It’s no secret that a large part DisneyThe company’s revenue in recent years has come from reboots of previous films. Of Cinderella to The Lion King and beyond, Disney has been producing live-action remakes of several of its classic animated filmswith even more of these projects currently underway. However, we have to start wondering if straight-up, live-action recreations are really the most effective way for Disney to bring these classic stories back to life. With many of the live-action remakes receiving less-than-stellar reviews, one must begin to question whether Disney should consider exploring an alternative path.
Fortunately, a Disney property could open many doors for the company. In 2004, Disney made a deal in which it received ownership of the beloved group of colorful entertainers known as the Muppets. With audiences increasingly tired of live-action adaptations that don’t do much to improve the original stories, Disney should consider capitalizing on its access to the Muppets by remaking its beloved films. Now, with rumors that Disney World’s only Muppet-based attraction may soon close, fans are clamoring for Disney to find new ways to use these beloved characters, and these films offer excellent solutions.
10
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
A timeless love story built for a colorful cast
A true Disney classic, 1991 Beauty and the beast he was a beloved and moving story for decades. This musical masterpiece tells the story of the romance between Beauty and the titular Beast, a former prince who has been cursed to appear as a horrible creature.
The original film is among Disney’s most popular animated films and is one of only three animated films nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Beauty and the beast features a large ensemble of characters of all shapes and sizes, perfect for any Muppet production.
A selfish prince is doomed to become a monster for the rest of his life unless he can fall in love with a beautiful young woman.
- Director
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Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise
- Release date
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November 21, 1991
- Cast
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Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Angela Lansbury, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Bradley Pierce, Jesse Corti, Richard White
- Execution time
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84 minutes
With a lot of humor and heart, the film would offer a lot of space for all the characters to do what they do best. Furthermore, since it is tradition that there is always at least one human character in every Muppet movie, a humorous opportunity could easily be taken advantage of by having the Beast played by the only human actor. The possibilities for retelling this story as old as time are truly endless..
9
Fantasy (1940)
A Muppet-Led Musical Anthology Would Be a Blast
Even some of Disney’s earliest animated films have huge potential when it comes to being given new life with the Muppets. In 1940, Disney launched the musical anthology film, Fantasyan innovative showcase of the wonders of Disney animation. Although the magic of the original Fantasy could never truly be recreated, the idea of ​​making a film in a similar style seems like it has a lot of fun possibilities.
Instead of following a single narrative for the entire duration of the film, a Muppet-led version of Fantasy would allow multiple tales to be acted out by multiple beloved Muppet charactersall to the sound of a wonderful symphony orchestra. However, while it would be great to see some entirely new segments set to other iconic pieces of classical music, it would certainly also please audiences to see how Kermit the Frog would fare in a reimagining of the classic. Sorcerer’s Apprentice chapter.
8
The Avengers (2012)
In late 2009, Disney took another important step in expanding its entertainment empire when it signed a deal that gave the company ownership of Marvel Entertainment. This, of course, led to the astronomical growth of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (or MCU), with seemingly countless amounts of Marvel films and television shows being released in the years since.
The Muppets’ history of celebrity cameos would also pave the way for humorous appearances from several celebrities who appeared in other popular MCU episodes.
Now, as stories evolve and characters come and go, audiences will miss seeing the original Avengers in all their glory; Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, the list goes on. By using the Muppets to remake the original 2012 film, The Avengers, Marvel would have the opportunity to bring all of these characters back to their loving audience without having to alter existing MCU stories.
The film would certainly lean more towards the silly side of the superhero universe, allowing for an action-packed and family-friendly experience. The Muppets’ history of celebrity cameos would also pave the way for humorous appearances by various celebrities who have appeared in other popular MCU installments.
7
Tangled (2010)
A fun Rapunzel family adventure
Disney’s 2010 animated feature, Tangledputs a clever new spin on the Brothers Grimm’s classic fairy tale, “Rapunzel.” The movie musical, which has grown in popularity over the years, has all the elements of any great Muppet movie; Adorable characters, lots of humor and even a little romance.
While Miss Piggy and Kermit seem guaranteed to play Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, the film also offers plenty of other scene-stealing roles that would allow many different Muppets to have their turn in the spotlight. Other main factor in why Tangled would thrive as a Muppet movie is the award-winning music throughout the film.
The Muppets are no strangers to flashy songs or soulful ballads, with music playing a significant role in most of their productions. Tangled offers many original songs which are well-written and catchy, but also flexible enough not to sound out of place when sung by the goofy Muppet voices. A Muppet-led version of Tangled would certainly come up with one impressive number after another.
6
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
A silly twist on the iconic franchise
Another major Disney acquisition occurred in 2012, when the company purchased Lucasfilm and thus the entire Star Wars franchise. Now, Disney has certainly tried to do as much as possible with the franchise over the years – there’s a huge pile of evidence of this, in the form of movies, television shows, theme park rides, games, and more – but have not yet explored the possibility of a Star Wars/Muppet Crossover (apart from a single episode of The Muppet Show 1980).
Seeing how beloved the franchise has become, it seems like it would make sense for Disney to explore this concept, which would certainly add a comedic twist to the classic films.
In the end, Family Guy proved that remake Star Wars with a colorful cast of beloved characters it has the potential to be a huge hit. The potential for every aspect of the film (the characters, the settings, the spaceships) is incredible, with the endless creativity of the team behind The Muppets sure to create something that fans of both franchises would love.
5
Hercules (1997)
A Muppet story of mythical proportions
The Muppets have recreated several fairy tales and even some classic novels over the years, but they have yet to significantly delve into exploring the world of Greek mythology. A retelling of Disney’s beloved version of the story of Hercules he would be give famous characters an easy way to transition into this new area of ​​storytelling.
Hercules tells the story of the titular son of Zeus, who must work hard and become a hero to return to his rightful place on Mount Olympus. Hercules presents a rare opportunity for audiences to see how various mythical creatures would appear in the Muppet world.
The possibilities inherent in creating a Muppet satyr, Pegasus, centaur and more would definitely be an exciting project for the creative team. Along with an inspiring story and tons of catchy songs, Hercules is a Disney classic that is sure to be a hit when retold for a modern audience. The upcoming West End musical adaptation proves the story is still as popular as ever and perfect for a reimagining.
4
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
A fun opportunity for the Muppets to return to the high seas
Although the Muppets have set sail before with their 1996 film, Muppet Treasure Islanda remake of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl It could be a fun and exciting way for them to experience the pirate life once again. Based on the theme park ride of the same name the first Pirates of the Caribbean film was a huge successboth critically and commercially.
Unfortunately, as the franchise expanded, not all additions proved to be as successful. The Muppets Could Effectively Rejuvenate This Nautical Franchisealbeit with a slightly less intimidating cast of characters. The public loves the Pirates of the Caribbean films for your swashbuckling enjoyment, and it’s hard to imagine a better way to complement this humorous side of pirate life than with some of the most entertaining performers around.
With a wide variety of characters and plenty of pirate antics, a remake of this Muppet-directed Disney movie would be a blast for viewers of all ages. It would also open the door for future sequels if the film was a smashing success.
3
The Incredibles (2004)
A chance for the first collaboration between the Muppets and Pixar
Even if a Marvel/Muppet collaboration proves impossible, a remake of the 2004 Disney/Pixar hit The Incredibleswould serve as another exciting way to get some super-powered Muppets on the big screen.
With Disney having access to Pixar’s entire extensive filmography, it seems appropriate to explore whether the idea of ​​a Pixar/Muppet crossover has any merit. Of Pixar’s many popular films, The Incredibles seems to be the best option for several reasons.
The Incredibles tells the story of a family of superheroes living in a world where it has become illegal for people to have superpowers. While it has its fair share of superhero-filled action sequences, The Incredibles is, at its core, a film about the importance of family and unity.
These ideas have been the basis of Muppet productions for years, which means that a reimagining of The Incredibles it would fit in perfectly with the rest of the Muppets filmography. Plus, seeing Jim Henson’s lovable characters receive their own superpowers would certainly be a lot of fun for audiences.
2
Frozen (2013)
An ultra-popular story ready to be retold
While Disney has released countless beloved animated films over the years, few have skyrocketed in terms of popularity as much as they did. Frozen. The 2013 instant classic film tells the story of Anna and Elsa, two royal sisters from the kingdom of Arendelle, the latter of whom possesses magical abilities that allow her to control ice and snow.
Frozen offers Disney an excellent opportunity to help introduce the Muppets to a younger audience who may not be very familiar with their previous films and shows.
Backed by its moving story and stunning soundtrack, Frozen seems like a prime candidate for a Disney remake, and The Muppets offers a fun and refreshing way to do so. Frozen offers Disney an excellent opportunity to help introduce the Muppets to a younger audienceone who may not be very familiar with his previous films and shows.
After all, with several sequels, short films and theme park attractions, Frozen has consistently proven that anything associated with its charming story and lovable characters is sure to be incredibly popular. A Muppet-led remake of Frozen not only would it entertain audiences with a new take on the story, but it could bring more notoriety to the Muppets themselves, a pretty underrated Disney property these days.
1
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
An incredible film directed by Henry Selick
Although far from being a typical Disney animated film The Nightmare Before Christmas offers a lively and entertaining holiday story that features plenty of entertainment opportunities for the Muppets. Henry Selick and Tim Burton’s iconic stop-motion film tells the story of Jack Skellington, the King of Halloween Town, who decides he wants to take over running Christmas for a change.
Over the years, the film has become increasingly popular and has actually evolved into a holiday staple for audiences around the world. With the success of The Muppets’ Christmas Carol in 1992, it’s surprising that Disney hasn’t made many more attempts to capture the magic of the holidays using the Muppets since then.
Have the Muppets retell the classic story of The Nightmare Before Christmas it would allow beloved artists to have a new film that audiences can return to year after year. Additionally, a collaboration between Jim Henson and Tim Burton’s characters would certainly be an exciting way to combine the talents of two deeply creative individuals.