Fantasy Live action Hercules in the works at Disney

[Closerframe]

Ian McShane for Zeus

 

[Pennywise]

Russos Tease Disney Live-Action Hercules Movie’s World & Offer Update

“The script’s about to come in in a week. We’ve taken a lot of time and care with it. It’s a movie that was really important to me and my kids, something that they watched when they were young, and so we’ve got a strong emotional connection to it. Our intention is to look at everything we do and think about how can we build it out, what can you do with this that expands it, gives you different opportunities for storytelling in it. So we’re going through that same exercise with Hercules, is can we build it out, can we build a world out of this and that extends beyond it and would be compelling, and I think that’s what audiences are craving, right? They want to see something really cool that they wanna get lost in it for a decade, so that’s our mission is to provide them with that experience. It’s still early!”

 

[Albright]

sound like it’s absolutely in the right hands

 

[Loden Greatstorm]

This makes me happy.

 

[TheVileOne]

I don't get doing one for Hercules. It wasn't that popular.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Because Hercules needs his Thor franchise.

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

I don't get doing one for Hercules. It wasn't that popular.

Nah man Herc is popular enough.

If they give us a Hunchback of Notre Dame one next I’ll lose my sh**.

 

[The Caped Knight]

I don't get doing one for Hercules. It wasn't that popular.

Hercules was very popular, it had a hit film, a hit Animated Series, not to mention it was a big merchandise juggernaut for Disney.

Hercules and Meg still appear at various Disney events at Disney World, as does Hades in the Villans parade in October for Halloween.

 

[DarkKnight88]

It wasn’t on the level of the Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin or Lion King, but that’s what kind of makes it better to adapt. There’s a lot of things they could improve, unlike those three.

 

[Drizzle]

It wasn’t on the level of the Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin or Lion King, but that’s what kind of makes it better to adapt. There’s a lot of things they could improve, unlike those three.

And that is exactly why the better live action adaptations, or the ones that were better received by critics, are the ones that improved upon the more barebones animated films that they were based on like The Jungle Book and Cinderella. Not saying there was anything wrong with the original films but their stories definitely weren't as layered as Beauty and the Beast or The Lion King. From that perspective, Hercules has more going on in it than the original Jungle Book or Cinderella, but there's still room for improvement.

 

[psylockolussus]

I don't get doing one for Hercules. It wasn't that popular.

He's probably the neXt one in their 90s movies getting a live action. Hercules is definitely more popular the Hunchback of Notre Dame, and I don't think Disney would do a live action film for Pocahontas and Rescuers. So that leaves Tarzan which got a live action film from WB in 2017 iirc. I don't see Disney doing a Tarzan movie when they have other options.

Then looking at this list:

List of Walt Disney Animation Studios films - Wikipedia

There aren't so many films left that they could adapt that would more appealing than Hercules. Frozen and Tangled are still recent.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

Hercules was always my favorite of the 90s animated Disney films

 

[Drizzle]

So that leaves Tarzan which got a live action film from WB in 2017 iirc. I don't see Disney doing a Tarzan movie when they have other options.

Tarzan was the most successful Disney Renaissance film after Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Lion King. I'd be shocked if they didn't do a live action remake. Recent versions from other studios don't really phase Disney. Pan came out in 2015, they've got Peter and Wendy in the pipeline. Hercules starring Dwayne Johnson came out in 2014, now they've got their live action Hercules in the works, etc.

 

[The Lazarus Pit]

Russos Tease Disney Live-Action Hercules Movie’s World & Offer Update

This says to me that they AREN’T looking at ‘Hercules’ as a remake or a one off. This sounds to me like the Hercules film will be inspired by the original, but positioned more as a springboard for a Disney Greek Mythology movie series. They mentioned “They want to see something really cool that they wanna get lost in it for a decade, so that’s our mission is to provide them with that experience. It’s still early!”

How is it that we still haven’t had a truly great adaptation of Greek mythology? This could easily provide a springboard for an epic big budget Disney Greek mythology franchise. It’s ripe for adaptation, but would naturally need quite a bit of updating and changes to be more family friendly. But I think there’s a ton of potential there.

I grew up with the Percy Jackson books and this could be something similar. In a world where superheroes dominate, it would make sense to look back at the characters that provided inspiration for the superheroes of today.

 

[psylockolussus]

How is it that we still haven’t had a truly great adaptation of Greek mythology? This could easily provide a springboard for an epic big budget Disney Greek mythology franchise. It’s ripe for adaptation.

Yeah thats the great point. Greek Mythology has a lot of great ideas/stories. But I don't remember enjoying a film based on it.

 

[Deck Rickard]

I finally saw this cartoon last year and it is indeed very good (even if it butchers the mythology a bit, lol). I like the idea of Odenkirk as Hades, though I could also see Steve Buscemi in the role (dude straight up LOOKS like the cartoon version).

 

[Boom]

Odenkirk as Hades is such a brilliant idea I might actually be angry when it doesn't happen.

Though I guess it depends on whether the Russos intend to lean into the comedy aspect of the original film, or if they're going for something a bit more serious.

 

[The Big G]

Its hard to not think of Disney Hades without James Woods

 

[DarkKnight88]

I would LOVE to see Disney cast James Woods in the live-action film. The press tour would be worth it alone.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Odenkirk as Hades is such a brilliant idea I might actually be angry when it doesn't happen.

Though I guess it depends on whether the Russos intend to lean into the comedy aspect of the original film, or if they're going for something a bit more serious.

The Russos said it's not a remake.

 

[Boom]

The Russos said it's not a remake.

Intriguing.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I like the animated movie and all, but I don't think it's a movie exactly screaming to be remade. Hercules is a myth where you can do a lot with it, and make a better movie in the process. The animated film is rather muddled with trying to do a superhero story and comment on celebrity athletes.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

The Russos said it's not a remake.

Intriguing.

Hmm...

So the Russo's approach is an original story not mirroring the plot of the Disney Herc?

But this is adapting something of the animated film so...

The characters and world have to seem at least inspired by the animated film, no?

If not then this is just Disney doing their spin on Herc again only in live action?

If it is a serious action drama with good four quad humor I might get miffed if only because this means Marvel's Hercules won't emerge in the MCU proper for even longer. The tone of Marvel Comics Herc even fits the Russo's style and the MCU in general.

On the other hand live action Herc in movies has been a tough nut to crack. I think the Russo's can do it though.

 

[DarkKnight88]

Hmm...

So the Russo's approach is an original story not mirroring the plot of the Disney Herc?

But this is adapting something of the animated film so...

The characters and world have to seem at least inspired by the animated film, no?

If not then this is just Disney doing their spin on Herc again only in live action?

Hello Mulan!

 

[Albright]

I hope they don’t do the Mulan approach…