While Disney rose to fame because of its original animated movies, many of the company’s biggest box office hits of the last few decades have been live-action remakes of Walt Disney Animation Studios movies. The critical results have been hit-or-miss, and a few of the movies have seen mediocre box office returns, but on the whole, Disney’s slate of live-action remakes have been a massive financial success, earning massive returns and setting global box office records.
Of the movies released so far, the average opening weekend box office has been $72.2 million, the average domestic haul has been $212.1, the average multiplier (representing opening weekend domestic box office divided by total domestic box office, used to measure legs) is 3.57, the average international haul is $407, and the average global box office total is $619.1 million. Breaking down each of the Disney live-action remakes individually, here’s how they rank sorted by worldwide box office totals.
16 The Little Mermaid (2023)
![16 Live-Action Disney Remakes Broken Down By Box Office](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ariel-looking-up-and-defiant-in-the-little-mermaid.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $117.5 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $185.8 million
While The Little Mermaid has only been in theaters for a single weekend, it’s already off to a strong start. The Little Mermaid opened to $95.5 million and its Memorial Day weekend box office brings its domestic total to $117.5 million. Thanks to an additional $68.3 million international box office, its current worldwide total stands at $185.8 million. Based on its opening weekend, if The Little Mermaid hits the average Disney remake multiplier of 3.57, its domestic total could come to $340.7 million. If it maintains the Disney remake average of 66 percent of its box office being international, that could make its total box office to $1.1 billion.
15 Mulan
![Mulan in live-action](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/mulan-live-action.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: N/A
- Worldwide Box Office: $70 million
Mulan is one of the biggest Disney live-action remakes, but it didn’t earn anything at the domestic box office since it was released in September 2020 and many theaters around the world were shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, Mulan was released on Disney+ Premiere Access, where Disney says it earned $90 million, but none of that counts towards the traditional domestic box office accounting. Mulan did get a release in some international markets, where it earned $70 million.
14 The Jungle Book (1994)
![Mowgli looking intense in Jungle Book 1994](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mowgli-in-The-Jungle-Book.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $43.2 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $27.5 million
Released long before Disney’s current trend of live-action remakes, 1994’s The Jungle Book is also the lowest grossing film of the bunch, partially due to its lower 27.5 million international box office, which buoyed many of Disney’s later live-action adaptations.
13 102 Dalmatians (2000)
![Cruella yelling in 102 Dalmatians](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Screen-Shot-2022-11-21-at-51007-PM.png)
- Domestic Box Office: $116.7 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $183.6 million
While 102 Dalmatians isn’t a direct adaptation of a Disney animated movie, it’s a sequel to the 101 Dalmatians live-action adaptation starring in Glen Close. 102 Dalmatians released in November 2000, earning $26.2 million in its opening weekend. It’s total domestic box office by the end of its run came to $67 million and it earned $116.7 million internationally for a worldwide cumulative box office of $183.6 million.
12 Cruella (2021)
![Emma Stone in an office with a cane in Cruella](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/emma_stone_in_an_office_in_cruella.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $86.1 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $233.5 million
Unrelated to the 1996 version of 101 Dalmatians or 2000’s 102 Dalmatians, Cruella isn’t a direct adaptation of the 101 Dalmatians story and instead sees Emma Stone star in an origin story for Cruella De Vil. The movie opened in 2021 while some theaters were still closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It earned $21.5 million in its domestic opening weekend and $86.1 over its entire domestic run. Thanks to $147.4 million in international receipts, Cruella‘s global box office total comes to $233.5 million.
11 Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)
![Alice Through the Looking Glass - Mad Hatter clips](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/alice-through-looking-glass-hatter-clips.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $77 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $299.5 million
Alice Through The Looking Glass is a 2016 sequel to 2010’s Alice in Wonderland and not based on the Lewis Carroll book of the same name. Despite the massive success of its predecessor, Alice Through the Looking Glass opened to a low $26.9 million at the domestic box office and earned a total of $77 million domestically and $222.4 million internationally for a $299.5 million global total.
10 101 Dalmatians (1996)
![Glenn Close as Cruella de Vil surrounded by Dalmatian puppies in 101 Dalmatians](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Glenn-Close-as-Cruella-DeVil-in-101-Dalmatians.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $136.2 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $320.7 million
Ironically, while Disney has made three different live-action movies related to 101 Dalmations, the highest grossing of the bunch is the original 1996 101 Dalmatians, and that’s without adjusting for inflation. After earning $33.5 million in its opening weekend, 101 Dalmations went on to earn $136.2 million at the domestic box office and $184.5 million at the international box office for a #320.7 million worldwide box office total.
9 Dumbo (2019)
![Dumbo (1)](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/dumbo-1.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $114.8 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $353.3 million
Adapted from the 1941 animated Dumbo movie from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Dumbo opened to $46 million at the domestic box office and went on to earn a total of $114.8 million domestically for a 2.5 multiplier. Internationally, Dumbo earned $238.5 million, bringing the global box office total to $353.3.
8 Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019)
![Angelina Jolie in the Maleficent: Mistress of Evil poster](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Maleficent-Mistress-of-Evil-Poster-Angelina-Jolie.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $113.9 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $491.7 million
2019’s Maleficent: Mistress of Evil starring Angelina Jolie is another Disney live-action movie that’s not directly adapted from a Walt Disney Animation Studios movie, but it’s a sequel to Maleficent, which is a loose reimagining of the Sleeping Beauty story re-centered in Maleficent. In its opening weekend, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil earned $36.9 million and went on to earn $113.9 million for a multiplier of 3.08. Internationally, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil earned $377.8 million, bringing the global total to $491.7 million
7 Cinderella (2015)
![Lilly James as Cinderella in live-action](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cinderella.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $201.2 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $542.4 million
Cinderella (2015) is a direct live-action adaptation of Walt Disney Animation Studio’s 1950 Cinderella. The movie opened to $67.9 million domestically and went on to earn $201.2 in total at the domestic box office for a 2.96 multiplier. Internationally, Cinderella earned $341.2 million, bringing the worldwide box office total to $542.4 million.
6 Maleficent (2014)
![Angelina Jolie as Maleficent in Maleficent (2014)](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/angelina-jolie-as-maleficent-in-maleficent-2014-1.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $241.4 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $758.4 million
While it was one of the first of Disney’s modern era of live-action remakes, Maleficent is a fairly drastic departure from character’s Sleeping Beauty story, reframing Maleficent as more of a sympathetic villain or tragic antihero. The movie was a big hit at the box office, earning $69.4 million in its domestic opening weekend and a domestic total of $241.4, giving it a 3.48 multiplier. Maleficent also earned $517 million internationally, brining the global box office total to $758.4 million.
5 The Jungle Book (2015)
![The Jungle Book (2016) and Disney fairy tales](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/jungle-book-disney-fairy-tale-movies.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $364 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $966.6 million
While Disney already adapted The Jungle Book to live-action in 1994, Jon Favreau’s 2015 live-action and CGI adaptation took a far more literal translation in its remake of the 1967 animated The Jungle Book. It was a huge box office hit, earning $103.3 in its opening weekend domestically before going on to earn $364 at the domestic box office for a 3.53 multiplier. The Jungle Book also earned $602.5 million internationally, bringing the worldwide box office total to $966.6 million.
4 Alice in Wonderland (2010)
![Johnny Depp pouring tea in Alice in Wonderland directed by Tim Burton](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/johnny-depp-alice-in-wonderland-tim-burton.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $334.2 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $1.02 billion
There had been a number of live-action adaptations or remakes of Disney animated movies prior to Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, but Alice in Wonderland‘s massive box office is what kickstarted the surge of Disney live-action remakes since 2010. In its domestic opening weekend, Alice in Wonderland earned $116.1 million and went on to earn a total of $334.2 million domestically for a multiplier of 2.88. Internationally, Alice in Wonderland earned an additional $691.3 million, bringing the global total to $1.02 billion.
3 Aladdin (2019)
![Aladdin and Genie face up to Jasmine and her father in Aladdin](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/aladdin-and-genie-face-up-to-jasmine-and-her-father-in-aladdin.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $355.6 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $1.05 billion
2019’s Aladdin is one of the most successful of Disney’s live-action remakes, earning $91.5 million in its opening weekend and $344.6 million total domestically for a 3.89 multiplier. Aladdin earned an additional $695.1 million at the international box office, bringing the global total to $1.05 billion.
2 Beauty and the Beast (2017)
![Belle and the Beast dancing in Beauty and the Beast](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Beauty-and-the-Beast.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $504 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $1.3 billion
Beauty and the Beast is the second-highest-grossing Disney live-action remake of all time. It earned a whopping $174.6 million in its opening weekend box office, leading to a $504 million domestic haul and a $2.88 multiplier. Thanks to an additional $759.5 million from the international box office, Beauty and the Beast earned a total of $1.3 billion at the global box office.
1 The Lion King (2019)
![Mufasa and Simba stare at Zuzu in The Lion King](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/mufasa-and-simba-stare-at-zuzu-in-the-lion-king.jpg)
- Domestic Box Office: $543.6 million
- Worldwide Box Office: $1.66 billion
The Lion King isn’t only the highest-grossing live-action Disney animated remake, but The Lion King is also the #9 highest-grossing movie of all time at the global box office. With a smashing opening weekend box office of $191.8, The Lion King went on to earn $543.6 million total domestically for a 2.83 multiplier. An additional $1.11 billion at the international box office brings its global box office total to $1.66 billion.