Disney’s The Sword in the Stone live-action remake was announced back in 2015, and Netflix’s Damsel may be the key to getting it made after all these years. The House of Mouse has been remaking several of its animated classics into live-action movies, but some seem to have gotten stuck in development hell. Among these is the 1963 movie The Sword in the Stone, which was supposed to be directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. While it seems this project has been put on hold, Fresnadillo’s Netflix fantasy movie may be the answer to getting the ball rolling again.
The announcement that Fresnadillo was attached to the Sword in the Stone remake came back in 2018 when it was revealed that the live-action movie would be a Disney+ original with Enrique Chediak as the cinematographer and Eugenio Caballero as the production designer. Since then, there has been very little word on the project, and the director admitted while promoting his new Netflix film Damsel that The Sword in the Stone was on hold. However, Fresnadillo also noted that after directing the fantasy film, he was all the more prepared for the Disney project.
Netflix’s Damsel: Release Date Info & Everything We Know About The Millie Bobby Brown Fantasy Movie
Mille Bobby Brown’s run with Netflix continues in upcoming fantasy adventure movie Damsel, slated to arrive on the platform in 2024.
Fresnadillo’s Comments About Damsel Make A Sword In The Stone Remake More Intriguing
Disney has done a lot of live-action remakes in recent years, most of which were based on wildly popular princess movies like Beauty and the Beast, The Littler Mermaid, and Aladdin. While most of these have been successful, there has been significant criticism regarding Disney’s current obsession with remaking the classics, and a movie like The Sword in the Stone is especially likely to be divisive. Disney would have to prove that there is any benefit to remaking a classic like this in live-action, but Netflix’s Damsel fantasy may do this for them.
In an interview promoting his Netflix fantasy (via Screen Rant), Fresnadillo admitted that he doesn’t know whether The Sword in the Stone would ever get remade. He said that he hopes that Disney greenlights the movie but that he “[doesn’t] know what is gonna happen.” However, Fresnadillo also said that he would love to apply his experience from working on Damsel to The Sword in the Stone, which makes the live-action remake even more intriguing. Damsel‘s trailer reveals a visually stunning and exciting fantasy movie, and a Sword in the Stone remake in this flavor could be amazing.
How Damsel Could Revive The Live-Action Sword In The Stone Remake
With such limited development on The Sword in the Stone since it was announced, it seems that Disney doesn’t feel that the project is worth prioritizing yet. Several other live-action remakes are currently in the works, with Lilo & Stitch and Snow White expected to be released in the next couple of years. In all, these movies are anticipated to perform better than the story of King Arthur, but if Fresnadillo’s Damsel is a success, this could inspire Disney to put The Sword in the Stone back on its radar.
Damsel, which stars Stranger Things‘ Millie Bobby Brown, is a classic damsel-in-distress story turned on its head, seemingly full of fantastical elements like dragons, grand castles, and a whole lot of action. The fact that Frasnadillo is already thinking about how to apply this sort of mood and tone to The Sword in the Stone is a great sign, so it may only take Damsel being a success to kick off development on the 61-year-old movie. What’s more, the director having a more recent successful film under his belt could be seen as an added draw for The Sword in the Stone.
Why Disney’s Sword In The Stone Remake Was Put On Hold
As previously mentioned, Disney has several live-action remake projects lined up, and The Sword in the Stone is simply another on the list. The classic animated movie may not have the same kind of draw compared to others. The story of King Arthur may be nostalgic for older audiences, but it hasn’t remained as relevant with children as, say, Lilo & Stitch or any of the Disney Princess movies. Therefore, The Sword in the Stone would be a lot harder to market, which is likely why the project got put on hold to begin with.
However, Fresnadillo’s eagerness to make The Sword in the Stone happen and the promise that he would apply what he learned from making Damsel to the live-action film means that there is still some hope left. If Damsel does well, Disney might be inspired to market The Sword in the Stone as an epic fantasy, and the company could be reassured knowing that the remake is in good hands. Of course, only time will tell.
Damsel
- Director
- Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
- Release Date
- March 8, 2024
- Writers
- Dan Mazeau
- Cast
- Millie Bobby Brown , Nick Robinson , Angela Bassett , Robin Wright , Ray Winstone , Brooke Carter , Shohreh Aghdashloo
