Disney’s live-action adaptation of Hercules has been in development for over a year now and producers Joe and Anthony Russo have spoken in the past about what the film’s tone will be and how it will differ from the animated version. Well, today the Russo’s have given a little more insight into what they are trying to do.
While speaking with Variety, Joe Russo says their adaptation of Hercules will be “a little bit more experimental in tone, a little bit more experimental in execution.” So don’t expect a direct remake like we saw with Aladdin, The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast. “I think they’re excited to see what we can all bring to it in a way that isn’t just a reinterpretation of the animated film,” Russo says.
Director Guy Ritchie is still developing his version of the script, which was previously written by Shang-Chi scribe Dave Callaham.
Russo says the live-action Hercules will also be a musical, but how will they bring this musical to life? With the world’s hottest app of course. “There are questions about how you translate it as a musical. Audiences today have been trained by TikTok, right? What is their expectation of what that musical looks like and feels like? That can be a lot of fun and help us push the boundaries a little bit on how you execute a modern musical.”
Joe and Anthony Russo are producing through their AGBO production banner. AGBO is behind hit films starring multiple MCU alums including Extraction (Chris Hemsworth), 21 Bridges (Chadwick Boseman), Cherry (Tom Holland), and The Gray Man (Chris Evans) They are currently in post-production on the sequel to Extraction, with Hemsworth set to return. So, I would be shocked if an MCU alum isn’t considered for a role in Hercules.