Disney has a huge arsenal of animated movies that have released over the years and amused fans, both young and old. However, the franchise has found a way to reinvigorate its audience by creating live-action spin-offs of their beloved animated productions. While many Disney animated movies did better than the live-action versions, and vice versa, it cannot be denied that bringing such movies from the spectrum of 2D animation to that of live-action movie-making (albeit with much 3D CGI animation) has enabled viewers to take a fresh look at some of their favorite Disney characters.
Some of these favorite characters include the wonderful sidekicks. As fans have come to love and associate these sidekicks with their favorite Disney heroes and villains, with some even proving better than their heroes, fans have also developed a well-established idea about how they should look if brought to live-action. However, live-action movies beg the character designer to take creative liberties to make the character seem believable and realistic. While some of these liberties have helped make these beloved Disney sidekicks look better than their animated counterparts, others have proved less successful.
Live Up To: The Mad Hatter (Alice In Wonderland)
The Hatter, more commonly referred to as The Mad Hatter, from Lewis Carroll’s ingenious creation, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, has been part of Disney since the 1951 feature film Alice in Wonderland, as well as the subsequent House of Mouse and Bonkers. Known for his hyperactivity, large nose, white tresses, and hilarious voice, the character has been a favorite of Disney loyalists.
When Tim Burton decided to cast Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter for his 2010 live-action movie, few people doubted Depp’s ability to play the character. As Sacha Baron Cohen put it, “Only Johnny Depp can play characters like Mad Hatter.” The eccentric stylization by Burton’s production design team, Depp’s flamboyance, coupled with the Hatter’s iconic top hat and a tinge of madness in the lime-green eyes that Johnny sported, gives this character great life.
Missed The Mark: Diablo/Diaval (Maleficent)
The original Sleeping Beauty showed Maleficent accompanied by her pet raven Diablo, who helped the Mistress of Evil accomplish her devious plans. However, with the live-action version of Maleficent, the movie strives to show the character in a better light. Diablo was changed to Diaval as a bid to make audiences feel empathy for the Queen of the Moors.
Although this change might have helped further the storyline, shifting a character of assumed Spanish origins to that of an Irish Diaval has irked some fans, raising questions of racial hegemony and the deliberate attempt to cast a white tritagonist. While Sam Riley shines as the confidant and accomplice of Maleficent, fans missed the purple eye-shadowed raven from the animated series who seemed to hit closer to home, compared to Diaval.
Live Up To: Abu (Aladdin)
One of the most beloved sidekicks from Disney animation is the mischievous monkey, Abu. While fans have come to adore this character, the live-action version from 2019’s Aladdin does not fail to impress either.
The CGI animated monkey retains the charm and mischief of its animated counterpart, with certain scenes, including the chase through the bazaar or the stealing of Jasmine’s necklace, making him more believable. Adorned with the adorable and intricate Arabic-style hat and coat, the CGI Abu from the live-action movie emotes all the necessary feelings to perfection, making for an enjoyable transition from 2D animation.
Missed The Mark: Chip And Mrs. Potts (Beauty And The Beast)
Beauty and The Beast is a fan-favorite movie. Therefore, when Disney announced their live-action remake of the classic tale, fans couldn’t be happier. However, some beloved characters, like Chip and Mrs. Potts, were not as successful in their transitions as other characters.
Unlike the animated movies, where these characters were full of warmth and cheer, the CGI versions fell short of bringing the magic to life.
Live Up To: Winnie The Pooh And Friends (Christopher Robin)
Despite the poor critical response, Disney’s Christopher Robin is an emotional tale involving the characters created by A. A. Milne and immortalized by Disney’s animated movies. As Christopher struggles with adulthood, he finds solace and a bit of his childhood after reuniting with his friends from The Hundred Acre Woods.
The best thing about this live-action movie is that it brings to life Christopher’s beloved sidekicks, with the perfect amount of dexterity. The character styling and CGI animation used to create the worn-out walking and talking stuffed animals is an absolute delight, making Winnie the Pooh and friends enjoy a well-deserved live-action makeover.
Missed The Mark: Cogsworth (Beauty And The Beast)
A major task for any live-action remake is to instill the same sense of imaginative creativity present in the original animated film while developing a new, live-action version of their animated counterparts. But Cogsworth wasn’t the best example of this.
Although there is charm to the new design, the character mostly just looks like a clock and little more.
Live Up To: Lumiere (Beauty And The Beast)
One of the most intelligent sidekicks in Disney animation, Lumiere succeeded in areas where Cogsworth failed. This character from Beauty and The Beast had the right amounts of realism and creative license exercised in its character design.
While the animated version was a candlestick with a face, the live-action Lumiere looks like a candlestick shaped like a man, using the lit candle to serve as his top hat instead of his face. This ingenious shift makes him shine.
Missed The Mark: Timon And Pumbaa (Lion King)
Timon and Pumbaa have to be one of the most well-liked and useful sidekicks that Disney has ever created. The progenitors of “Hakuna Matata,” fans looked forward to seeing this fun-loving warthog and meerkat duo brighten up the screen in the live-action remake of The Lion King.
Unfortunately, while Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner made the characters come to life, the CGI choices fell short. There’s something special to the animated versions, but in the live-action, the animals are basically simply animals.
Live Up To: Bagheera (The Jungle Book)
Despite being directed by the same person and using the same photorealistic CGI techniques, The Jungle Book succeeds where The Lion King misstepped. A stark example of this is the character Bagheera, a protective black panther who proves to be Mowgli’s trusted friend and sidekick.
Voiced by the legendary Ben Kingsley, the use of techniques like The Black Box allowed the animators of The Jungle Book to better infuse the mannerisms of the voice actor and imbue the same in the astoundingly realistic CGI animated characters. While this technique has also been used in The Lion King, its usage found a more refined approach in the live-action remake of this celebrated tale – making Bagheera seem closer to the Bagheera of the animated series.
Missed The Mark: Genie (Aladdin)
While this point is quite debatable, with many fans loving Will Smith’s take on the iconic character immortalized by Robin Williams, others feel the rendition fell a bit short.
While the decision to cast Smith in the role is worthy of applause, owing to the high standards of inclusivity that Hollywood is aiming to achieve, the new design completely shifts the spirit of the original.
