As we reported last week, The Sword in the Stone remake has been put on hold. While this has either angered or excited some fans, I have some thoughts on what Disney should do with the movie, should they ever decide to move forward.
1. Try Something New
Above everything, it would be best if the Disney decided to try something new rather than sticking to the same story beats. It wouldn’t make any sense if they didn’t do anything new. I think that if they changed around some necessary story details they would draw some new consequences into the fold. I’m not just talking about bringing in fresh ideas, but perhaps making the remake more historically accurate to better serve the source material. It might be something for Disney fans to sit down and enjoy as a respite from the outlandish and princess-centric films that the company has been churning out since its inception.
READ: First Look at ‘Lilo & Stitch’ as Live-Action Remake Continues Filming
2. Give Mim A Larger Role
One thing that was somewhat disappointing about the 1963 film was the fact that the duel between Merlin and the evil witch Mim only lasted one scene.
What’s disappointing about it is the fact that Merlin bested the witch by getting her sick and leaving her on bed rest. Of all of Disney’s villains, you can clearly tell she serves no other purpose that to be a one-off of a throwaway villain. She isn’t even a memorable character with a decent motivation in the story. My suggestion would be for them to make Mim a REAL villain, and to have her plan to take over all of England. That would create real stakes in the film, on top of giving her a better motivation and larger role.
READ: Director Sarah Polley Exits Disney’s Live-Action ‘Bambi’
3. Don’t Have Merlin Abandon Arthur
In the 1963 film, Arthur becomes Kay’s squire. And after hearing the news he alerts Merlin, who responds with immediate frustration. He believes that Arthur has learned none of the lessons he’s tried to instill in him throughout the movie.
As a result, an enraged Merlin leaves Arthur to vacation in Bermuda. Considering that Merlin is supposed to be Arthur’s mentor, it seems like a pretty mean move to abandon your protege right when they need you the most.
Should the remake ever happen, I think that it would be best if Merlin were to be more supportive of Arthur. Just like Arthur, the story has so much potential. If only the Mouse House could see that and finally get production back on track…
