Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

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Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by Daniel » April 30th, 2020, 6:38 pm

Update on the long rumored remake:
TheDisinsider wrote:Walt Disney Studios has found its next live-action remake of one of their animated films with Hercules; we have exclusively learned.

The studio has tapped Jeffery Silver (The Lion King, Tron: Legacy) and Karen Gilchrist (The Lion King, The Mandalorian) to produce. The film is expected to be a theatrical release, not a Disney+ original like Lady and the Tramp, as well as Robin Hood and Lilo & Stitch both in pre-production. The film is expected to feature songs from the original animated film, with new ones likely being added.

Another huge thing I want to add to this piece are three directors that I’ve heard from pretty reliable sources that the studio is interested in to direct the project. Let me start off by saying these are just names I’ve heard and are by no means in any formal discussions.

The first name I’ve heard most recently from two different sources is Jon Favreau, Favreau has directed two of Disney’s most successful live-action remakes in 2016’s The Jungle Book and 2019’s The Lion King, which would re-team him with both Silver and Gilchrist.

The second name I heard maybe a year ago was the Joe and Anthony Russo a.k.a the Russo Brothers, who directed four of the most highly-praised Marvel films of all-time Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and the highest-grossing movie of all-time, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. I’ve also heard they are both big fans of the animated film.

The last name I heard but have the least faith in terms of who I heard it from is Gore Verbinski, who directed and kicked off one of Disney’s most successful franchises ever, with the first three Pirates of the Caribbean films. Verbinski also directed 2013’s The Lone Ranger, which was also expected to kick off its own franchise. Sadly, the film flopped, and those plans were quickly scrapped, though the film has been met with a cult following in recent years.

I’d like to finish up by reiterating that these are just names I’ve heard, and none of these directors are in talks or are officially being looked at by the studio.

Once a director is tapped, the studio will begin the search for their lead stars. Despite the current Hollywood shut down due to the coronavirus, it is expected the studio will meet with writers/directors/actors via Zoom.
The titan battle, if carried over, is gonna be epic! Hope that's extended a wee bit.

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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by Ben » April 30th, 2020, 9:23 pm

The Russos are producing, but not directing.

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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by Dan » May 3rd, 2020, 12:28 am

It might make a spiffy film if they can pull it off. I always liked Hercules and seeing this iteration in live-action might be fun.

I will say, though, this only increases my yearning to see in full the stage musical they did in Central Park last year.


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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by Ben » May 3rd, 2020, 5:56 am

Maybe they could re-stage that this su... Oh.

Hercules will always be a bit special for me. Not only did I really enjoy it when it came out, and before it seemed to take an unwarranted and strange beating, but it was the big push when I visited Disneyland in early 1998, so all my pics from that trip have Hercules in the parades and stuff. The LaserDisc got many workouts as well, back in the day!

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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by Daniel » May 3rd, 2020, 1:17 pm

I can still vividly remember the Disney Store all decked for the film. The décor and merchandise. The tie-in campaign with McDonald's was also great. The toys were cute and the plates were beautiful. Plus, the triple cheeseburger was introduced to coincide with the film. I remember so well because we snuck them in to theatres when we went to go see it. Burgers and popcorn. Yum!

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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by EricJ » May 3rd, 2020, 2:37 pm

Ben wrote:
May 3rd, 2020, 5:56 am
Hercules will always be a bit special for me. Not only did I really enjoy it when it came out, and before it seemed to take an unwarranted and strange beating,
It was unwarranted, but not strange, considering the time:
By that point, Eisner was being dumped with the blame for EVERY corny, leaden 90's trope Katzenberg had saddled the assembly line with since Lion King (the pettily demonized sniffy-gay villain, the wisecracking sidekick, the "Gee, I'm not GOOD ENOUGH! :cry: " hero's journey), which started to grate on us by '95's Pocahontas, and finally went over a cliff with '96's Hunchback...
But we just couldn't admit to ourselves that Disney movies were slipping, because that would mean questioning our feelings for Lion King! :shock:

After Hunchback divided the audience into "But it was good, it was just martyred, that's all!", and "Boy, that one went down fast...", it became socially acceptable to hate Disney movies--
Hercules wasn't bad, but A) we weren't prepared for the "weird" design, B ) the sitcom humor seemed like Eisner was condescending to us ("Don't worry, we'll make that 'boring' mythology funny!"), but when C) we started getting trope-obligatory "poignant" subplots about Hercules Going the Distance, and Phil Wanting a Star, that's...when all those repressed Hunchback grudges let loose.
(I remember hearing the audience wince with hyperkinetic Disney Afternoon corniness when we got the jokes about the Fates saying "We can see the future...Btw, plastics.")

Nice to see it's at least had its reputation redeemed: It's become the Clue: the Movie of Disney.
Last edited by EricJ on May 3rd, 2020, 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by ShyViolet » May 3rd, 2020, 2:47 pm

Daniel wrote:
May 3rd, 2020, 1:17 pm
I can still vividly remember the Disney Store all decked for the film. The décor and merchandise. The tie-in campaign with McDonald's was also great. The toys were cute and the plates were beautiful. Plus, the triple cheeseburger was introduced to coincide with the film. I remember so well because we snuck them in to theatres when we went to go see it. Burgers and popcorn. Yum!
Oh my God I miss the Disney Store soooooooo much! :cry:

That’s great that you managed to sneak in the Mc food...so much better than having to buy theater food for twice the money! :? (Maybe not the healthiest combo....but it still sounds really good! Lol.)
You can’t just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!

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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by Bill1978 » May 4th, 2020, 6:56 pm

Truthfully I think I'm more excited abut the planned Broadway adaptation for Hercules than a live action remake - even if the live action still retains the songs.

I loved Hercules when it came out, I loved the songs, the humour, everything. I was so disappointed when it 'flopped'. I also really appreciated how they adapted Greek Theatre concepts into the plot. Finally learning Greek Theatre in High School Drama class paid off. I know people who complained about the Muses role in the film and I would just remind them that in Greek Theatre there was always a Chorus who sang about what was happening and that is the role of the Muses.

When Disney started adapting shows to Broadway I always said Hercules is the perfect one to translate thanks to the way the songs are incorporated from a staging point of view.

I've already seen people suggesting the guy who played Hercules in that Public Works production should be cast for the movie. My question is - shouldn't it be someone of Greek heritage? There was much fuss made about Aladdin and Mulan casting region appropriate actors, so shouldn't the same standard be applied to Hercules role?

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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by Randall » May 4th, 2020, 10:02 pm

Are there Greek redheads?

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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by Bill1978 » May 5th, 2020, 12:37 am

Out of curiosity I googled Greek Redheads and this popped up as the first entry of information:

"Around 500BC, redheads were first mentioned in literature by the Greek poet Xenophanes. In his work, he described how back then, people typically created their gods in their own image and therefore the Thracian Gods had blue eyes and red hair."

And then this:

"Are there redheads in Greece?
It is very uncommon. It is more common in parts of Thrace especially among Pomaks - Wikipedia but it is still far from being usual. As it is very uncommon it is considered special and beautiful"

And then I got distracted laughing reading all the other suggested questions Google has answers to about my hair colour. And decided that maybe I should resume my online teaching for the final 20 minutes of the day instead of procrastinating.

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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by Randall » May 5th, 2020, 1:29 pm

Given that the citizenry of any country is far from uniform these days especially, it does make sense that there would be redheaded Greeks. But... if you did cast a redheaded Greek in order to look like Disney's Hercules, would he actually look Greek to you?

I suppose he might, depending on the other facial features.

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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by Bill1978 » May 5th, 2020, 5:09 pm

I don't need Hercules to have red hair. I personally don't think that his hair is his defining feature as a character. But it would be nice if a person with Greek heritage and Hercules physique was cast.

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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by EricJ » May 5th, 2020, 6:18 pm

Bill1978 wrote:
May 5th, 2020, 5:09 pm
I don't need Hercules to have red hair. I personally don't think that his hair is his defining feature as a character. But it would be nice if a person with Greek heritage and Hercules physique was cast.
Now, Megara without red hair, OTOH.... :x

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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by Randall » May 5th, 2020, 8:07 pm

Bill1978 wrote:
May 5th, 2020, 5:09 pm
I don't need Hercules to have red hair. I personally don't think that his hair is his defining feature as a character. But it would be nice if a person with Greek heritage and Hercules physique was cast.
I agree. I'd like to see him at least look Mediterranean.

OTOH, a dark-haired Herc wouldn't look like the Disney version, and some fans (not me) would take issue with it, likely.
EricJ wrote:
May 5th, 2020, 6:18 pm
Now, Megara without red hair, OTOH.... :x
Really? I always saw her as a brunette.

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Re: Disney's Hercules (Live-Action)

Post by Bill1978 » May 5th, 2020, 8:48 pm

Whoever they cast for Meg, they need to make sure they have big goo-goo eyes

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