We are officially confused.
It seems like Disney is trying to make a cinematic universe out of its animated features collection because yet another animated feature is getting a live-action remake soon. It may sound ridiculous to you, but it’s not. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to you because if there’s a live-action version of “Spongebob Squarepants“, why can’t “Winnie the Pooh” get a live-action treatment too?
Following the success of Disney’s live-action adaptations of “Maleficent” and “Cinderella“, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that the studio will bring “Winnie the Pooh” to the big screen soon.
The titular character is a fictional anthropomorphic teddy bear from the Disney media franchise based on A. A. Milne’s “Winnie-the-Pooh” (1926) and “The House at Pooh Corner” (1928). The studio adapted the Pooh stories into a series of features and it became one of its most successful franchises ever.
The character was originally voiced by the late Sterling Holloway in 3 featurettes that were later used as segments in “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” (1977). The late Hal Smith began voicing Pooh for 1981’s “Winnie the Pooh Discovers the Seasons” before Jim Cummings took over the voice acting work in 1988.
Cummings continues to voice Pooh and Tigger to this day.
No director was attached to helm the project yet, but “Listen Up Philip” director Alex Ross Perry is set to pen the live-action adaptation. The film is still in the early stage of development, but it was revealed that the film will focus on Winnie’s human pal, Christopher Robin, returning to the Pooh’s hangout in the Hundred Acre Wood as an adult.
As of now, the studio is working on the live-action adaptations of “The Jungle Book”, “Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Dumbo“, and “Mulan“.
Image source: Cartoon Dollemporium
The details of the upcoming live-action Disney films are as follows:
1. The Jungle Book
- Director: Jon Favreau
- Writer: Justin Marks
- Release date: 15th April 2016
- Cast: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba, Scarlett Johansson, Lupita Nyong’o, Giancarlo Esposito, Christopher Walken.
2. Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass
- Director: James Bobin
- Writer: Linda Woolverton
- Release date: 26th May 2016
- Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen, Rhys Ifans
3. Beauty and the Beast
- Director: Bill Condon
- Writer: Stephen Chbosky
- Release date: 17th March 2017
- Cast: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Audra McDonald, Emma Thompson, Kevin Kline
4. Dumbo
- Director: Tim Burton
- Writer: Ehren Kruger
- Release date: -
- Cast: -
5. Mulan
- Director: -
- Writer: Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek
- Release date: -
- Cast: -
The film does not have a release date yet, but what do you think of this? Who do you think should play the adult version of Christopher Robin? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.
(Source: THR / Featured image)