When Disney+ launched back in November, subscribers were greeted with a live-action remake of the 1955 film, Lady and the Tramp with stunning CGI technology blended with live-action pups, sceneries and performances. Following its high praise and popularity, the streaming service has hired the film’s script writer to reimagine another underrated Disney animated classic: 1973’s Robin Hood.
Kari Granlund signed on to write the remake for Disney+ in early March and the acclaimed director of Blindspotting Carlos López Estrada will helm, per THR. Just as Disney first translated the English folklore before, the characters will be portrayed as animals once again. The studio will implement the live-action/CG hybrid technology used in The Lady and the Tramp and many other big-screen Disney remakes such as Aladdin and Dumbo.
1973’s Robin Hood followed a fox as Robin Hood, a bear as Little John, a badger as Friar Tuck, a lion Prince John, wolf Sheriff of Nottingham and vixen Maid Marian. It was a musical that included the Oscar-nominated song “Love” and the now classic song “Oo De Lally.” In recent remakes, Disney has refashioned their famous songs – enlisting Janelle Monáe on the Lady and the Tramp soundtrack for example.
Robin Hood is an interesting choice for Disney+ to pursue considering the recent box office massive bomb of 2018’s live-action remake starring Taron Egerton and Jamie Foxx. The movie made $86 million worldwide on a reported $100 million budget and back in 2010 Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood wasn’t exactly a big hit. Luckily for Disney, this Robin Hood wouldn’t be competing at the box office and perhaps its anthropomorphic animals will better appeal to audiences?
In addition to Lady and the Tramp and Robin Hood, Kari Granlund has also written the script for another upcoming Disney+ original film, Godmothered. The movie starring Isla Fisher and Jillian Bell is about an unskilled fairy godmother who decides to grant the wishes of a young girl whose wish was once ignored, but when she finds her, she’s an adult single mother.
Carlos López Estrada’s Blindspotting was a breakout hit back in 2018 starring Hamilton’s Daveed Diggs – who is actually set to play Sebastian the Crab in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. Estrada has also directed music videos for Billie Eilish, Carly Rae Jepsen and Thundercat, helmed an episode of FX’s Legion and debuted his second feature film Summertime at Sundance earlier this year.
No release date for the new remake of Robin Hood has been announced as it is in early development. Disney+ subscribers can enjoy the recent early release of Pixar’s Onward and details on the film adaptation of Artemis Fowl hitting the streaming service in the near future.
