Happy Wednesday everybody. This week was a mixed bag of questions focusing on remakes, sequels, and spinoffs. While I do share my thoughts on some projects, I have also sprinkled some tea you might not know. So, let’s get into it.

Why is live-action Hercules turning into a Hades-focused movie instead of a straightforward remake?

It should be noted, Disney has yet to confirm this change. That said, Maleficent has proved to be a popular franchise and was a fresh take on Sleeping Beauty as opposed to a more copy-and-paste remake like The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. Also, by centering the story on Hades, the film could delve deeper into his character, motivations, and relationships, providing audiences with a more nuanced understanding of the deity often portrayed solely as a villain. I mean, look at what Wicked has done for the famed Wicked Witch, it is a successful model Disney may want to take advantage of.

Will there be a live Action Little Mermaid 2 movie?

Based on everything I have been told, Disney has no interest in a sequel at this time. There were spinoffs being discussed but those ideas have been axed. What I can tell you is The Walt Disney Company intends to work with Halle Bailey on another project (big-name franchise) but that’s all I can say at this time while I try to get some things confirmed.

Are Bambi, Hercules, and the The Hunchback of Notre Dame live-action films still in development? Are there any casting whispers?

Bambi and Hercules (titled Hades) are both still in the works, both projects are searching for new directors. Hunchback of Notre Dame is not in development at this point. There are no casting choices for these projects at this time.

How much do you think Snow White will make at the box office?

This is a tough one, this could go one of two ways. First let’s talk best case scenario, $750 million–$1 billion globally, assuming strong reviews, family appeal, and solid overseas performance. The worst-case scenario is $500 million–$700 million globally, similar to The Little Mermaid if the reception is mixed or certain markets underperform. Sadly, this film has seen quite the social media uproar regarding casting and while I do not believe the casting is the problem, we saw what it did to The Little Mermaid‘s performance a couple of years ago. The film needs to make at least $340 million to break even and fortunately for Disney, Snow White will not have any major competition when it hits theaters.

Is It true a Descendants 5 is in the works and the filming is set to start between March and May and a potential release date on July 2026?

Yes, a new film is in the works but a release date has not been set at this time.

What Disney movie spots do you think we’ll get for Super Bowl LlX ?

Disney is expected to make a strong marketing push during the Super Bowl this year. Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four, Snow White, Elio, Tron: Ares, and Lilo & Stitch are expected to debut footage during the big game.

Do you support if Disney cast Jonathan Bailey as Prince Hans in Frozen Live-Action remake? Do you think he suits the role well?

Disney at some point will work with Jonathan Bailey for what project and role? Who knows at this point? I will say I’d like to see him lead a project (Pirates of the Caribbean) not a villain role in a remake.

What are the chances of Disney doing a Brother Bear photorealistic live-action remake?

Sadly, this is a long shot. Brother Bear just isn’t as universally received to people like Lilo & Stitch or Aladdin. While it’s possible, a Brother Bear remake is likely lower on Disney’s priority list compared to more iconic films like The Princess and the Frog or Tangled, both of which are in the works. If Disney continues mining its animated catalog and Brother Bear gains more attention over time, it could happen—just not in the immediate future.

Live action How To Train Your Dragon releases the same day as Elio. Is there concern about Elio losing money at the box office?

Yes, I think there is a bit of concern. Both films target similar family audiences, and How to Train Your Dragon benefits from being an already popular franchise, which may give it an advantage over the original IP of Elio, which has had it’s own production problems, which was the reason they moved it from a 2024 to 2025 release.

Will Mickey Mouse and his Friends ever had a new 2D animated short series that’s not aim for preschoolers?

Great question, it all depends on the demand for it. The success of the 2013 Mickey shorts shows there is interest. As I have always said on The DisInsider Show there is a risk in taking the company’s iconic character and making him a star for older audiences as their tastes change over time. Still, people of all ages love Mickey and the gang, so who knows, but as of now there isn’t anything in the works at this time.
 
Are Disney and 20th Century actively trying to launch their next big original franchise or is there any book out there that has the potential to become a succesful franchise if they adapt it? Their last big original franchises were Pirates in 2003 and Avatar in 2009, if I’m not wrong. I think there’s great value in launching a new IP which will create opportunities for sequels, merchandise etc.

Launching a new IP is a daunting task, Disney is full steam ahead on making the Kenneth Branagh-led Agatha Christie universe a thing as there are multiple projects in the works. That said, 20th Century Studios has a rich list of IPs that are working for Disney with Planet of the Apes, Alien, Predator, and Kingsman, all of which have new movies in the works. Disney tried launching new franchises for instance the studio was hoping The Lone Ranger would be their next “Pirates of the Caribbean” but we saw how that turned out at the box office. In the end, we will see both Disney/20th Century Studios continue to launch new material, it’s just a matter of how the audience responds at the box office.

When is the Princess Diaries 3 and Sister Act 3 gonna be released?

Both projects do not have a release date and as far as I am concerned Sister Act 3 is dead at this point. Princess Diaries 3 is still in development but we are ways off a release as there is no production date scheduled for the project at this time.

That’s all for this week’s mailbag, stay tuned as every week a new DisInsider Mailbag will drop.