Latest news with #MouseHouse
Business Insider
2 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
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Disney and Tom Cruise land biggest Memorial Day weekend box office in history
Great news for people who love movie theaters and want them to stick around: cinemas across the country just logged the best Memorial Day weekend box office in history with a massive $322 million across all films, per Variety. On the other hand, some potentially devastating news for people who hate Disney's live-action remakes and want to see them do anything but stick around: it was Lilo & Stitch that led the charge with $183 million in just four days. That's more than previously lauded savior of cinemas Top Gun: Maverick made within the same timeframe in 2022 ($160 million). And that's not the only win for the ol' Mouse House: Nü Lilo & Stitch just logged the second-highest start for any four-day weekend, behind only fellow Disney offering Black Panther, which made $242 million over Presidents' Day weekend in 2018. Live-action remake haters won a battle when Tangled was reportedly put on ice, likely in part because of the failure of Snow White. Lilo & Stitch has already earned $342 million internationally—more in just four days than Snow White's entire run. It seems the war will keep on raging; it's hard to argue that there's no money in regurgitating beloved childhood classics when a little blue alien is capable of turning this kind of profit. Ethan Hunt jumped out of a plane to land right behind Stitch with $77 million. That's a Mission: Impossible series best for The Final Reckoning, a stunt almost as impressive as the ones Tom Cruise completes throughout the film. 'A record opening on the eighth iteration is remarkable. It speaks to the longevity of the franchise,' Paramount distribution chief Chris Aronson said in a statement, per Variety. 'The spectacle of what Tom and McQ [director Christopher McQuarrie] put on screen is one-of-a-kind in today's marketplace.' The Final Reckoning may indeed be one-of-a-kind, but the weekend's box office also got a boost from top 10 veterans, Final Destination: Bloodlines, Thunderbolts*, Sinners, and A Minecraft Movie. Check out the full, record-breaking top 10 below, courtesy of Box Office Mojo: Lilo & Stitch, $183,000,000 Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, $77,000,000 Final Destination: Bloodlines, $23,975,000 Thunderbolts*, $11,800,000 Sinners, $11,015,000 The Last Rodeo, $6,266,716 Friendship, $5,736,382 A Minecraft Movie, $2,790,000 The Accountant 2, $2,548,000 Hurry Up Tomorrow, $860,000 More from A.V. Club Primer: The immediately identifiable comedies of Wes Anderson CBS unleashes Comics Unleashed to fill After Midnight slot (again) Sean "Diddy" Combs' ex-employee Capricorn Clark testifies about Kid Cudi incident
Business Mayor
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Mayor
How the Lilo & Stitch Marketing Team Avoided an Ugly Sonic Glitch
Sorry, Ugly Sonic—you're not going to have an Ugly Stitch to add to your friend group. Back in 2019, Paramount learned the perils of building a major movie marketing campaign around the reveal of a 'live-action' version of a beloved animated character—in that case, Sonic the Hedgehog. When fans got a look at the film's take on the classic video game speedster, they made like Knuckles and didn't chuckle. The largely negative online reaction spurred the filmmakers to instead flex their muscles by postponing the movie for a ground-up character rebuild that was more in line with vintage Sonic. The result of that extreme makeover? A billion-dollar-grossing global franchise that's currently prepping its fourth installment. No such last-minute interventions were required to rescue Stitch, the cute and fluffy half of the titular Lilo & Stitch duo headlining Disney's live-action adaptation of its 2002 animated favorite. According to Mouse House marketing evp Martha Morrison, she and her team knew they had a star on their hands the moment they laid eyes on the CGI recreation of the previously hand-drawn extraterrestrial. 'He was obviously very cute, and felt very much like the character people know and love,' Morrison tells ADWEEK, admitting that an Ugly Sonic-like scenario was a concern prior to her first look at the new Stitch. 'Believe me, you run through all the things that people could potentially say about the character that would present a problem. But the filmmakers nailed it.' The updated Stitch has already won the hearts of moviegoers heading into opening weekend. Box office estimates indicate that Lilo & Stitch will likely bank nearly $300 million around the world over the Memorial Day holiday. (Not bad for a movie that started its life as a direct-to-Disney+ production.) And Disney's Stitch-centric marketing campaign can be credited with laying the groundwork for that hefty haul. The alien has been running rampant through a series of real-world pop-up stunts, including a Super Bowl appearance that almost upstaged the Big Game as well as viral movie theater appearances.
Pink Villa
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Box Office: The Devil Wears Prada 2 sets May 2026 release, here's revisiting original's theatrical run
We're about to witness a pop culture phenomenon sooner than anticipated. Disney has officially dated the eagerly awaited sequel to The Devil Wears Prada for a May 1, 2026, theatrical release, setting off a wave of excitement among fans of the 2006 fashion comedy classic. The news follows earlier reports from July 2024 confirming the project was in development. While casting details remain under wraps, speculation continues to swirl about the return of the original ensemble. Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt were reported to be attached, though the Mouse House has not formally announced their involvement. Stanley Tucci, who played the beloved fashion editor Nigel, hinted at progress in a Variety interview, saying, 'If it happens, I would be so happy, but I cannot give you any information. Otherwise, I'll go to actor's prison or something.' Based on Lauren Weisberger's 2003 novel, The Devil Wears Prada starred Anna Hathaway as Andrea Sachs, an aspiring journalist who lands a coveted assistant job at Runway magazine under the merciless Miranda Priestly, played by Streep. The latter character is widely believed to be inspired by Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. The original film struck a chord with audiences for its sharp dialogue, iconic fashion, and inside look at the high-stakes world of fashion. The sequel is expected to reflect today's changing media landscape, where magazines are on the brink of losing their relevance. Reports suggest it will follow Miranda as she struggles to maintain her influence in the declining print industry, now dependent on advertising dollars from luxury conglomerates, one headed by her former assistant, Emily (Blunt). The mentor-turned-rival dynamic promises to add a fresh layer to the stylish party. The announcement comes amid Disney's larger theatrical calendar overhaul, which saw the studio announce delays for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. It signals the studio's commitment to a diverse portfolio that includes both superhero tentpoles and prestige, character-driven stories. The original Devil Wears Prada grossed over USD 326 million worldwide, with USD 124 million from the domestic market and a strong international haul of USD 201 million. Nearly two decades later, its influence endures not just in pop culture but as a touchstone for women navigating ambition and self-identity. With nostalgia, high fashion, and hard-hitting performances expected to return, we'll keep our Chanel leather boots polished and ready to take on a movie date.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Disney's Upfront Went Hard on Sports — With an Off-Key Manning Brothers Musical — but Hardly Mentioned ABC
Peyton and Eli Manning really want to develop their acting careers, if Disney's upfront show is to be believed. The Mouse House highlighted its sports programming more than anything else during its annual presentation to ad buyers Tuesday in New York City, parading the Mannings and several other star athletes in front of ad buyers and even connecting scripted Disney content back to what happens on the court and field. More from Variety Disney's Dana Walden to CNBC's James Cramer: Streaming 'Is a Growth Business for Our Company' Jimmy Kimmel Takes On Bob Iger, Netflix and Gen Z's YouTube Habits in Upfronts Monologue: 'When You Have Kids, You'll Come Crawling Back to Disney Like Dogs!" Krysten Ritter Officially Returning as Jessica Jones for 'Daredevil: Born Again' Season 2 The presentation opened with a marching band performance that lasted for more than five minutes, made up of musicians from Jackson State and Delaware State plus a gameday-ready Mickey Mouse as drum major. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley were next to take the stage at New York's Javits Center, with Mahomes praising the 'boldly original, fiercely competitive, undoubtedly magical' storytelling that makes Disney 'the ultimate M.V.P.' before introducing Iger. And though Iger made mention of Disney's newly announced theme park in Abu Dhabi and generally shouted out the company's work across entertainment and news, he was most specific in his excitement for sports programming — making a humble brag about the amount of time he's spent with the footballers and thanking them for the highlights they bring to ESPN before emphasizing that Disney is home to 'the most live sports hours in the industry' across its many platforms. The Mannings were the next big piece of the show. After a sizzle reel of various Disney programs cued up by Iger, Eli said he only had 'one note' for the company: 'Not enough Mannings.' He and Peyton then presented all of the company's 'M.V.P. IP' through song. With backup dancers and botched high notes galore, they suggested that they take over the top billing positions in ABC's 'High Potential,' 'Abbott Elementary' and 'Good Morning America' plus Hulu's 'Paradise' and 'Only Murders in the Building.' At five minutes, the bit overstayed its welcome, but they get points for their puns: They proposed replacing Kaitlin Olson's 'High Potential' cleaning lady with a 'cleaning Manning,' and renaming the other shows to 'Abbott Eli Manning-tary,' 'Good Manning America,' 'Pey-radise' and 'Only Mannings in the Building.' As per usual, groupings of high-profile cast members from across the Disney portfolio came out to talk about their shows and cue up footage. Among them were Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short from 'Only Murders in the Building'; Jeremy Allen-White, Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach from 'The Bear' (with all three mentioning the Disney-backed films they also act in); Evan Peters, Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope and Ashton Kutcher from Ryan Murphy's upcoming FX horror series 'The Beauty'; and Niecy Nash-Betts, Sarah Paulson, Glenn Close and Teyana Taylor from Hulu's upcoming legal drama (another Murphy show) 'All's Fair,' with series lead Kim Kardashian introducing them in a pre-recorded video. The scripted shows that got the most extensive segments were all from major Disney franchises. Following a creepy intro by Darth Vader, Diego Luna and Hayden Christensen noted that this year is the 20th anniversary of 'Revenge of the Sith' and remarked on the ubiquity of Star Wars fans worldwide — while emphasizing that the entirety of the franchise streams on Disney+, including the 'Andor' Season 2 finale which would debut just hours after the upfront. The Marvel Cinematic Universe was the subject of the presentation's biggest news — that Krysten Ritter will reprise the role of Jessica Jones in 'Daredevil: Born Again' Season 2 — complete with Ritter and series lead Charlie Cox in person, followed by Sir Ben Kingsley, who spoke about his new MCU show 'Wonder Man.' That led into the most exciting footage of the day, a trailer for 'Alien: Earth' presented by stars Timothy Olyphant, Sydney Chandler and Babou Ceesay. And as the industry leader in family programming, Disney also paired Ginnifer Goodwin with Auliʻi Cravalho to shout out the upcoming theatrical releases of 'Zootopia 2' and 'Moana 2,' while also mentioning the massive Disney+ viewership achieved by the original films in both of those series. Still, everything came back to sports. Disney's global advertising president Rita Ferro opened her spiel by celebrating the New York Knicks' win the night before, and though her focus was ad infrastructure across the Disney portfolio, ESPN was the only brand she mentioned specifically. Even during a presentation from Ryan Seacrest, best known for hosting competitions and holiday programs, sports made up half of the live events broadcasts that were called out. Other segments were led by NBA commentator Stephen A. Smith, who spoke about ESPN's new streaming app; football and basketball analysts Elle Duncan, Chiney Ogwumike and Andraya Carter, who announced new women-led sports commentary show 'Vibe Check'; University of Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian and ESPN reporter Laura Rutledge, who spoke about ABC and ESPN's college football offerings; and ESPN anchor Joe Buck and former quarterback and current ABC/ESPN anchor Troy Aikman plus Barkley and Eagles center Jason Kelsce, who focused on pro football. When Glen Powell appeared to discuss his upcoming Hulu football comedy 'Chad Powers,' he was introduced by the Mannings, who executive produce the series. They returned to the stage flanked by the marching band from the intro — this time led by Goofy instead of Mickey. Throughout Disney's presentation, the most-used joke subject was Bill Belichik, most notably including Buck saying that the infamous football coach would soon come out to sing 'Endless Love' with his much younger girlfriend Jordon Hudson. (Pope Leo XIV came in second place for most mentions, with Martin Short saying he'd been told that there would be white smoke for each Disney show that was renewed and black smoke for the cancellations.) As it further ramps up on sports content and continues to build out its several scripted franchises, Disney seems less invested in its broadcast television arm than ever. ABC, the brand that would have dominated Disney's upfront in a previous era, was scarcely mentioned at the Javits Center. ABC talent Olson, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Robin Roberts did make brief comedic cameos to rebut the Mannings during their musical number, and Roberts reappeared later alongside David Muir to tout the success of 'Good Morning America' and ABC News. But none of ABC's primetime programming got its own segment, not even the network's only new show for the 2025-2026 season: '9-1-1: Nashville.' Despite Ryan Murphy-created shows on multiple other platforms receiving a spotlight throughout the presentation, the new '9-1-1' didn't come up until Jimmy Kimmel's closing monologue, and he didn't mention it by name — or favorably. 'At ABC, we ordered one new show, and it's a spinoff of an old show, which really begs the question: What are we doing here?' said the 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' host, who was the only ABC talent to take the stage for more than a minute. 'We risked our lives flying into Newark for this? I mean, if you went to a restaurant and the waiter said, 'Our special tonight is last year's fish,' would you eat it? No, you would not. Our fish is not fresh. But you know what we do have: Season grandmotherfucking 2 of 'The Golden Bachelor.' Say what you will about ABC — we are still the only network where you can see Pop Pop get a squeezer in a hot tub. 'The Golden Bachelor' and Season 34 of 'Dancing with the Stars.' At ABC, we know what young people want to see, and it's not us.' Of course, those jokes were safe enough to make in front of ad buyers, given that the rest of the presentation focused on the only kind of broadcast programming that hasn't lost viewers in the streaming era: sports. And that won't change anytime soon — unless the Mannings find someone to greenlight the musical comedy series they seem to be dreaming up. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
