With the beloved Disney film Hercules making the jump from animation to live-action, producers Joe and Anthony Russo opened up about how the film will compare to the original 1997 version. The brothers shared that the remake will have a "more modern spin" on the Olympian tale, while still sticking to its roots.
This is the first major plot detail that the brothers have shared about the Disney film since its announcement. While it's still unknown whether the remake will follow the original plot to a T, it seems as though the Russo brothers and director Guy Ritchie (who previously directed the live-action Aladdin remake) will put a new twist on the Disney classic.
"It will certainly pay homage to the original with a more modern spin on it," Joe Russo said to GamesRadar+. "What Anthony and I love about the original is how funny and subversive it is. I think we try to embrace that sense of humor in the remake." Currently, Hercules does not have a cast and is still without a release date. The Hercules remake is still in the early stages of development, with the Russo brothers working with Ritchie to hash out plot details, musical numbers, and hopefully casting decisions.
The original film, which starred Tate Donovan, Danny DeVito, James Woods, and Susan Egan, told the story of Hercules, the son of Zeus, who fell to Earth at the hands of Hades and lost his godly powers. After finding out about how he was truly born, he faces off against deadly monsters conjured up by Hades himself in order to get back to Mount Olympus. The 1997 animated version was a musical comedy, a genre that the brothers seem to want to stick with for the remake.
This remake follows the recent trend of live-action remakes by Disney. Classic Disney films such as Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Aladdin, and Lady and the Tramp have all received successful live-action remakes and reboots. Still to come is The Little Mermaid, which will star R&B artist Halle Bailey, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs starring West Side Story's Rachel Zegler. While Snow White started production this year, The Little Mermaid is scheduled for a theatrical release on May 26, 2023.
Hercules (1997) is available to stream on Disney Plus.
Source: GamesRadar+