action edition of this 11-year-old movie, though Baymax isn't coming to the big screen yet. 'Cars' may seem like a stretch, but it's possible While it may seem hard to imagine how Pixar's "Cars" could go live-action, given that it doesn't have any humans, Dergarabedian said a photorealistic movie with talking automobiles could work. Remember, Disney did a photorealistic remake of "The Lion King." "Let's see how 'F1' does in that realm," Dergarabedian said. "You could do it the reverse way. Instead of going from animation to live action, you take live action and do a hybrid."
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
A former BYU runner was the top American finisher in Monday's Boston Marathon
A former BYU runner was the top American finisher in Monday's Boston Marathon Conner Mantz practices at the BYU track in Provo on Thursday, April 10, 2025. Mantz, former BYU NCAA champion, competed in the New York half marathon and finished in 59 minutes, 15 seconds as the top American finisher. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News Former BYU runner Conner Mantz fell just short of his goal of becoming the first American man in 11 years to win the Boston Marathon on Monday, finishing less than 30 seconds behind winner John Korir of Kenya. Advertisement Mantz and fellow BYU alums Clayton Young and Rory Linkletter were in the lead pack for much of the race, but they were unable to stick with Korir when he broke away with about six miles remaining. Korir, who won the 2024 Chicago Marathon in 2:02:43, finished the 2025 Boston Marathon in 2:04:45. Mantz stayed with the first chase pack, which ended up about 20 seconds behind Korir. Mantz ultimately just missed the podium Monday, finishing fourth in 2:05:08. Mantz's previous best marathon time was 2:07:47, according to Citius Mag. Linkletter, who held the lead at the halfway point, finished sixth in 2:07:02. Advertisement Young finished just behind him in seventh in 2:07:04. Like Mantz, Linkletter and Young set new personal best times.
Boston Globe
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Conner Mantz was the Boston Marathon's top American man with a personal-best time, but he still wanted more
'It is a little tough to take,' Mantz said. 'You always have a goal to win, but the goal was to prove that I could be in a position to win, and that was being on the podium. Missing it and getting outkicked the last 300 meters is a little bitter, but it was still probably the best race I've had, so I'm really happy about that.' Mantz's coach, Ed Eyestone, was more effusive in his praise for his pupil's brilliant run, which took nearly three minutes off Mantz's personal best. Advertisement 'I reminded him,' Eyestone said, 'I told him, 'Hey, bud, we were going to be ecstatic with a top-three finish. You were four seconds out of second [place]. So essentially, I mean, you did everything.' 'The fact that he ended up with a huge PR and fourth place in what I think could be considered the most competitive, deepest Boston [field], is a very, very good day.' Advertisement Mantz was the prerace favorite to finish as top American coming off an excellent buildup, which saw the Brigham Young grad break Hall's American record in the half-marathon with performances of 59:17 in Houston and 59:15 in New York. Connor Mantz was outsprinted by Tanzania's Alphonce Felix Simbu (left) and Kenya's CyBrian Kotut down the stretch. Charles Krupa/Associated Press Mantz was near the front of the pack through much of the race, which saw the elite men go through the half-marathon mark in 1:01:52. The group slowly thinned through 20 miles — defending champion Sisay Lemma was among the casualties of the Newton hills — before Kenya's John Korir dropped the hammer. Mantz was the only chaser who initially tried to cover Korir's big move, but faced with a big headwind and Korir's changing gears, the American chose to remain patient and let Korir go. Eyestone was pleased first with Mantz's determination, then his patience. '[Mantz] was the guy who kind of put his head down and refused to just say, you know, go quietly into the good night,' Eyestone said. 'He's a winner, and he wants to win. He wants to be up there, he wants to cover moves. But I think after a time, he realized, 'Oh, wow, this is not coming back, at least not right now.' ' Related : With Korir long gone, Mantz still had a shot at both a podium spot and the fastest American performance in history. He often was the one pushing the pace of a three-man chase pack with Kenya's CyBrian Kotut and Tanzania's Alphonce Felix Simbu, as the trio went three-wide down Boylston Street. In the end, Kotut and Simbu had a little bit more, with Mantz having to settle for fourth, a PR, and a historically fast time. Advertisement 'Yeah, it's a great [time],' Mantz said. 'There was little part of me, when I was struggling those last few miles, I was just thinking, 'OK, even if I end up fifth, I want to beat Ryan Hall's mark.' 'But you never know the weather, you never know who's going to be in the field. So I really like the idea of chasing podium finishes. That's what excites me.' Amin Touri can be reached at
Boston Globe
20-04-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
With Olympic experience under their belts, these Americans hope to improve on previous Boston Marathons
'I was a little presumptuous about what I thought I could do,' he said. 'It was a real humbling experience. All of a sudden I ran a race where I blew up and I blew up hard. The last Boston has been in my mind too much. So I'm excited to come out here and actually do one where I can think better and execute better and race better and run faster.' Advertisement Popehn, who finished 12th, 14th, and 26th in her three previous undertakings here, was 12th in Paris. 'I'll take the starting line with a lot more confidence than I had at my previous Bostons,' she said. 'I felt that I didn't necessarily always belong.' Related : Young, Mantz's Utah training partner and fellow Brigham Young alum who finished right behind Mantz at Olympus, missed the 2022 race with an injury and watched instead. 'To finally be here on the start line is the magic of Boston,' Young said. London is loaded Next Sunday's London Marathon features its customary star power. Besides Olympic gold medalist Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia and Kenyan defending champion Alexander Mutiso , the men's field features a throwback showdown between Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele , who've been matching strides on the track and road since 2003. Advertisement The 40-year-old Kipchoge, a four-time London victor, has beaten the 42-year-old Bekele in four of their five marathon meetings. Their most recent encounter at the Paris Olympics was a letdown for both men. Bekele finished 39th and Kipchoge, bidding for an unprecedented third title, dropped out. The women's side features not only the present and former Olympic champions in Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands and Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir (the 2022 Boston winner) but also the current and former world record-holders in Kenya's Ruth Chepngetich and Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa . Sydney a major Sydney has been added as the seventh Abbott World Marathon Major joining Boston, London, New York, Chicago, Berlin, and Tokyo. The race, which began in 2000 as a test event for that summer's Olympics, will be held on August 31 at the end of the Australian winter and three weeks before the Berlin event. The point-to-point course, made flatter and faster 15 years ago, crosses the Harbour Bridge and finishes at the fabled Opera House. Favorable forecast Monday's weather forecast appears favorable for the runners — temperatures in the mid-50s with a slight crosswind. That's not always the case in years ending in 5 — near 100 degrees in 1905, 'intense heat' in 1915, a cold wind and snowflakes in 1925, and a soaking chilly headwind in 2015. Kenyans love Boston Back for the eighth time and bidding for her fifth podium finish is Kenya's ageless Edna Kiplagat , the two-time champion who finished third last year at 44. 'Coming back to Boston this year is another great opportunity for me to perform at the high level, considering all the hard work that I've put in,' said Kiplagat, who won here in 2017 and 2021. 'So I will try my best on Monday and see if I can get onto the podium.' Advertisement Kiplagat's bemedaled résumé is extraordinary. Besides claiming world titles in 2011 and 2013, she has won in London and New York and made the podium in Chicago and Tokyo. Returning for the seventh time is Kiplagat's 41-year-old countrywoman Sharon Cherop , who won here in 2012 and was third twice. Cherop may be the sport's foremost globetrotter, having run 26-milers on five continents in venues ranging from Toronto to Buenos Aires to Singapore to Rome to Lagos City. Special day Marking the 10th anniversary of his 2015 victory in Boston is Ethiopia's Lelisa Desisa , who's also making his 10th appearance at 35. Desisa also was the victor in 2013, the year of the Boylston Street bombings. To commemorate the victims he donated his champion's medal to the City of Boston. 'For me winning here was everything, you know?,' he said. 'When that event happened I am very sad. So I gave the medal to the city and am happy to give. The people who died and their families, they were strong.' Besides this year marking the 50th anniversary of Bill Rodgers's first victory here it's also the 95th of Clarence DeMar's record seventh triumph, the 80th of Johnny Kelley's second laurel wreath (with a decade in between), the 45th of fraudster Rosie Ruiz's 'victory', the 40th of the final race without prize money, and the 20th of Catherine Ndereba's record fourth win.
Boston Globe
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
2025 Boston Marathon: Who are the top American runners to watch on Monday?
Though Obiri and Lemma are two of the favorites, there are several other elite athletes in the field who have the means to cross the finish line first on Boylston Street. Unlike last year's Boston Marathon — where several top American runners opted not to take part in the race just a few months after the Here's a look at some of the top American athletes to follow during Monday's race. Advertisement Conner Mantz After missing the 2024 Boston Marathon following the Olympic marathon trials, Mantz is expected to make some noise on April 21 as the top U.S. men's distance runner. The winner of the 2024 Olympic marathon trials, Mantz has routinely etched his name in the record books over the last few years. At the 2023 Chicago Marathon, he finished sixth overall with a final time of 2:07:47, Advertisement Mantz — who finished 11th overall in the field during the 2023 Boston Marathon with a time of 2:10:25 — was the top American finisher at the 2024 Men's Marathon event at the 2024 Summer Olympics with an eighth-place time of 2:08:12. Clayton Young A longtime training partner of Mantz, Young is expected to make his Boston debut on April 21. Young and Mantz have routinely finished as the top two Americans in several marathons across the world in recent years, usually finishing just one place apart. Young finished second behind Mantz in the 2024 U.S. Olympic marathon trials (2:09:06) before placing behind Mantz again as the second U.S. finisher in the 2024 Olympic Games with a ninth-place time of 2:08:44. At the 2024 New York City Marathon, Young finished in seventh place (2:09:21), just behind Mantz in sixth place at 2:09:00. While both Mantz and Young are usually joined at the hip during these competitions, the 2025 Boston Marathon could offer the opportunity for Young to push past Mantz in one of the more storied competitions in distance running. Keira D'Amato The 40-year-old D'Amato D'Amato once held the American record in the marathon with a time of 2:19:12 at the 2022 Houston Marathon, before it was eventually surpassed by Emily Sisson (2:18:29) at the 2022 Chicago Marathon. In July 2023, she also set a new American record for the women's half marathon — finishing the Gold Coast Half Marathon in Australia with a time of 1:06:39. That record is now held by Weini Kelati, Advertisement 'Boston is what brought me into the marathon,' 'So it's so special to me to be coming back now, and not as someone who, before, I registered myself, paid for my own flight. That's normal, and everyone does that, but now it feels like such a privilege and a gift that they've invited me to come, they've helped me with travel arrangements. It's surreal that I've gotten to experience both sides.' One thing worth keeping tabs on D'Amato is her health, as she was forced to drop out of the 2024 Chicago Marathon in October due to a foot injury. D'Amato once held the American record in the marathon with a time of 2:19:12 at the 2022 Houston Marathon. Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe CJ Albertson The top U.S. finisher in the 2024 Boston Marathon (2:09:53), Albertson is looking to improve upon his seventh-place finish in Boston. Albertson — who finished fifth in the U.S. Olympic trials with a time of 2:10:07 — posted a personal record of 2:08:17 at the 2024 Chicago Marathon in October. The 31-year-old Albertson has been an effective performer during Boston's unpredictable and daunting conditions over the years. During the 2021 Boston Marathon, Albertson paced the entire field by more than two minutes at the halfway mark of the race before ultimately finishing in 10th place with a final time of 2:11:44. Advertisement Emma Bates Bates proved plenty of doubters wrong during the 2024 Boston Marathon. Despite suffering a torn plantar fascia in October 2023 that forced her to miss the Olympic trials, Bates returned to competition at the 2024 Boston Marathon and finished as the top U.S. runner with a 12th-place time of 2:27:14. Bates has been one of the most consistent competitors in Boston over the last few years — finishing in fifth place at the 2023 race with a time of 2:22:10. That showing in 2023 fell just short of the fastest time by an American woman in Boston, narrowly missing Shalane Flanagan's record of 2:22:02 from 2014. Emma Bates travels down Boylston street on her way to the finish line during the 2024 Boston Marathon. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Des Linden Linden is no stranger to the Boston Marathon, as the 41-year-old distance runner In 2018, Linden became the first American woman to break the tape in Boston since Lisa Rainsberger in 1985 — posting a time of 2:39:55 on a rain-soaked course. The two-time Olympian finished third overall among American runners during the 2024 Boston Marathon with a time of 2:28:27. Related : Sara Hall Another accomplished athlete in Boston, Hall finished 15th overall (and second among U.S. women) during the 2024 Boston Marathon with a time of 2:27:58. Hall — who finished 17th overall at the 2023 Boston Marathon (2:25:48) — also finished in fifth place at the 2024 U.S. Olympic marathon trials, finishing with a time of 2:26:06. Jessica McClain McClain served as an alternate for the U.S. Olympic marathon team at the 2024 Summer Games. She earned a spot on the squad after placing fourth in the Olympic marathon trials with a time of 2:25:46, setting a personal best by close to four minutes. Advertisement McClain's first world major was the 2024 New York City Marathon, where she finished eighth overall with a time of 2:27:19. Dakotah Popehn Another regular participant in Boston, Popehn is coming off of a successful 2024 where she earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic marathon team. Popehn punched her ticket to Paris by finishing third in the Olympic marathon trials with a time of 2:25:31, eventually finishing in 12th place at the Summer Games with a time of 2:26:44. During Popehn's last Boston Marathon in 2023, she finished in 27th place with a time of 2:33:53. Zach Panning Panning turned heads during the 2024 Olympic marathon trials, leading for a majority of the race before eventually finishing in sixth place with a time of 2:10:50. The 30-year-old distance runner finished 10th in the 2024 Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:09:16. Daniel Romanchuk A lauded para-athlete who took home a gold medal in the 400 meters (T54) at the 2020 Summer Paralympics before winning gold in the 5000 meters (T54) at the 2024 Summer Paralympics, Romanchuk also has two Boston Marathon wins on his resume — winning the 2019 race with a time of 1:21:36 and the 2022 race in 1:26:58. Romanchuk, who became the first American to win Boston since 1993 during that 2019 victory, finished in second place during both the 2023 and 2024 races, coming up behind Switzerland's Marcel Hug in both events. Susannah Scaroni Another standout participant in Boston, Scaroni finished fourth overall in the women's wheelchair division in 2016, third in 2014, 2015, and 2017, and second in 2018 before winning the race in 2023 with a final time of 1:41:45. Advertisement Scaroni — who won a gold medal in the 5000 meters (T54) at the 2020 Summer Paralympics — will look to claim another title in Boston after having to withdraw just ahead of the 2024 race due to a shoulder injury. Conor Ryan can be reached at
