Lightyear might not have gone to infinity and beyond at the box office, as it struggled to get off the ground and only made $19 million in its opening weekend. The movie’s underperformance is due to many different elements, such as the confusion about its connection to Toy Story, people review-bombing it on IMDb, and not quite reaching the benchmark that’s expected of a Pixar movie.
However, it might have performed better if it was a live-action movie, and it isn’t the only animated movie that could have been better if the studio took a live-action direction with it. Between a caveman comedy, a violent and historical anime, and a team-up monster movie, these hypothetical live-action movies would have been epic.
The Croods (2013)
While The Flintstones wasn’t all that well-received when it was first released, there’s something charming about the live-action movie adaptation 28 years later. The film is earnest and fun, and its practical rustic sets are something that Hollywood doesn’t do anymore. A live-action version of The Croods could have followed The Flintstones’ example.
Even the voice actors of The Croods could have acted in the live-action movie, as the film sports an impressive all-star cast that includes Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, and Ryan Reynolds. And playing a caveman almost sounds like a natural career choice for the unpredictable Cage.
Lightyear (2022)
Lightyear marks a great animated directorial debut, as the movie is Angus MacLane’s first feature-length film in the director’s chair after working as an animator for Pixar since 1998. Lightyear expertly blends typical Pixar comedy with an epic sci-fi adventure, but it could have been much better if it was live-action. As it’s a movie within a movie (it was Toy Story’s Andy’s favorite film in 1995), it could have been the perfect chance to develop a live-action Pixar flick.
The animated film takes influence from the likes of Gravity, Interstellar, and, of course, 2001: A Space Odyssey. And a live-action amalgam of those dense movies could have mixed so well with the magnetic lead character Buzz Lightyear.
The Incredibles (2004)
A live-action version of The Incredibles almost seems unnecessary, as it’d essentially be a Fantastic Four knock-off. However, as 20th Century Fox has failed time and again to satisfyingly bring the superhero family to the big screen, The Incredibles could beat Fantastic Four at its own game.
Incredibles director Brad Bird would even be the perfect choice to direct the live-action movie. The filmmaker has proven that he can make some of the most entertaining live-action sequences ever with Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol, which put the franchise back on the right track and is one of the most influential action movies of the 2010s.
Up (2009)
Outside of The Incredibles, Up is the most action-oriented human-led Pixar movie. The film follows Carl and Russell on an adventure to uncharted territory in a floating house. It’s one of the most breathtaking animated movies, and the vivid colors of the balloons and the contrast between the hazy mesa of Paradise Falls and the blue sky are some of the most memorable images of any animated film.
But those could have been ambitiously created by a cinematographer like Roger Deakins, who was behind the camera on Blade Runner 2049 and Skyfall. And seeing Clint Eastwood as Carl would have been absolutely perfect casting.
Brave (2012)
Brave is a totally unique Pixar movie due to its period setting and Scottish culture that’s creatively used in the narrative. But it’s also the least Pixar-feeling movie in the studio’s catalog. The film does have the typical emotional scenes that are expected of a Pixar flick, such as the mother-daughter relationship, but it’s missing imperative trademarks, whether it’s sentient objects or a wacky ensemble cast.
If Brave was a live-action movie instead, it could have been almost like an incredible gender-switch re-envisioning of Braveheart, a film that embraces Scottish history and culture, but with a spiritual element too. And as The Revenant proved how realistic CGI bears can look, a live-action Brave could have been an innovative supernatural fantasy adventure.
Princess Mononoke (1997)
Princess Mononoke is an outlier in Studio Ghibli’s catalog. Where the studio usually develops whimsical and spiritual coming-of-age movies aimed at young audiences, the 1997 movie has way more violence than whimsy. It’s full of vicious animal attacks and beheadings, and it’s surprisingly bloody. Mononoke is a great standalone fantasy movie, but it might have been even better if it was live-action.
The Studio Ghibli classic could have been a historical epic on the level of something like Gladiator. But the animated movie is still fantastical, as it’s about a war between humans, gods, and animals, and as it has a strong environmental message, it could have beaten the similarly themed Avatar to it.
Moana (2016)
For as loved and child-friendly as Dwayne Johnson is, he’s never had a chance to deliver something so heartfelt in a live-action movie. Moana could have been that live-action movie, as it’s full of heart, and Johnson’s character of Maui has one of the most wholesome and endearing relationships with Moana.
A live-action Moana could have had some exciting visual effects too, but last year’s Jungle Cruise delivered on all those fronts, only not quite to the extent of the instant-classic 2016 movie. However, given how Disney is seemingly remaking every movie in its expansive catalog, it’s only a matter of time until Moana gets the live-action remake treatment. And Johnson will undoubtedly reprise his role for the film.
Hotel Transylvania (2012)
Given that Universal’s Dark Universe failed before it began, a live-action Hotel Transylvania was any studio’s best bet of bringing the characters to life in non-animated form. Dracula could still have been played by Adam Sandler, and the other characters could be played by their comedy voice actors in the hypothetical live-action movie too.
While high-concept Adam Sandler movies are generally badly received these days and gather virtual dust on Netflix, a live-action version of the film would have been more like Sandler’s older and more beloved movies. It would have been pleasantly reminiscent of the cult classic Little Nicky, and it wouldn’t be set in Hawaii or some other exotic location that doubles as a vacation for Sandler.
Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm (1993)
Audiences are inundated with Batman movies right now. And even though there was a ten-year gap between solo Batman movies with The Dark Knight Rises and The Batman, the Caped Crusader was still heavily featured in the DCEU in that time. However, Mask of the Phantasm would have made a much better follow-up to Batman Returns than Batman Forever if it was live-action.
Batman Forever was criticized for being too silly and trying too hard to sell toys, but Mask of the Phantasm is an incredibly grounded and surprisingly emotional take on the masked vigilante. For a kids’ movie, it explores Bruce Wayne’s psyche better than any live-action film, and it could have been considered the best live-action Batman movie.
Ratatouille (2007)
On the face of it, Ratatouille’s premise of a chef who is controlled by a rat that tugs on his hair doesn’t lend itself to a live-action version. But the newly released Everything Everywhere All at Once proved that it does work and it could be great.
The multiversal comedy features one universe that parodies Ratatouille, as a chef is controlled by a raccoon in a hibachi restaurant, and it’s hilarious and shockingly emotional too. Everything Everywhere’s raccoon is a puppet as well, forgoing digital effects, which would give it such a unique look that a live-action Ratatouille could have adopted.
